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Suppliers/Dealers or anyone selling with a commercial view in mind CANNOT post here unless responding to a specific request of a member in a "wanted" post.
Suppliers include people "breaking for spares" on a regular basis, when purchasing spares members should ask a supplier what they contribute to the running of the forum particularly if contacted by a Private Message
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How different are Gen 3 to 4 to live with?
01 Nov 2026 17:06 - 01 Nov 2026 17:08 #265516
by facade
It doesn't really matter, they changed when they introduced the push button transfer case. When they went back to a manual lever they kept the same internals as the push button case.
The SJ and earlier had a transfer case that was completely gear driven (with a line of big cogs like a series Landrover or Proper Mini) and was very noisy. They can howl when under load.
When the Gen 3 Jimny was introduced they did away with all the drive cogs and fitted a near silent chain drive. Low range was provided by having a small epicyclic gearbox inside the output shaft that only turns its gears when in low, so the transfer box is pretty quiet.
With the push button transfer, and carrying on to the Gen 4 they kept the chain drive, but did away with the epicyclic gearbox, instead a series of reduction gears are driven all the time by the lower chain sprocket. Low range is achieved by connecting the output shaft to far end of these gears.
High range locks the output shaft to the lower chain sprocket and disconnects those gears at the far end, but they still rotate with the output sprocket.
No drive passes through then, so they just freewheel, but they "sing". You will hear it if you hold the transfer lever when driving along at 30 plus, or if you fit a transfer case guard that reflects the noise upwards (guess how I know...)
Anyway, the bottom line is the Gen 3s with the lever transfer box are slightly quieter than the push button ones and the Gen 4.
The difference between the two cars for me (which isn't just rose tinted glasses) is that I like my Gen 4, but I loved my Gen 3, even though it was a manual. (Which means the Gen 3 must have been massively better since I hate messing with gears!)
If Suzuki had made it out of something that didn't rust, or we didn't cover the roads in corrosive chemicals for half the year I'd still have it.....
If it suddenly breaks, go back to the last thing that you did before it broke and start looking there
Replied by facade on topic How different are Gen 3 to 4 to live with?
I don't know what epicyclic is but I shall go and learn
It doesn't really matter, they changed when they introduced the push button transfer case. When they went back to a manual lever they kept the same internals as the push button case.
The SJ and earlier had a transfer case that was completely gear driven (with a line of big cogs like a series Landrover or Proper Mini) and was very noisy. They can howl when under load.
When the Gen 3 Jimny was introduced they did away with all the drive cogs and fitted a near silent chain drive. Low range was provided by having a small epicyclic gearbox inside the output shaft that only turns its gears when in low, so the transfer box is pretty quiet.
With the push button transfer, and carrying on to the Gen 4 they kept the chain drive, but did away with the epicyclic gearbox, instead a series of reduction gears are driven all the time by the lower chain sprocket. Low range is achieved by connecting the output shaft to far end of these gears.
High range locks the output shaft to the lower chain sprocket and disconnects those gears at the far end, but they still rotate with the output sprocket.
No drive passes through then, so they just freewheel, but they "sing". You will hear it if you hold the transfer lever when driving along at 30 plus, or if you fit a transfer case guard that reflects the noise upwards (guess how I know...)
Anyway, the bottom line is the Gen 3s with the lever transfer box are slightly quieter than the push button ones and the Gen 4.
The difference between the two cars for me (which isn't just rose tinted glasses) is that I like my Gen 4, but I loved my Gen 3, even though it was a manual. (Which means the Gen 3 must have been massively better since I hate messing with gears!)
If Suzuki had made it out of something that didn't rust, or we didn't cover the roads in corrosive chemicals for half the year I'd still have it.....
If it suddenly breaks, go back to the last thing that you did before it broke and start looking there
Last edit: 01 Nov 2026 17:08 by facade.
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