My Chiffon Ivory JB74 SZ5 - blog/mods/build thread

Bought some underbody skid plates from a user on here. I really wanted the transfer skid plate, as it clearly impacts the ground in certain conditions.

The listing was actually for 3 ASFIR aluminium skid plates:

- Transfer case
- Fuel tank
- Fuel System

The price was too good to miss the opportunity.

I'm also pleased with going for aluminium. These items really shouldn't be taking big impacts, gentle knocks and sliding is far more likely. The weight saving of aluminium over steel is fairly significant. Not just in carrying about on the vehicle, but also when fitting.



To aid access I drove the Jimny up on some ramps.


I didn't have full fitting instructions. There were some technical drawings showing how the brackets fit, but not how they attach to the vehicle. Not too hard to figure out. A little fiddle, there is a factory tank guard and shield that runs above the propshaft. Many of the brackets bolt on to these fixings.

Overall it was a bit fiddly, because then you remove the factory bolts, the shield and tank drop and are a bit of a PITA to realign. I ended up substituting some of the bolts that came out with slightly longer ones, as it made it a lot easier to get them to engage and screw in.

I had previously applied Dinitrol to the underside, I touched this up where I had missed a couple of bits before fitting the skid plates.






As you can see, the bare aluminium of the skids had been subject to some surface corrosion with the previous owner. So I decided to apply Dinitrol to them as well.



The main fuel tank guard was the most difficult to fit, the tank dropped quite a bit and required the use of a trolley jack (a 2nd person would have worked too) to help re-align the bolt holes.

The transfer case skid fitted on quite easily, although access to the right (drivers) rear mounting bolt top is hugely difficult. Still not 100% happy with it. But it'll have to do for now.

Fitting & testing an LED light bar.

Time for another update.

Took the Jimny on a proper road trip. While I'd done a few longish motorway trips previously, this was the first trip away. Covid and other things had prevented me doing this earlier.

Went to North Wales & Anglesey for 5 nights. Did over 700 miles there and back, very mixed terrain. Some motorway on the way there and back. Also the A55 Express way, but lots of fast A roads and tiny country lanes.

The Jimny performed flawlessly really. It's sit at 70mph on cruise control on the motorway, although I typically ran nearer to 60-65mph.

Was very comfortable and extremely capable for everything we did.





The weather was pretty amazing for Wales. Very glad of the air conditioning.



On the Welsh hills it goes well enough, the 1.5 is very smooth and tractable. But it did perhaps lack a little grunt at times. On some of the very steep roads you'd be flat out in 2nd gear with it only able to hold revs rather than accelerate.


TBH - my only complaint was the range. MPG was fairly poor, running at motorway speeds (such as on the A55), basically anything over 3000-3500rpm in top, it seems to drink fuel. Running about it was better, but the Snowdonia mountains do make you use the revs. MPG varied between 31.6 and 36.2 to a tank. (Usage is key to mpg, on a trip locally the other day I got 39.2mpg, it really is the high speed that ruins mpg on these).

The real issue for me however is the tank range (compounded by the worlds worst fuel gauge/range meter), it just is too small for this kind of use. For example, the hotel was 267 miles from home.

But with 35 useable litres of fuel (7.69 gallons) at 34mpg is only 261 miles. And while you can always find a fuel station in Wales. It is amazing how far you need to drive sometimes, waiting until the fuel light comes on is probably unwise. Meaning you'd really need to be looking out for a petrol station from as little as 220 miles. On a 6 day trip it meant I had to visit the petrol station no less 4 times to ensure we didn't run out in the middle of nowhere.

It is such a shame that the long range (80 litre) fuel tank is so expensive. I've found it for sale in the UK, but it costs 10% of the price the entire Jimny retailed at!!! But one day maybe....


On the trip, we were two up. And reasonably loaded in the back, but no where near capacity. Although I did have my large Halfords 40ltr coolbox in the back too (handy having the 12v outlet in the boot). But it would have been nice to secure some items a bit better.

So I have since bought these:


Available on JimnyStyle or eBay. The ones from JimnyStyle come with stainless screws.

Very east to install, just pop out the plastic cap (under rear side windows) and screw in the rings.


You can fit as many or as little of them as you like (there are other accessories than can mount here too). I opted for a pair on either side, sensibly spaced. Which will allow for a bungie or similar to hold items in place in the future.

Browsing eBay I noticed a new style storage tray for the Jimny that I'd not seen before. So I ordered it up as it didn't cost much.

Arrived fairly quickly to.




It is designed to fit on top of the radio screen binnacle.




It only sticks in place with self adhesive tape, much like the tray above the speedo/tacho binnacles. But it seems it'll do the job and make a previously vacant space of some use. Where you could put your wallet, glasses, keys or in my case to put my handheld PMR446 radio whilst driving.

It's great that the aftermarket is catering for this shortsightedness from Suzuki. Its just a real shame Suzuki didn't think a bit harder about the interior when designing it.

A few things to update this time.



While it was a couple of weeks back, I attended the BigJimny South event. An awesome day out, although I've been suffering with a neck injury, so I was taking it easy and we didn't stay until the end.

I have off roaded the Jimny quite a bit, but it was nice to try it on some different terrain. Lots of grip at the site, but lots of course gravel and stones. What it really showed up is that while a stock Jimny can certainly get places, it definitely lacks ground clearance and to a lesser degree suspension flex.

Almost everywhere it was hitting its underside and trying to sit on its belly. I think it sounded worse than it actually was, as I recently fitted a large transmission skid plate, which does loose you a small bit of clearance. But I think made every impact on the gravely stones very audible indeed.





It was also great to see a lot of other Jimny's, including 4th Gens taking to trails.



Ultimately it has made me rethink what I'll be doing with the suspension. But that will be a post for another day!


Sadly turning to things that don't last.... the keyfob. In just over 2 years of use it has split and no now good at all.



I have leather fobs from cars dating back 20-30 years that haven't failed. A sad sign of the times maybe?

I couldn't find a replacement that I liked, so for now I've just bought some bits from Etsy and 'made' a keyring...



Winch power switch bought. Although I'm still a way off getting a winch, but at least I have this bit ready.


I have also added a couple of small LED spot lights. Very pleased with the final package.



That's probably it for now. I have got some Escape Gear seat covers inbound and a Bravo Snorkel, although I suspect the latter might be Christmas before it turns up as they are on backorder.