Welcome ladies and gentlemen to my personal pet peeve on the Planet. SHOCKS.
Every week or two someone asks what shocks they should run. Without fail "Buy OME or Bilstein" shows up within the first 5 posts. Nothing against either but most people don't realize there are other shocks available. The big thing that catches most people's attention is the 46mm piston and velocity sensitive valving. Because of marketing hype, you'd think you need a big-name shock to get those features. The truth is most of the better OE replacement shocks have a 42-46mm piston and can be purchased locally. Most of them go for less than $100 per shock as well and there's no shipping charge.
While we're on the subject of longer shocks I want to mention post extensions. To put it simply they are garbage. Don't waste your money just buy the right shocks the first time.
Ok now there are a few people on here that understand hydraulics but for those that don't, I'll explain velocity sensitive valving. When you force fluid through a hole or around a shim stack there's a certain amount of resistance that's proportional to how hard you push. The harder(faster) you push the more resistance there is. Now when your tire smashes into an obstacle it forces the shock to compress quickly which creates lots of resistance but hit the same obstacle very gently and there's very little resistance. BOOM velocity sensitive. The cheapest POS shock on the market is velocity sensitive.
The piston plays a major role in how shock rides. Without getting technical a larger diameter piston will always ride better than a smaller one. This holds true even with stiffer valving in the larger piston. Stock Isuzu used 30mm front and 25mm rear so it shouldn't be harder to find something better.
So how do I plan to help the beleaguered members Planet Isuzoo? The same way I always do with cheaper alternatives.
I looked in my 96-97 Trooper FSM for the OE lengths of the shocks. Then I had to scour, well Google did, the Internet for the 1g Trooper and Rodeo numbers. 1g Troopers and Rodeos share the same rear shock so it made things easier. Something I didn't realize is that Isuzu spec'd the same size shock for every single front end from 81 Troopers to 04 Rodeos. Guess you don't mess with a good thing or they were too cheap to do something better.
Now I selected all these shocks because they are longer than stock Isuzu shocks. The downside to this is you have to lengthen your bump stops. If that's a problem if suggest not lifting your vehicle. They also have more overall travel to increase articulation.
To calculate how much to move your bump stop you need to subtract the compressed length of the stock shock from the compressed length of the shock you want to use. So if your stock shock has a compressed length(CL) of 12" and the shock you want to use has a CL of 15" then you need to move your bump stop down 3". The goal is to not have your shock be the limit.
New CL - Old CL = amount to move bump stop
15 - 12 = 3
One other thing I should mention is the shock mounts. I checked to make sure they are the right style but they may need work to fit. Such as a 1/2" bushing needs to be drilled out to 3/4" for a 92-02 Trooper. The bright side though is that you can buy any of these at AutoZone, Advance or Napa. Possibly with a lifetime warranty. Make sure to check them in the store BEFORE you leave.
There are a few front shocks to choose from. The major challenge is that we already have one of the longest travel front shocks of all the OE's. Just about everyone uses a 3-4.5" shock on their IFS. Isuzu uses a 5.1" travel shock. The ones that do have more are way too long to work.
Ok I've completed the list. I included a few full size truck shocks. They should only be selected if you're constantly hauling a load. Remember most of these will need minor work to fit.
92-02 Trooper shock mounts
Front upper mount stud---lower mount 12mm X 32mm
Rear upper mount 14mm--upper bushing 38mm wide--lower mount 18mm--lower bushing 40mm wide
81-91 Trooper & 92-97 Rodeo shock mounts
Front upper mount stud--lower mount 12mm X 32mm
Rear upper mount stud--lower mount 14mm--lower bushing 33mm wide
Front Shocks ALL models and years
2/98-06 Toyota Land Cruiser front shocks--ext bump stop 1"--reduce droop stop 1"--may max out CV
02-09 Hummer H2 front shocks
92-96 Ford F-150 forward of axle front shock--ext bump stop 1"--reduce droop stop 1"--May max out CV
03-05 Ram 1500 front shocks
Bilstein
5125 series
33-230405 stock length shock
92-02 Trooper Rear Shocks ONLY
69-86 Toyota Land Cruiser rear shocks--may need to ext bump stops up to 2"
84-89 Toyota 4Runner Rear shocks--ext bumps stops 1.5"
83-88 Toyota pickup 1 ton--ext bump stops 1"
99-05 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 rear shocks--ext bump stop 1.5"
99-04 Jeep G Cherokee rear shock--ext bum stop 1"
05-10 Jeep Grand Cherokee rear shock--ext bump stop 2.5"
06-10 Jeep Commander rear shock--extend bump stop 2.6"
85-05 Chevy Astro rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
98-00Ford Ranger rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
97-03 F150 rear shocks--ext bumps 1.5"--good for heavy loads
04-08 F150 rear 2wd shocks--ext bump stops 2.5"
01-12 Ford Ranger--there's several options look them up. All are rear shocks
85-95 Nissan Pathfinder rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
85-97 Nissan D21(hardbody) rear shocks--extend bump stops 1"
98-04 Frontier 4wd rear shocks--extend bump stops 1"
98-04 Pathfinder & 99-04 Xterra are the same as Frontier
97-11 Dodge Dakota rear shocks--ext bump stops 2.75"
Fox Racing--all shocks have 1/2" mount holes
985-24-003 stock length internal reservoir shock
985-24-004 8" travel internal reservoir shock
985-24-050 stock length external reservoir shock
985-24-051 8" travel external reservoir shock
985-24-052 10" travel external reservoir shock
985-26-050 stock length external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
985-26-051 8" travel external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
985-26-052 10" travel external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
Bilstein
5125 series
33-062518 stock length shock 255/70 valving
33-233970 7" travel shock 255/70 valving
33-230313 8" travel shock 170/60 valving
33-185590 8" travel shock 255/70 valving
5165 series external reservoir
33-187861 stock length shock light valving
33-187885 stock length shock heavy valving
33-176223 8.8" travel shock light valving
33-176230 8.8" travel shock heavy valving
82-91 Trooper & 92-97 Rodeo Rear ONLY
80-89 Toyota Land Cruiser Front shocks
91-98 Toyota Land Cruiser rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
1/98-06 Toyota Land Cruiser Rear shock--ext bump stops .5"
00-06 Toyota Tundra 4wd rear shocks-.5-1"
08-15 Toyota FJ Cruiser rear shocks-ext bump stops 1"
07-16 Toyota Tundra Shocks--ext bump stops 2"
99-06 Mitsubishi Montero rear shocks--ext bump stops 1.5"
Fox Racing--all shocks have 1/2" lower mount hole
985-24-008 stock length internal reservoir shock
985-24-057 10" travel external reservoir shock
985-26-057 10" travel external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
Bilstein
5125 series
33-065283 8.2" travel shock
33-230450 8.6" travel shock
5165 series external reservoir
25-177480 stock length shock
25-177473 8.8" travel shock
98-04 Rodeo, 02-04 Axiom, 01-03 Rodeo Sport & 98-00 Amigos Rear Shocks ONLY
81-91 Trooper rear shocks
92-97 Rodeo rear shocks
Any shock listed above for 81-91 Trooper or 92-97 Rodeo provided you have driver side bent trailing link to clear gas tank.
Every week or two someone asks what shocks they should run. Without fail "Buy OME or Bilstein" shows up within the first 5 posts. Nothing against either but most people don't realize there are other shocks available. The big thing that catches most people's attention is the 46mm piston and velocity sensitive valving. Because of marketing hype, you'd think you need a big-name shock to get those features. The truth is most of the better OE replacement shocks have a 42-46mm piston and can be purchased locally. Most of them go for less than $100 per shock as well and there's no shipping charge.
While we're on the subject of longer shocks I want to mention post extensions. To put it simply they are garbage. Don't waste your money just buy the right shocks the first time.
Ok now there are a few people on here that understand hydraulics but for those that don't, I'll explain velocity sensitive valving. When you force fluid through a hole or around a shim stack there's a certain amount of resistance that's proportional to how hard you push. The harder(faster) you push the more resistance there is. Now when your tire smashes into an obstacle it forces the shock to compress quickly which creates lots of resistance but hit the same obstacle very gently and there's very little resistance. BOOM velocity sensitive. The cheapest POS shock on the market is velocity sensitive.
The piston plays a major role in how shock rides. Without getting technical a larger diameter piston will always ride better than a smaller one. This holds true even with stiffer valving in the larger piston. Stock Isuzu used 30mm front and 25mm rear so it shouldn't be harder to find something better.
So how do I plan to help the beleaguered members Planet Isuzoo? The same way I always do with cheaper alternatives.
I looked in my 96-97 Trooper FSM for the OE lengths of the shocks. Then I had to scour, well Google did, the Internet for the 1g Trooper and Rodeo numbers. 1g Troopers and Rodeos share the same rear shock so it made things easier. Something I didn't realize is that Isuzu spec'd the same size shock for every single front end from 81 Troopers to 04 Rodeos. Guess you don't mess with a good thing or they were too cheap to do something better.
Now I selected all these shocks because they are longer than stock Isuzu shocks. The downside to this is you have to lengthen your bump stops. If that's a problem if suggest not lifting your vehicle. They also have more overall travel to increase articulation.
To calculate how much to move your bump stop you need to subtract the compressed length of the stock shock from the compressed length of the shock you want to use. So if your stock shock has a compressed length(CL) of 12" and the shock you want to use has a CL of 15" then you need to move your bump stop down 3". The goal is to not have your shock be the limit.
New CL - Old CL = amount to move bump stop
15 - 12 = 3
One other thing I should mention is the shock mounts. I checked to make sure they are the right style but they may need work to fit. Such as a 1/2" bushing needs to be drilled out to 3/4" for a 92-02 Trooper. The bright side though is that you can buy any of these at AutoZone, Advance or Napa. Possibly with a lifetime warranty. Make sure to check them in the store BEFORE you leave.
There are a few front shocks to choose from. The major challenge is that we already have one of the longest travel front shocks of all the OE's. Just about everyone uses a 3-4.5" shock on their IFS. Isuzu uses a 5.1" travel shock. The ones that do have more are way too long to work.
Ok I've completed the list. I included a few full size truck shocks. They should only be selected if you're constantly hauling a load. Remember most of these will need minor work to fit.
92-02 Trooper shock mounts
Front upper mount stud---lower mount 12mm X 32mm
Rear upper mount 14mm--upper bushing 38mm wide--lower mount 18mm--lower bushing 40mm wide
81-91 Trooper & 92-97 Rodeo shock mounts
Front upper mount stud--lower mount 12mm X 32mm
Rear upper mount stud--lower mount 14mm--lower bushing 33mm wide
Front Shocks ALL models and years
2/98-06 Toyota Land Cruiser front shocks--ext bump stop 1"--reduce droop stop 1"--may max out CV
02-09 Hummer H2 front shocks
92-96 Ford F-150 forward of axle front shock--ext bump stop 1"--reduce droop stop 1"--May max out CV
03-05 Ram 1500 front shocks
Bilstein
5125 series
33-230405 stock length shock
92-02 Trooper Rear Shocks ONLY
69-86 Toyota Land Cruiser rear shocks--may need to ext bump stops up to 2"
84-89 Toyota 4Runner Rear shocks--ext bumps stops 1.5"
83-88 Toyota pickup 1 ton--ext bump stops 1"
99-05 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 rear shocks--ext bump stop 1.5"
99-04 Jeep G Cherokee rear shock--ext bum stop 1"
05-10 Jeep Grand Cherokee rear shock--ext bump stop 2.5"
06-10 Jeep Commander rear shock--extend bump stop 2.6"
85-05 Chevy Astro rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
98-00Ford Ranger rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
97-03 F150 rear shocks--ext bumps 1.5"--good for heavy loads
04-08 F150 rear 2wd shocks--ext bump stops 2.5"
01-12 Ford Ranger--there's several options look them up. All are rear shocks
85-95 Nissan Pathfinder rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
85-97 Nissan D21(hardbody) rear shocks--extend bump stops 1"
98-04 Frontier 4wd rear shocks--extend bump stops 1"
98-04 Pathfinder & 99-04 Xterra are the same as Frontier
97-11 Dodge Dakota rear shocks--ext bump stops 2.75"
Fox Racing--all shocks have 1/2" mount holes
985-24-003 stock length internal reservoir shock
985-24-004 8" travel internal reservoir shock
985-24-050 stock length external reservoir shock
985-24-051 8" travel external reservoir shock
985-24-052 10" travel external reservoir shock
985-26-050 stock length external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
985-26-051 8" travel external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
985-26-052 10" travel external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
Bilstein
5125 series
33-062518 stock length shock 255/70 valving
33-233970 7" travel shock 255/70 valving
33-230313 8" travel shock 170/60 valving
33-185590 8" travel shock 255/70 valving
5165 series external reservoir
33-187861 stock length shock light valving
33-187885 stock length shock heavy valving
33-176223 8.8" travel shock light valving
33-176230 8.8" travel shock heavy valving
82-91 Trooper & 92-97 Rodeo Rear ONLY
80-89 Toyota Land Cruiser Front shocks
91-98 Toyota Land Cruiser rear shocks--ext bump stops 1"
1/98-06 Toyota Land Cruiser Rear shock--ext bump stops .5"
00-06 Toyota Tundra 4wd rear shocks-.5-1"
08-15 Toyota FJ Cruiser rear shocks-ext bump stops 1"
07-16 Toyota Tundra Shocks--ext bump stops 2"
99-06 Mitsubishi Montero rear shocks--ext bump stops 1.5"
Fox Racing--all shocks have 1/2" lower mount hole
985-24-008 stock length internal reservoir shock
985-24-057 10" travel external reservoir shock
985-26-057 10" travel external reservoir shock w/ compression adjusted
Bilstein
5125 series
33-065283 8.2" travel shock
33-230450 8.6" travel shock
5165 series external reservoir
25-177480 stock length shock
25-177473 8.8" travel shock
98-04 Rodeo, 02-04 Axiom, 01-03 Rodeo Sport & 98-00 Amigos Rear Shocks ONLY
81-91 Trooper rear shocks
92-97 Rodeo rear shocks
Any shock listed above for 81-91 Trooper or 92-97 Rodeo provided you have driver side bent trailing link to clear gas tank.