Buying a gen3 for green laning

Bob9863 wrote:

That's the trouble with a lift, the diffs. The only real reason to get one is to allow you to fit bigger tires that will increase your ground clearance.
a lot of people would be better off getting quick disconnect sway bars for better articulation then a lift.

To some extent with a basic lift yes. However, I wouldn’t say it is not the only reason overall.

Raising the chassis has many benefits too. On our little off road course at the farm, the Jimny would often high centre and bash the transfer box into the ground and become beached. I fitted a skid plate for protection as I didn’t want to damage the transfer box. But of course a skid costs a bit of clearance. A lift makes this a non issue now. Likewise the front bumper is less prone to plough into the ground with a lift. If you are playing on hard ground or rocks, this makes a bit difference in my opinion. Although less of an issue if you are on soft mud/grass.

The lift has also increased total suspension travel. Even while retaining the anti roll bar. And of course a disconnect is still an option for even more gains. The extra flex means you are lifting wheels less often and the vehicle rides uneven or technical terrain more smoothly and comfortably. Having a reasonably long travel suspension setup on my Land Rover. It is an utter joy to drive keeping all the wheels on the ground and more than anything just inspires confidence.

Obviously lockers or in the case of late model Jimny’s, traction control. Can get you a long way too. And would certainly be sensible additions. But wheel lifting is less smooth overall. And of course traction aids and long travel suspension are not mutually exclusive. Many Land Rovers, mine included are all open diffs. But that is because for trialling events we aren’t allowed any kind of locker or lsd.

Another lift benefit is on road ride. This is partially down to using better shocks for improved damping. Which you could get at standard height. But one area you see benefit is less likelihood to hit the bump stops. If you look under a stock Jimny they have relatively little up travel on the front axle when sitting at ride height. I’m sure some of the crashiness over pot holes, road humps or other poor road surfaces was due to the stock suspension having insufficient damping and small up travel causing the bump stop to come into play. With a lift you massively increase the available up travel. My current setup is far more comfortable and better road manners than the stock setup ever was. And feels more planted in the corners.

300bhpton wrote:

Another lift benefit is on road ride. This is partially down to using better shocks for improved damping. Which you could get at standard height. But one area you see benefit is less likelihood to hit the bump stops. If you look under a stock Jimny they have relatively little up travel on the front axle when sitting at ride height. I’m sure some of the crashiness over pot holes, road humps or other poor road surfaces was due to the stock suspension having insufficient damping and small up travel causing the bump stop to come into play. With a lift you massively increase the available up travel. My current setup is far more comfortable and better road manners than the stock setup ever was. And feels more planted in the corners.

Just one comment, and before I make it, I will point out that I have yet to look under either of the, so far stock, Jimnys that my wife & I have, to see what is under there.

Quite a few manufacturers use "progressive bump stops" as an auxiliary spring, meaning that the suspension is designed to have relatively little up travel before the bump stops make contact, the so to speak "spring rate" increases at the point of contact, rather than the bump stop acting to limit the up travel.

The bump stops are broadly rubber cones/pucks that deform progressively more so at the back.

215 75 15' new tyre [non retread] will fit standard height Jimny with no wheel spacers fitted
195 80 15 retreads same has above 
But not [special track pattern] 
These will need a 2" lift 
With the 2" lift 215 and the 195 will work with 30mm wheel spacers or offset rims
Special tracks may rub a little with spacers or offset rims 

jackonlyjack wrote:

215 75 15' new tyre [non retread] will fit standard height Jimny with no wheel spacers fitted
195 80 15 retreads same has above 
But not [special track pattern] 
These will need a 2" lift 
With the 2" lift 215 and the 195 will work with 30mm wheel spacers or offset rims
Special tracks may rub a little with spacers or offset rims 

Interesting about the Special Track pattern requiring more clearance.  Do you know if the Sahara pattern also needs a lift and will it make any difference if it is on a Gen 4?

