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

helijohn wrote: So I park in an open space in an empty car park and guess what...............I return to find a car is parked either side with hundreds of empty spaces available.

Or I sit in and wait while SWOM gets some fags; a car parks next to me and sure enough whack. It happens every time. It means it probably happens when I am not in the car but don't see it going on. Then they wonder why I speak out.

This happened to me recently when we had the hot weather. I sat in my car, not the Jimny but my pristine and dent less Fiesta ST, windows down enjoying wireless 2, when a chap in a works Corsa van pulls up and bounces his door off mine.

I politely said "Do you mind" and he answered "What?". Needless to say I told him what and a bit more before getting out, looking down on the shorter slightly older fellow and checking for damage.

Part of says to give up owning a nice daily car and put the Jimjam into daily duties. I never do anything hardcore these days and the most I'd do is laning.

Kirkynut

kirkynut wrote: Part of says to give up owning a nice daily car Kirkynut

I have had that philosophy for about 30 years since I bought my SJ new. Ever since I refuse to drive a motor with a superb paint job unless I paid just a few hundred for it (meaning a well second hand car that has been well used).

I've taken some more detailed piccies of my JimJam as it is now:

The suspension is BigJimny 3" lift springs with Rough Country Shocks and ORA Castor Correction Arms front and rear with Super Pro bushes.

I also have a Rockwatt Eng Rocklobster.

Inside I have half leather which I think came from some kind of special edition - which mine is not but it was in it when I bought it and I'm not complaining!

I've got a basic Sony stereo which has a 3.5mm jack lead socket to play MP3's off my phone / use my phone hands free, a Team CB from Thunderpole and a Maxi Trip Scan Gauge to keep an eye on coolant temperature, battery condition and read / delete fault codes as and when required.

I had the microphone for the CB mounted on the passenger side of the plastic centre consul as the holes in it suggest but as the seat went forwards for people to get in the back the seat took the plastic clip off the back of the microphone. So a new microphone was ordered and mounted on the door to the glove box.

I've had a Rocklobster for some time so I have the SJ transfer lever bent accordingly and the correct knob.

Under the steering wheel on the removable panel for the fuses I have my winch Isolator switch and a push button for my Claxon - Aroogah!

I found this panel quite useful for these as you can take it out of the car to make the holes and it still drops down to get to the fuses.

I took the power for the dash top 12v sockets from the live on this also. The 12v sockets on the dash are stuck down with super heavy duty double sided sticky pads and the GPS receiver for my PDA that runs Memory Map, on the other side of the dash under the tax disc holder is on similar Velcro sticky pads in order that I can take it out the car. This 12v socket can charge my PDA, the GPS receiver and my phone all at once.

I used the blank by the switches next to the steering wheel to mount a winch control switch in order that I can winch and drive at the same time. I have a remote control but I can let go of this without dropping a remote control and not being able to find it. I am not a fan of wonder leads and you have to faff about plugging them in and running the wire around your mirror to keep it away from the wheels etc.

The cage is mounted on my rocksliders which are welded straight to the chassis in two places via spreader plates.

The cage is a bolt on affair.

My boot contains all the tools I need to repair mates Land Rovers and occasionally the JimJam. It also contains full tea and coffee making facilities via a petrol Coleman Stove and I am going to make a shelf for the rear door at some point to give a flat surface area to make it on - the only issue with that is you have to have parked on a flat surface!

The boot also has the spade part of the roof mounted Ground Anchor in it, held down to stop it falling out or on us if we go belly up! (Again!)

The back door still has the spare wheel mounted on it, albeit the tyre is a 215/80/15 Malatesta Kaiman and I have one of the old Bits 4 Vits spare wheel mounts, pushing it out away from the door and over a bit to stop it hitting on the ORA rear bumper that also takes the role of mounting the rear of my cage.

When you have an ORA metal rear bumper (my favourite design) you have to think of a new way to mount your rear number plate and a light for it. I got this spare wheel disc but had to have another stud welded to the spare wheel mount for it to work. I just extended the original number plate light wiring up and out the door.

The tow bar has a dirty great ring welded to it for rear recovery and the tow ball and arm is removable for serious off-road work to prevent the departure angle being ruined. I have the use of a small trailer so it stays on it usually for that.

I would like to get a swing away rear wheel carrier done off the cage and bumper but I'll have to have a chat with my mate about him fabbing that one up as he did the cage and the front bumper, along with the front diff guard.

The most important mod of all is screwed to the rear bumper in the form of a bottle opener - for the campsite when I'm kicking back drinking a bottle of Old Speckled Hen - obviously not for when I'm out driving!

The front bumper houses my Superwinch EP9500 - an old winch but a good one, running Bowmotor 1 and Marlow 9.5mm rope.

The front crossmember / crash bar was adjusted a bit to keep a relatively good approach angle.

I have a stick on number plate for just in case the proper one gets damaged green laning. At least I have something then, albeit it is not legal. I can show the Police Officer stopping me the broken one and explain that I am doing my best to stay legal.

Super strong and thick brackets are bolted / welded to the front of the chassis to mount the bumper and take the strain of the winch.

I put plastic caps on the bolts as a nod to keeping it a little bit more in favour of any excitable Traffic Officer that may look over it if I get stopped. All the radius of the metal bits have been carefully rounded to not leave any sharp edges or any point of complaint.

I run an ORA steering damper, although I find it only helps with bump steer from massive pot holes rather than any death wobble - which I don't have since fitting castor corrected arms and Super Pro bushes in all of the suspension, including my KAP adjustable Panhard Rods.

You'll see I have got rid of the stone guards behind the front brake discs. They served only but to hold stones in the mud that they scooped up, rather than guard them from stones!

The shackles hanging down are not for recovery of the JimJam but for pulling cars in the snow if needs be. Recovery work can be done by the big ring welded to the front bumper that my winch hook it hooked on when not in use.

Here is my mate's work of art made on an anvil using good old fashioned blacksmith skills:

Obviously my mate made it and welded it on - not me!

Similarly my mate made my Ground Anchor, for which the shaft sits mounted on the roof of the cage with my waffle boards and CB aerial:

I have documented my extended rear bump stops before. I don't know if they are needed now I have castor correction but they have stopped the rear tyres catching the inner arches before but now the wheel is located differently in the arch with the castor correction. They were fitted when my old saggy springs were fitted too. My new springs probably make them redundant too. I'll leave them on as it's better to be safe than sorry.

Also mounted on the cage at the front are 2 X-Engineering X-Lights. I have switched these using the original front fog lamp switch and relay to save having more switches than necessary. They are completely independent of the main lights, although I may change this soon and add an LED Light bar to the front using the winch as a mounting point for it.

I have fixed hubs on the front. They are not selectable like manual hubs but permanently locked as they are just one piece bolted on. I got these from KAP when I bought the truck from them many years ago. You just cut down the collar on the wheel bearing nuts and don't need a spacer like you do manual free wheeling hubs. I found I couldn't be bothered to keep getting in and out and locking / un-locking them, so they may aswell be fixed. I have a pair of freewheeling Aisin hubs if I fancy them but would have to buy the spacer rings.

I have removed the vacuum pipes blocking them off under the bonnet with bolts and using plastic hose to link the two on the hubs.

I still have my big Numax battery on a Jimny Bits Battery Tray for the nearside under the bonnet with my Albright Solenoid.

I have gone on about a snorkel for ages and have decided on this one: www.jimnybits.co.uk/shop/jimny/snorkels/...snorkel/prod_24.html

so will likely give Russ lots of my money at the same time to buy one of these as mentioned above:
www.jimnybits.co.uk/shop/electrical/ultr...light/prod_1253.html

I would like to finish the truck off after that with Rob Storr front shafts and CV's in an ARB locker and a rear ARB locker too but I don't need them - they are just what would finish the truck off nicely - along with perhaps a rear winch as Dave Jones is doing: www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum?view=to...8&id=53695&start=144

Another thing I think I'll do is get BigJimny extended breathers for the axles as the hose pipe I use is good enough but a more professional solution would be better.

I have new brake hoses to replace my old Goodridge extended hoses as they are not that long and have new front wheel bearings I have already pressed into hubs, with new studs and nuts to use when I do so too.

It's all time and money and I don't use the truck like those parts would suggest is needed.

That's where I am at now though.

Hopefully I'll not be stagnant for as long and will have piccies of a snorkel and light bar soon!

Kirkynut

Superb!!

helijohn wrote: Superb!!

Cheers John!

I realised I had not gone through the motor properly in this thread but just added some bits in a disjointed fashion. So I thought a few piccies and words about all I've done in one hit would clear alot up.

I often mention what I've done in general threads but without documenting it in my own thread!

So I've got round to doing it today!

Kirkynut

Great write up. Has been good airport reading whilst waiting to board my (delayed) plain

great write up Kirky

puts the inside of ours to shame !!

are you coming to the Jimny event?

darthloachie wrote: great write up Kirky

puts the inside of ours to shame !!

are you coming to the Jimny event?

Cheers. You've used yours alot more than I have to be fair mate. So you'll have had a harder time keeping the inside clean!

I might pop down if I can get the day off work but that's questionable at present so I'll not pay for it at this time. It will be more of a social than a drive around meet for me if I do.

Kirkynut

GuardianAngel wrote: Great write up. Has been good airport reading whilst waiting to board my (delayed) plain

Thanks mate. I hope you enjoy your holiday!

Kirkynut

There was one photo I forgot to upload to my photobucket account yesterday that is quite soppy but yet quite important!

This Pheasant feather was picked up by my Mrs on our first ever greenlining trip and we put it in a clear plastic flap on the inside of the soft top of our old SJ, which is where is stayed until the SJ was sold. Then I put it here in my JimJam and it has been on every greenlaning trip with us!

Like I say - soppy but it holds some importance in our sad lives!

Kirkynut

So it appears I have a few parts to fit...

I had hoped to fit them this weekend but my back is a bit hurty at the moment, so will have to see. My mate is trying to persuade me to go to a new off-road course at Thurrock on Sunday, which he assures me is not full of mud and gloop. We shall see as none of the above are urgent and it again depends on if my back is better.

The wheel bearings have nothing wrong with them, so they may wait until later in the year. It is preventative maintenance really, I have hose pipe diff breathers at the moment, my current brake lines are long enough (just) and the rear shocks won't let the springs out at the moment.

I also have some Rhino Ray rear shock bottom mounts, so I plan to drill the bottom mounts out to prevent sheering and use a long nut and bolt instead with the Rhino Ray mounts extending the shock by 2" or so - hence the spring clamps.

My thanks go to Martin and the BIGJIMNY SHOP for the bearings, spring clamps and axle breathers and to Dave at BITS4VITS for the new wheel studs and nuts. Super service from you both as always.

Kirkynut

kirkynut wrote: So it appears I have a few parts to fit...
The wheel bearings have nothing wrong with them, so they may wait until later in the year.
Kirkynut

"Don't fix it if it ain't broke" comes to mind apart from the shocking grammar. :laugh: :laugh: