2scoops

Yeah, I saw that before...didn't know it was you. That is a sweet looking Trooper. Looks like you were hung up on your trailing arm, so I don't think a lift would have done much for you in that situation. But, I applaud you for driving it like it was meant to be driven! Our Troopers definatley don't have as much clearance as some other machines. I had to leave machine and ride in my buddies RZR4 once because I couldn't get through some bolders. He still doesn't let me live that one down. I got him back later that day when we raced. He got a head start & I still blew past him. This was before I went to heavier 30" tires though. Our long wheelbase and wide body can get us hung up in alot of areas where smaller machines won't, but we enjoy far more cockpit room. If I was building Troopers I would have at least tried to suck the sides up and in a little. Also, I would have not built it with bolts protruding out of the bottom. Before you bend them all up and have to cut them off like I did, I would get a skidplate made out of UHMW. Something like this: http://www.utvboard.com/topic/1493-orc-version-1-skid-plate/page__p__5607__hl__%2Bskid+%2Bplate__fromsearch__1#entry5607 Mine is similar except that I used 1/4" aluminum under the diffs & tranny. Now I don't cringe when I scrape over the rocks or bottom out hard. There have been several berms I have driven over where the bottom just slid over. Before the mod the lower tubes and bolts would have just dug in and I wouldn't have gotten over them.

So it sounds like your aftercooler is not in a path of direct airflow. Is that correct? Is there a way to mount the supercharger with out flipping the intake?

Another question for you since you are our boost guru. I am trying to decide where I might place my aftercooler. Are there drawbacks from having longer tube coming from the supercharger to the intake than a shorter one. I figure a longer tube would help the air cool more, but would there be significant pressure loss or power delay from being longer when you could have it shorter? Since it will need more air to build the same amount of pressure as a shorter tube? Or, do you think it would even be noticeable?

I'd be embarrassed if a Rhino passed me as well . So, I don't blame you. Have you seen the turbo systems on Ebay for $2k? I am pretty sure they are being sold by Unleashed Motorsports which have been building them for years. $2k is cheap when you consider a RZR turbo starts at $4k. If you want max power you will need to run race gas though. I am sure a propertly tuned turbo would let you climb almost whatever you point your Trooper at.

Sent you a PM.

Good input--thanks!

How'd dem cams do?

Makes sense. We also need to get you more articulation in the front end. When are we gonna do your front shocks?

Thanks for the reply Robert. I can't believe you have put up with the turbo acting up for almost 2800 miles. I wonder if you would have had issues even with out the turbo. I also wonder why yours is overheating. Randy lives in Arizona and doesn't have any overheating issues with his turbo. Are you running race gas? Keep us posted on how things turn out. I would like to know how the remapped fuel controller works. Silverbullet should have done his homework before selling it to a turbo'd owner. Let us know if you get it running correctly and what the fix was. Thanks, Paul

The only loosness I have now is where the gears mesh in the steering box. When my wife drove it and she commented on how car-like it feels now. I had to ask her to slow down for the occupants sake because she was just flying over the rocks, and I was attempting to take in the scenery. I didn't notice hardly any assist in with the front locker engaged though, but I tried it only for a second. I rarely use the front locker anymore. I learned the hard way going up Hells Gate that it only causes problems when trying to steer & shift. It turned what should have been a very easy obstical into a difficult one. I just couldn't get on the right line. I have discovered there very few situations where the front locker will make or break me getting through or over an obstical.

I centered mine on the bench, installed it, took if for a test drive & it started pulling left. So, then I centered it while installed. They are sensitive little buggers. Rick is the first person to call my Trooper clean...I almost take offense to it . It looks shiny because everything had a fresh coat of paint on it.

Not nearly as much as I'd like to. Can't wait for retirement. Just 22 years away-lol. We'll all be offroading in nuclear powered hovercraft by then--lol.

This is how I mounted mine. I tried a few weeks ago to upload some pictures into my gallery but they were to big.

Yeah, your supercharger just sounds awesome. I really like the one you selected too (Aisin). The only downside is it is a little noisey, but that is inherant of a roots type blower. If it was dollar for dollar the same price as a turbo I would go with the supercharger, but it sounds like it will require a programable computer, injectors, & an new fuel pump which will up the price over a turbo. And, I believe a intercooler should be run with a roots blower which will up the price even more.

Thanks Randy. The Unleashed is the turbo I am looking at if I do not supercharge--best price. Do you know if Unleashed put a different fuel pump than stock for the install? Are you holding your own against the competition (RZR's/Rhinos/Prowlers/etc)? Any stories? I haven't seen alot of sand, just some in Moab, but it wasn't very long or steep where I was at. The lighter machines seem to scoot along in sand much easier and I am hoping a supercharger or turbo will even things out. I can tell you even with rock crawling the Troopers 1st gear is low enough to climb everything I have tried. I have Silverbullets fuel controller and that made a huge difference in low end pick up & power. The only time rock crawling becomes a chore is when you get bound up and have to work the clutch, but that isn't a power thing, it is a stick shift thing. The only thing I have noticed my buddy's RZR's do better is accelerate up hills due to their CVT & lighter weight. It would be nice to have the instant low RPM throttle response of a supercharger, but I am debating if I even need it below 2000-2500 RPM.

