Dave's "S200KYS" Jimny 'laner Build...

(ARB-disconnect fitted and tested on previous page)

The Jimny now matches my original brief to myself when I started this project... I wanted a 4x4 to greenlane that was also as nice-as-can-be (for a lifted 4x4) in road manners, with sympathetic gearing and performance, with a correct speedo, yet, with the best offroad performance I can get for my money...

So, on-road, it drives almost like a normal Jimny... swift through the gears when 'accelerating', it's not a performance sports-car by any means, but can cope well in traffic, not holding anyone up, and still does 70mph, safely, and at just over 4,000rpm. This is thanks to the corrected high range gearing from the Rockwatt Rocklobster transfer box, and a 27 toothed speedo ring to match my 'subtle' 235/75/15 (29") tyres... (Been there, done 32", 33", 35"...) :laugh:

And then, off-road, when I get to wherever we're greenlaning (for instance this Sunday we're greenlaning in the Lake District which is a two hour drive for me), it's just a matter of undoing the two bolts on the Anti-Roll-Bar, and deflating the tyres a bit, and then go 'laning... so on the road between 'lanes it's still fine, and when we reach the start of the greenlane it's just a matter of selecting 4x4 with the transfer box lever to bring the Rockwatt Rocklobster 'crawler gears' into play, and the original Jimny vacuum hubs then 'clunk' :lol: into place, connecting the huge CVs to the heavy duty 26 spline shafts, which in turn are connect to the limited slip diff that has been grafted into the front axle (machined and installed in the carrier by Rockwatt too), and at the flick of two switches, first the ARB compressor comes on, and then at the flick of the second switch the rear axle locks up completely with the ARB air-lock (again, thanks to Rockwatt!)... and it should cope with any rocky greenlane I can point it at!

Then, at the end of the day, it's just a matter of engaging two-wheel-drive again, turning off the rear locker, bolt up the two bolts in the anti-roll-bar, and use the onboard air supply from the ARB compressor to reinflate the tyres to road going pressures, and then selecting "take me home" on the TomTom SatNav App on the iPad... The best of both worlds... on-road and off-road...

Hmmm... now then Martin, ask me that question again about whether I miss my Vitara(s)... :whistle:

We had a good days greenlaning in the Lake District (<link) and I was pleased with the Jimny's performance on this it's third trip out...

The LSD performed well after fitting it recently (after Rockwatt machined and installed it )

So... I've nearly got the Jimny as I want it...

I've recently had a dose of the death wobbles though, and although it has turned out to be my own fault for airing-down for this days greenlaning, I'd already started thinking of all the options that could have caused the wobbles...

One was the thought that I'm running the ORA's castor corrected radius arms, which are CC'ed for a 4" lift, yet I 'only' have 3" JimnyBits springs fitted... (so I had too much castor correction in effect?). So, then I noticed that Martin of this very forum and associated store had reduced the price of the ORA 4" springs he had in stock, so I snapped them up... then, a little while later, Rus from JimnyBits posted in the for sale section of this forum that he was clearing some stock he'd found whilst tidying up... some of which was two pairs of AVO damping adjustable shock absorbers for a 4" lift, so I snapped them up too...



So here's the new configuration waiting to go on, and I've already sold the +3" springs and +3" Pro-Comp shocks that were on the Jimny, just got to swap them over and post the 'old' ones off to the buyer...

Noticed today a small patch of oil under the rear axle though -



Which appears to be oozing from the drain plug -



So, another thing to look at before our next trip (16/11)...

Are you sure the oil isn't coming from the diff seal where the third member bolts into the axle casing Dave? My front diff leaked a little and nipping up the bolts solved it. When I next have the shafts out I plan to whip the diff out and replace the sealant.

I have been slow at getting anything done on the Jimny due to laziness but now this blinking Stroke business has put a spanner in the works too!

Kirkynut

Not looked properly yet Kirkynut...

Scruffs on and underneath on Sunday, after a well deserved lie-in... Having a couple of beers tomorrow night, as I've been "Sober for October"!

Dave

Hey Dave,

Just wanted to chime in to say that the Jimny looks great. Sorry 'bout the crap you had with 'lobster. It came with the Jimny orignially and I had it refurbed and built at RAM. Didn't realise it had been 'molested'

The Jimny must be epic offroad

Hi Sponnie

Thanks, yes, pleased with the Jim'!

No worries with the 'lobster box... it was only one set of bolt holes that had been drilled and tapped larger? No problems with that... Richard Rockwatt was soon on the case (lol) !

And as it had to go to him, he did the 2WD-Low mod for me! :woohoo:

kirkynut wrote: Are you sure the oil isn't coming from the diff seal where the third member bolts into the axle casing Dave? My front diff leaked a little and nipping up the bolts solved it. When I next have the shafts out I plan to whip the diff out and replace the sealant.

I have been slow at getting anything done on the Jimny due to laziness but now this blinking Stroke business has put a spanner in the works too!

Kirkynut

Spot on Kirkynut! Had a look today and the bolts had indeed slackened off... nipped them up for now, and will replace soon with new bolts with spring washers on to keep them tight.

Popped the filler cap off and a little oil weeped out, so it's still full to the brim, just a slight weep from the diff to third member joint, which has spread around in the mud and made it look a lot worse than it was...

It's been sat in the garage for a couple of weeks (I've had the last couple of Sundays 'off') and the oil puddle was only the size of a 5p piece...

Made my rear winch tray yesterday! (at last! been a bit lazy of late) :blush:



It does appear to be on an angle downwards towards the right, but that's because there was only one bolt holding it in for a look at it before sending it off for powdercoating, should be back towards the end of next week...

It's the same as the cardboard template one shown earlier in this build thread, but now in steel plate. The large plate at the back isn't structural, it's more of a big heat shield as the exhaust is behind the winch.

More photos of making it in my blog on my site later tonight...

Cardboard template -





Then the letterbox for the fairlead cut out -





And then scoured halfway through the 6mm steel plate and bent up with mole-grips -





Welded up, and winch test-fitted -



The tab on the end to park the hook in -



And the final test-fitting before passing for powder-coating -



Should be back towards the end of next week for fitting!

Awesome, more weight... Lol

funkyjimny wrote: Awesome, more weight... Lol

LOL... have been considering this though

I've read on here that front springs are 2" longer than rear springs?

Sooo... I wondered about fitting a pair of trailmaster front diesel springs on the rear of my Jimny? They'd be weighted for the extra engine weight up front and would be +4", i.e. they are already 2" longer than the original rears, plus they are +2" for the lift...?

I'll have to speak nicely to Rus @ JimnyBits

Jimny-Dave wrote:

funkyjimny wrote: Awesome, more weight... Lol

LOL... have been considering this though

I've read on here that front springs are 2" longer than rear springs?

Sooo... I wondered about fitting a pair of trailmaster front diesel springs on the rear of my Jimny? They'd be weighted for the extra engine weight up front and would be +4", i.e. they are already 2" longer than the original rears, plus they are +2" for the lift...?

I'll have to speak nicely to Rus @ JimnyBits

Why not consider a full 3" trailmaster set of springs.
In reality they are the same length as the 2" diesel springs, but of higher spring rate.
Also, the rear springs are only slightly shorter ( ½-1") shorter than the front springs, so if you have a heavy rear end it will be a perfect match.