Underside protection

This is about my JB74 LCV. I am thinking of adding more protection for the parts on the underbody of the car, and I've been looking at these from JimnyBits:  Guards / Protection (jimnybits.com)  . 

I've already ordered the rock sliders and I think I'll eventually get these:

• Radius arm mounting guards
• Transfer box guard
• Fuel filter guard

Am I right in thinking that the radius arm mounts are probably the most vulnerable part? I'm trying to decide what to get first. Also, I don't think I'll get the diff guards, do you guys think those would be necessary? I don't plan to do any serious rock crawling (and I want to avoid adding too much weight).

On my last gen3 I had at various points every guard except side sliders and in all honesty I think most of them were very debatable in terms of actually being necessary. On my current Jimny I only have a transfer guard. This is twofold, one not having the rest adds lightness and second it's protecting the only really weak trip ending component. Smack the transfer case hard enough and the aluminium mounts break and you are done, smack a radius arm mount and it's bent and needs fixing when you drive home. Equally if you smack a differential hard enough to benefit from a guard you have probably hurt other significant things too that will end your day. From the reports of those who have a gen4 the fuel filter pump thing is the same as the transfer case, weak enough to end the day if not protected.

wrote:

On my last gen3 I had at various points every guard except side sliders and in all honesty I think most of them were very debatable in terms of actually being necessary. On my current Jimny I only have a transfer guard. This is twofold, one not having the rest adds lightness and second it's protecting the only really weak trip ending component. Smack the transfer case hard enough and the aluminium mounts break and you are done, smack a radius arm mount and it's bent and needs fixing when you drive home. Equally if you smack a differential hard enough to benefit from a guard you have probably hurt other significant things too that will end your day. From the reports of those who have a gen4 the fuel filter pump thing is the same as the transfer case, weak enough to end the day if not protected.

Lambert, you really need to get out there and start playing a bit harder.

wrote:

This is about my JB74 LCV. I am thinking of adding more protection for the parts on the underbody of the car, and I've been looking at these from JimnyBits:  Guards / Protection (jimnybits.com)  . 

I've already ordered the rock sliders and I think I'll eventually get these:

• Radius arm mounting guards
• Transfer box guard
• Fuel filter guard

Am I right in thinking that the radius arm mounts are probably the most vulnerable part? I'm trying to decide what to get first. Also, I don't think I'll get the diff guards, do you guys think those would be necessary? I don't plan to do any serious rock crawling (and I want to avoid adding too much weight).

Radius arm mounts are definitely the most vulnerable. Do these first.
Next - rock sliders you really don't want to bash the sills.
If you do happen to knock the transfer case hard, it could be expensive, so not a bad idea to protect it.
The "Fuel filter" (actually evap canister, the fuel filter is in the tank) is tucked up out of harm's way, and in my mind a waste of money to protect it. 
I have done some fairly heavy off-roading and in my book diff guards do nothing but lower your ground clearance.

wrote:

wrote:

On my last gen3 I had at various points every guard except side sliders and in all honesty I think most of them were very debatable in terms of actually being necessary. On my current Jimny I only have a transfer guard. This is twofold, one not having the rest adds lightness and second it's protecting the only really weak trip ending component. Smack the transfer case hard enough and the aluminium mounts break and you are done, smack a radius arm mount and it's bent and needs fixing when you drive home. Equally if you smack a differential hard enough to benefit from a guard you have probably hurt other significant things too that will end your day. From the reports of those who have a gen4 the fuel filter pump thing is the same as the transfer case, weak enough to end the day if not protected.

Lambert, you really need to get out there and start playing a bit harder.

Farming doesn't pay well enough for me to break the primary tool I use to earn my living. I'm obliged to drive the sensible line not the gung-ho one. Car parts unfortunately don't grow on trees!

How hard you try is one of the factors. If you throw yourself at everything with increasing speed until you get stuck, then I would fit it all. If you are a little more selective in the routes you take and your approach then it's possible to do it without any. Looking at my G3 and predicted use I just went for transfer case guard, primarily to protect those pesky wires. Radius arm mounts I also purchased, but I did not fit them as I just don't like how they attach (mud / rust trap). So I will just risk these, but I don't rock crawl so little chance of any real damage. This is looking at protection for occasional light off road use, primarily on road.
So have a think about just how much your are prepared to "hurt your Jimny", heavy off road use will damage the vehicle with or without guards. 
By comparison my 100% off road Land rover has nothing, I just pick my routes carefully, so far no damage, just a bit of paint missing on the tow hitch. 

I just fitted the transfer box guard. I didn't like how low the transfer box sits, and being an auto, there is going to be very little chance of finding one second hand.

Tip 1: you can easily fit the guard without jacks or effort with a couple of zip ties to hold up the bolt end, then just lift the stud end with one hand and pop the nuts on with the other.

Tip 2: the transfer guard reflects a lot of noise back up into the car, I put a pad of closed cell foam underbonnet insulation on mine to absorb some of the noise.

Thank you very much for your input guys!