Kirkynut's Jimny (aka Daddy's Tractor) - The Evolution continues...

Just remember that when you extend the rear shocks you also extend the collapsed length. Greatly increasing the risk of bottom out the shock with potential damage to follow. So make sure you make the bumpstops longer as well.

TomDK wrote: Just remember that when you extend the rear shocks you also extend the collapsed length. Greatly increasing the risk of bottom out the shock with potential damage to follow. So make sure you make the bumpstops longer as well.

Dealt with a long time ago mate!

Kirkynut

kirkynut wrote:

TomDK wrote: Just remember that when you extend the rear shocks you also extend the collapsed length. Greatly increasing the risk of bottom out the shock with potential damage to follow. So make sure you make the bumpstops longer as well.

Dealt with a long time ago mate!

Kirkynut

Oooh.. Nicely done

No problem then

I've been working on my Jimny the last 2 days. The reason:

When changing rear diff oil after tapping the thread in the top for the breather, the bottom one of these two teeth was stuck to the magnet drain plug!

Now the one part of my Jimny I have not really had much to do with is the rear axle. When a rear wheel bearing failed I was too busy to fix it and my daily car needed work too, so I gave it to a mechanic I know through family to change both rear wheel bearings.

I've had a spare axle that I've stripped before but did not have to put that back together in working order. At least I knew what I was doing, even if I hadn't done it yet.

So yesterday I got up bright and early to crack on with it. What a nightmare!

The rear brake pipes were so corroded and brittle they would not come undone from the back of the wheel cylinders without twisting and snapping. It's probably a good thing as it forced me to get some new ones made up.

I was going to make them up myself and buy some copper pipe, fittings and a flaring tool. I was going to practice flaring the pipes and if it seemed like I was not able to do a good enough job, I have a friend who I know has done many.

Then when the local motor factors offered to make them up for me, I thought, stuff it and took him up on it! I'll perhaps still get some pipe and a flare tool and teach myself one day.

So that was that and I could crack on, or so I thought. I thought I'd get the brake pipes on and working before I continued on with the diff, doing one thing at a time.

The new fittings on the brake pipes did not like going into the crusty old cylinders, threads full of rust from the old steel pipes and fittings. So the threads stripped on them both!

I get on well with a good motor factors a few miles away, near to my parents. A call to them and he recognised my voice and the Jimny immediately, despite me not visiting them for over a year now! By 11:00 this morning he had two new cylinders for me and I stopped off to check with my mechanic I was not doing anything else wrong that I was missing. I knew I wasn't and I am both confident and competent in what I'm doing, but with brakes, I like to be sure!

So, brakes sorted, new diff in last night (when the second tooth presented it's self!) and I'm pleased to say it's all back together and the brakes are now great, following a jolly good bleeding session!

The new diff I've had in a spare rear axle for a long time and comes from the same vehicle that donated the front axle.

I replaced the front axle when I had issues with the thread in the captive nut on the passenger side of the front panhard rod mounting being stripped. It's inside the spring housing where you can't get to it to replace it and I wasn't trusting just re-tapping it. The previous owner's solution was to tack weld the bolt on place. The tack gave in at Slindon, the bolt came out and got lost and I had no steering! Thank god it did not happen on the road!

I thought I had finally found the last of the previous owners "issues" when I found they had changed the union on the front passenger side brake hose, to fit the wrong union on the Goodrige extended hoses it has on it. How wrong was I! I thought I would change the rear extended hose for the 1" longer Big Jimny Shop extended hose whilst I had the hydraulics undone. Except the previous owner had welded the union on the axle end to the axle! I could have got the grinder out but the other end is in a very awkward place and I had had enough in all honesty. Maybe another day!

A road test after dinner this evening has shown the new diff is a goodun (thank god!) and the brakes are all good too!

I had thought the teeth were from the crown wheel. Now I've got the diff out they are not from the crown wheel or the pinion, so must have made their way out from the spider gears! I feel lucky they did not get caught up and jam on the road! A rear axle locking up at speed in a 3" lifted Jimny would not be fun!

When I find the time I'll strip the old diff to find the problem. I had heard some unpleasant knocking noises from the rear diff when turning in tight circles, so this must have been it!

So my ickle Jim Jam is ready for the snow now! Come on snow, I dare you!

Kirkynut

What a busy day, so pleased your mechanic was willing to help out at short notice ......

kirkynut wrote: I've been working on my Jimny the last 2 days. The reason:
Kirkynut

Why do so many motors come to us in such a neglected state!!

You have really cracked on with your Jimny, pat on the back time.