Questions from any Trooper Turbo Owners: Where did you purchase your turbo? Have you had any issues? Do you have an intercooler? At what RPM do you feel it spool up? How does it run up hills? Do you need to down shift still? Do you feel there would be an advantage of a supercharger over a turbo? Thanks for the feedback.

Lenny, I am looking for power upgrades. I contacted Silverbullet and they said they are a couple of weeks out from putting a supercharger together (which really means a couple of months). I also assume they are building a system based on a lot of input from you. There are some pretty inexpensive turbo systems out there, but I want instant throttle response if possible.I don't feel a centrifugal blower has much advantage over a turbo, so a roots type blower is what I am looking at just as you have, but I have a few questions. Do you think your supercharger would work well with an FMU instead of purchasing a whole new programable computer and larger injectors? From what I have read an FMU is an easy alternative to a computer reprogram. I understand the way your system is set up is the best, but you were having tuning issues. Would you do anything differently if you were to do it a second time? Thanks Paul

Check out RBP manufacturing. They have a nice end load rack.

Took it for another ride. I am even more impressed. I was going over 3-7 inch rocks with maybe an inch of deflection in the steering wheel. I used to wear gloves when I went out--I don't need to anymore. I was wheeling with one hand all weekend. Also, it has taken all the wheel wobble out of my steering at high speed. The 30" ATV tires I have are impossible to balance and I have always experience a little shaking in the wheel when going down a flat road, but now it as smooth smooth smooth. Also, I drove my friends RZR 4 with out powersteering this weekend. My Trooper rides softer and is quieter. Now with the powersteering--fugetaboutit. Whenever we'd hit rocky sections he would fall behind. I am sure he could have kept up if he wanted, but I know he was slowing because he was getting jolted more than I was. Now I just need to improve the braking.

Here is how I understand the criss-crossing when I was repairing my brakes: They use a cantalever to actuate the master cylinders. Its kind of a jimmy-rig way to ensure a similar distribution of pressure but is not exact. Because it is not exact pressure & could change back & forth depending on the resistance of one master cylinder to the other due reasons like brake fade being greater on one brake cylinder over the others or thicker pads on front or rear, etc they opted for a cantalever design over a proportioning valve to save money. Then they criss-crossed to provide even more equal distribution per wheel. I would like to get rid of the cantalever & install a proportioning valve. Then you can adjust your braking pressure from front to rear with the turn of a knob. I think it should be somewhere around 60 front 40 rear. A stock Trooper is running 50/50. Although we have two master cylinders, I can tell you from experience, if one fails, or a brake cylinder fails, your pedal will go to the floor & you will have no brakes because of the catalever design--all pressure will default to the failing side. Its like someone jumping off one side of a teeter-toter.

The kit is the best option until we can find a better steering box. The kit works quite well. Check for loosness through the entire steering system (tierod ends, steering shaft, u-joints, wheel bearings etc). Once you get all the play out & add the steering kit it should drive quite nicely at speed.

That is sweet! Way jealous.

I like the way you think Jeff. Obviously we would have to redesign the rear swing arm and it would need to be a hydraulic driven actuator. Hmmm, that would be sooo sweet. IMHO an A-arm rear suspension would be optimal. I wonder though, in the 3-link design I am already contemplating, if one of the lateral links couldn't also act as a tie rod. The rear wheels wouldn't have to turn a great amount to greatly increase the steering radius. Would you want it to work in tandem with the current steering or be on an independant lever?

No, no, & no. My Trooper rides at the stock height but now has about 3-4 inches of droop or sag built into the suspension. With my stock shocks I had maybe 1/4" of sag. In a well designed suspension system you want some sag built in. But again that depends on what you are doing. I do mostly rock crawling & high speed runs on rocky trails. I want my wheel to drop in to the whole & ride back out instead of the wheel bouncing off of the other side of the whole which causes a harsh impact & ride when going fast. Guys who hit the mud bogs alot just want ground clearance and jack their rides way up but often sacrifice a nice ride. I used Fox 8.5 inch shocks with dual rate springs. They have 8.5 inches of travel where the stock shocks are 5.5-6 inches??? That translates to 4-5 more inches of wheel travel over the stock shocks & I use every bit. I think if I changed my tie rod ends to rod ends I may even be able to get 13-14" inches of travel. The next thing limiting the travel is the ball joints, then the CV's. Those of us who have had our Troopers for a while have dicovered many of the factory ratings were inflated. I found the stock suspension to ride quite nicely over 1-2 inch bumps and really cornered on rails because of its stiffness--which I liked. But, any thing over 2" is where you really started to get jarred in your seat. In order to maintain the factory rated 13" of ground clearance they put really stiff springs on. When you do this you really have to up your internal valving to offset the spring reaction--which they did not. My first test ride was on gravel, dirt road, & pavement, and I thought it rode quite nicely. Then I got into the rocks & it was a different story. To make things worse I rode in my buddys RZR S and that ruined it for me. I knew I wanted to make some changes. Don't get discouraged with your Trooper. They are still a go anywhere machine. I bought mine with the intention of modifying it over time. Now when I go out with my buddy's with a RZR4 & RZR S, everyone comments on how bad a$$ mine is ,and I intend to keep it that way.