 

300bhpton wrote:

To some extent with a basic lift yes. However, I wouldn’t say it is not the only reason overall.

Raising the chassis has many benefits too. On our little off road course at the farm, the Jimny would often high centre and bash the transfer box into the ground and become beached. I fitted a skid plate for protection as I didn’t want to damage the transfer box. But of course a skid costs a bit of clearance. A lift makes this a non issue now. Likewise the front bumper is less prone to plough into the ground with a lift. If you are playing on hard ground or rocks, this makes a bit difference in my opinion. Although less of an issue if you are on soft mud/grass.

The lift has also increased total suspension travel. Even while retaining the anti roll bar. And of course a disconnect is still an option for even more gains. The extra flex means you are lifting wheels less often and the vehicle rides uneven or technical terrain more smoothly and comfortably. Having a reasonably long travel suspension setup on my Land Rover. It is an utter joy to drive keeping all the wheels on the ground and more than anything just inspires confidence.

Obviously lockers or in the case of late model Jimny’s, traction control. Can get you a long way too. And would certainly be sensible additions. But wheel lifting is less smooth overall. And of course traction aids and long travel suspension are not mutually exclusive. Many Land Rovers, mine included are all open diffs. But that is because for trialling events we aren’t allowed any kind of locker or lsd.

Another lift benefit is on road ride. This is partially down to using better shocks for improved damping. Which you could get at standard height. But one area you see benefit is less likelihood to hit the bump stops. If you look under a stock Jimny they have relatively little up travel on the front axle when sitting at ride height. I’m sure some of the crashiness over pot holes, road humps or other poor road surfaces was due to the stock suspension having insufficient damping and small up travel causing the bump stop to come into play. With a lift you massively increase the available up travel. My current setup is far more comfortable and better road manners than the stock setup ever was. And feels more planted in the corners.

A better way to word it perhaps is the main and biggest reason, but the main point is the majority of jimny owners don't need a lift. Most 4x4 owners more to the point don't need or will ever use a lift. Theres more useful things to spend that money on, most people wont do serious off road work, it's dirt roads, the beach and farm lanes.
A lift will increase the height of most of the undercarriage and that will of course help a lot with clearance, but those big metal axles stay the same. The road ride is a bit of a myth, I've lifed a number of jimny's and sierra's now and its never improved the ride. How many people have tried to improve the ride just by switching shocks, steering dampners and fitting better tyres? 
The lift doesn't improve the ride, its the heavy duty and better quality parts that add on when you add a lift that improves things, but thats in spite of the lift, not because of it.
A simple test, before putting a full lift kit on just change the springs and do a before and after drive, or add spring spacers on an unmodified jimny and do a before and after drive, even with a tire change.
It's actually a bit of a catch 22, if you want to improve it on road start with better shocks, stiffer sway bars and better tires, if you really want better on road handling then your better off lowering it. But that's not what the jimny is about, it's about being a fun all round vehicle, and that will hurt its off riad capabilities. If you want better off road performance and that's what you want it for then yes a lift is a must, put on 235 mud terrain tires winches and all the rest.

I'm a little different these days, I used to do 4x4  competitions but now with many a permanent injury I just want to get to my fishing and hunting spots easily and in comfort, and when I'm on the road I love the out of the box feel of the jimny, they aren't fast but that bit of lean, bounce and instability means at normal road speeds when giving it a bit it feels like your going fast, and that to me is what gives it that happy excited puppy dog feel.
But a lot of my views are coloured by living in Australia, we have a lot more dirt roads, Forrest tracks off road river access tracks and fuel range becomes a bigger issue then clearance. I'm planning a drive in the desert later in the year, lots of soft sand and over 600km between fuel stops and i hunt on farms that start at 200,000ac, so more fuel is a much more important issue then a lift.
Now I want to enhancer the capabilities that I actually need while keeping the rest as stock as possible. I want it as fun and useful as possible, without putting extra stress on other components that will make them wear out faster over time.