Little "Ooky"

Well, with the 2" lift fitted and the old 215x15 AT tyres on 6J rims almost close to being illegal, we decided to fit the new 80:20 Mud Broncho Diamond Back tyres.
Ok, they are remoulds, but the aggressive treads and the height they have given has made our recient outings legendary with the Ladyboys .. sorry I mean Landy boys we have been out with.

Next on the shopping list ... Snorkel & Axel breathers

Here's a link to my PhotoBucket page, and there are a few pictures of the latest Axel articulating rutts we crossed. The actual rut was just over 3ft in depth, and the slope it was on was quite considderable.

Ad you can see, on full compression and extension, the wheels miss the bodywork, and, with the exception of the rear bottom corners of the bumper that were removed, all the rest of the bodywork is intact.

We havemore video's to link as soon as they are edited.

s452.photobucket.com/albums/qq246/wibblef00f/

Click the PIcture to see a larger image

a few more pictires of the Jimny with its new tyres in the mud ... plus its only real competition ..




Taking a swim ...


and my Nemesis ....

They are some good pictures there and you look like you've been having fun again!!!

I can see why you want that snorkel!!!

Axle breathers cost pennies. All you need is a length of cheap garden hose and a couple of small jubilee clips. Lever off the axle breathers on the top of the axles with a screwdriver and place them in the bin, slide on hosepipe and tighten jubilee clip round it, tie up hose pipe in engine bay for front and through a hole where a bung would be in the boot and hey presto, extended axle breathers!!!

If only the snorkel was that cheap and easy!!!

We're going to the Lakes soon so I'll get lots of pictures of our ickle Jimny Rock crawling.

Kirkynut

Thanks for that, as soon as we get some fine weather, Ill make sure my husband fits some

He has had the idea of creating a copper manifold on the bilkhead and piping all the breathers to it, then fitting a small airbox assembly or filter to it to make it pretty !!

We need to jetwash the underside and give all the suspension a re-torque up as its been 4 weeks since it was fitted and, whilst its not given us cause for concern, a re-torque and spot of white paint on the nuts / threads would be a good idea we think.

If your ever down south .. Salisbury Plain way, drop us a bell. You wont need a rock lobster, just ground clearance and good grip

It sounds like you are a little more concerned about the vanity of the axle breathers than I am, I have just left them up high in the engine bay, but you are going through deeper water than I am.

Given you've been through all that water with the standard axle breathers, I anticipate they have breathed in some water. As the diff goes through the cold water the oil in it contracts and causes the axle to suck in air from above, except if it's under water, it will suck in water to the diff, which will get to your bearings etc too.

So a hub rebuild and re-grease of all the bearings etc might not be a bad idea and you'll have to drain the diff oil anyway so a change of that would be needed anyway.

You might be lucky, perhaps dropping the diff oil to see what it looks like might be an idea to tell if water has got into it. If you drop it into a clean container and it's good, you could always re-use it. I wouldn't but it's not cheap stuff.

Kirkynut

I also noticed your tow bar sticks out a long way and will restrict your departure angle. Mine is a different design whereby the ball bolts onto a fixed point as normal, I think yours is the one that dismantles a bit.

It might be worth while keeping an eye on ebay for a normal old style one and then getting a Dixon Bate tow hitch to use as your rear tow point, rather than the original tow points or risking the rope flying off the ball on the tow ball.

Looking good though!!!

Kirkynut

If your standard breathers are clean then they seem to function ok, with the little cap/spring opening/closing as appropriate. Its once you have done some serious mud work that they clog up and no longer work letting water in or forcing oil out through the gaskets. The axle breather were done on mine but the gearbox and transfer box ones were not. I recently fitted some when I had the gearbox and transfer box off, but a check showed that water had not entered the boxes anyway and the breathers were still working despite everything that off-raoding since 2003 has thrown at the car.

The other popular method is to bring all the breathers together using tee-pieces under the bonnet and then feed a master pipe up into the snorkel tube or up to the snorkel head. But of course you need a snorkel to do this - oh wait - you have one from my favourite dealer!

P.S - may be out on Salisbury Plain in June on the CSMA "Fathers Day" 4x4 treasure hunt.

Martin

Yes, the Tow bar is a removable one. The complete drawbar is removable. We keep it on because it offers a little more persuasion to anyone that things about tailgating as it would do serious damage if someone were to run into it !!.
to be honest, none of the obsticles have represented an issue with it being left on, but I agree, it does reduce the departure angle ( usually it just digs a groove as it goes!! )
We wanted a standard Plate style one but this one only cost £30 and is a genuine Suzuki Witter one (rrp about £300 !!! ) Plus it makes an excellent standing point to clean the roof

With regard to the Axel breathers, we checked the diff oils and they appear to be clean and waterfree so I guess for the moment they are working fine. However in the summer, im sure Hubby will put extension pipes on them.
Yes a manifold assembly will be used, as a pretty and neat engine bay is essential too

We plan on replacing the hub bearings and getting the whole 4wd system serviced in the comming months, but for the time being, were going to use it .. if one should fail or show symptons of excessive wear in the short term .... well get them done as and when, but thanks for the comments and recommendations, all advice is greatly recieved and taken on board ( actyually the emails are printed off and kept in a "how to" folder in the garage, and when we get around to it, we will probably laminate them

Just to resurect this... Now the Snorkel and the body lift has been fitted, so have the avel breathers and the 30mm spacers.

Had to modify the bottom of the wheel arches with the trusty angle grinder.
A few pix attached.

Also a few of the new roof lights

my eyes .... it burns ... turn em off .... it burns :silly: