BtW's 2002 Axiom Build

[btw1549]

Well Everyone, Time for the next project . I still have many plans for the Trooper but as that is only a For Fun vehicle it’s time to get the other project started. About two years ago I bought an Axiom with a bad transmission and 172,000 miles on it. Ran and Drove great until the transmission would overheat after about 10 miles. Body and frame are in AMAZING condition so towed that home and parked it while looking for another parts truck. Last month found another Axiom with a bad Engine, (People thought they would top off their oil and filled the engine to the top and tried to drive it. Needless to say didn't work out that great!) but the body and frame are really rusty. The transmission was just replaced prior to the engine issue so I towed that home to complete the beginning process of the Axiom Build.

This weekend I pulled the first Axiom I bought down to the garage and pulled the drivetrain. Being the engine has 172,000 miles I am going to do a complete rebuild on it so it's fresh again. Then I'll yank the transmission out of the other truck along with the interior (the interior in the second truck is spotless but the first trucks is beyond a cleaning) and make one good one out of the two.

This will not be as big a build as the Trooper but it will be getting a small lift and bigger tires and as many of you know this may all change the farther I get into it, just like the trooper ended up!

So start with a few pictures of the powertrain removal.

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[96TrooperSE]

Nice project! I've always liked the styling of the axiom. What are your plans for it? A little lift with 33s would look pretty sweet. Good luck and keep us updated with progress.

[foytiX]

I have to agree I love the look of the axiom....especially with some extra attitude

[btw1549]

I'm not 100% sure yet. I really wanted to keep the electronic suspension on there but that wouldn't work with a lift like I want to do. I was thinking of using the multi-cross spoke 16's from the trooper,

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And wrap them in a set of 265/75r16's or the 16" snowflakes would work if I need more backspacing.

I want to get the drivetrain rebuilt first see what kind of funding I have available and then go from there. I've already been researching lockers and LSD's for it though

[DirtNasty]

Looks wise I think the Axiom was about 10 years ahead of its time. I mean that thing is 14 years old and it almost looks like a car that was made 2 or 3 years ago. I can't wait to see that thing lifted.

[southernboy90]

Btw being a fellow axiom owner i was wandering if u knew where i could purchase a bra for my. axiom?

[btw1549]

Btw being a fellow axiom owner i was wandering if u knew where i could purchase a bra for my. axiom?

I have not seen a bra listed during any of my searches for accessories. Can't even find a bug deflector available new.

[btw1549]

I was home for graduation this weekend so got a chance to strip down the 3.5l that I pulled previously. Supposedly this engine had 180k on it but after looking at how clean the back of the valves and pistons were and how the cross hatch was still present in the cylinder walls I think someone might have had the engine apart for a rebuild once before. Oh and you could still read the Isuzu and the part numbers on the timing belt like it was barley used.

Cylinder #1 rod bearing had some excessive wear but nothing that caused damage to the crank (thank god). I haven't removed the crank completely yet as I ran out of time.

Does anyone have the specs for the measurement of the cylinder bore? It isn't in my shop manual. ***Edit, found the specs

I'm still trying to decide if I want to paint it or not. I think the truck will end up a charcoal gray and maybe the suspension components orange so I'm thinking of maybe doing the engine in a gray and orange theme to match.

Now for the pictures. I took a lot of photos along the disassembly process so I can reference them if I need to. I'll post the majority of them for the same reason on here. Someone may need to reference them at some point.

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[btw1549]

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[bradzuzu]

I was amazed how beefy the rear link setup was in the one I got the motor from , that poor rig was burned to the ground..!!

Good progress so far !!

[ZuminaZX]

nasty looking sludge!

[bradzuzu]

I don't know if that's sludge or crapy oil brand that stained everything , mine was just as dark inside.. Took lots and lots of cleaning !!

[btw1549]

There are no sings of actual sludge build up anywhere in the engine. Just crappy oil being used which lacks the detergents and other additives that the good oils have to stop this staining from occurring as much.

I think I am going to send everything down to my local machine shop to have them clean the block and internals and I'll blast all the external components before painting.

[btw1549]

So I have decided I am going to go with a 3" lift like Gorg's 2003 but I will be running a set of 18's wrapped with General Grabber AT2's in 265/70R18 (if the funds allow! ). So for the past few days I have taken some time to research shock options for what would work with the lift and came up with a chart which (as long as the data is correct) will help me determine which shocks I will buy.

It looks like the 1st gen Rodeo rear shocks will work on 2nd Gen Rodeo's and Axiom's for a lift if you install a bushing in the lower rubber mount, or swap the lower mounts from one Eyelit to the other. Has anyone ever tried this before?

Also a 1969 Cadillac Eldorado offers the possibility for rear air shocks if I could get the dimensions for the lower Eyelit mount!

[gorgutron]

Curious to see what shocks you get. I was going to copy Holger and go with LC 80 shocks but took the easy route and got skyjacker Nitros from Indy4x. Although now I wish I had done some more research. I dont even have them on yet.

Nice build!

[btw1549]

I will probably go with the Skyjackers Nitro series or one of the ProComps but need to research the ProComps some more to see which series will be best for my application. I'll be doing towing frequently but don't want something so stiff it sucks daily driving.

On a side note the transmission just got dropped off at my buddies place for the rebuild. I would do it but I just don't have the time.

[btw1549]

So I pulled my crank this weekend and found the first main bearing was destroyed as well. I cannot believe this engine was not making any noise when it ran. The crank still wasn't badly scored and could have just been polished so I took all my measurements. Unfortunately the cylinder walls have become oblong (they measure within spec measuring from front of motor to rear but measure just at the minimum spec when measuring from top of motor to bottom) so it needs to be bored out and the crank journals, even though they weren't scored badly, were just beyond minimum spec so the crank needs to be cut. Pictures of the bearings are below.

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So originally I said this wouldn't be as big a build as the trooper was; well now that the block needs to be machined I am seriously considering diesel swap or having the machine work done and fabing up a supercharger and headers and giving her a little more oomph for when I haul stuff around.

I'm also looking for a factory roof rack set-up and rear spoiler on the hatch so if anyone comes across any in a yard let me know. Car-part has a few so if none pop up cheaper I'll just have to head that route.