My new Jimny!

Hi Guys,

Picked up the Jimny on Saturday. Can't wait to get it off road now! It needs a tidy up and maybe a couple of bits so thinking of taking it up to KAP Suzuki 4x4 at the weekend for a checkover.
I'm loving though, even if it's a bit lairy on the road

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Thats quite a shiny Jimny you have there!

I think I would be more inclined to get more used to it yourself before taking it along to any specialist supplier. This will give you your own opinions of where it needs improvement, what it does well etc.

Once you have a list of issues or questions put them onto a forum such as this and see what opinions you get. You will always get a wide set of views through which there is a middle way, take this middle way and see what needs to be done to get there.

Otherwise it can be a recipe for "Spend, spend, spend" as you run through a suppliers catalogue of parts.


Martin

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the prompt reply.

As far as i'm aware it has the following modifications:

3" Pro Comp winch spec springs
+3" Pro Comp ES9000 shocks
Extended brake lines
Pro Comp steering damper
Adjustable pan hard rods front and rear
Winch bumper front
Heavy duty rear bumper
Safari snorkel
Pipercross air filter
32mm wheel spacers
235/75/15 BF Goodrich Mud Terrains
Roof lights
Roof tent
2 auxilliary batteries
Sill protectors
Champion TDS 9500 heavy duty winch with plasma rope
Heavy duty transfer box mounts
1000w power invertor
Bottle opener on back door :laugh:

I'm hoping to take it to a disused quarry near to here which they open up to off roaders every couple of weeks. I should be able to get a bit of tuition there too :blush:

I was on Difflock and noticed a lot of people saying to change the axles to Toyota parts when going with bigger tyres etc. It's stuff like that i'm trying to pick up on, but the going is slow. There are a few parts that weren't on the list I was given too hence why I was going to ask someone more knowledgeable to look at the car. Might be an idea to do that away from a retail setting then hey? :laugh:

The thing that jumps out from the list is the absence of a lower ratio transfer box, this would be the key to larger tyres. If you are running the standard box you are going to be disappointed with its lack of ability up and down hills and you will get through clutches pretty quickly.

Once larger tyres are on then you are going to find the weaknesses in the drive chain such as the CVs. You can then go to Toyota axles but this is really major surgery and you would find that you are moving away from the benefits of a Jimny (lightness) and the poor 1300c engine will struggle - hence my phrase before of a "spend, spend spend" slippery slope!

Instead of Toyota axles I would have looked at "bombproof" CV joints from D&G tuning.

See how it goes as-is first.

Martin

Ok, thanks Martin.

With regards to the transfer box, is it a big job to get a lower ratio one? Also, this vehicle will be used on and off road, so is it worth me getting another set of wheels to put the MT's on and fitting AT's to the alloys? I'm just wondering how much the MT's will wear running them on the road.

If this post needs to go in the technical section I can repost if necessary

First port of call is to tidy up the interior as things have been randomly bolted in (it has a battery behind each front seat).

Thanks

James

Hi there,

You have a good truck to start with there.

I agree with Martin about geting a Rocklobster box and I am in the process of getting one myself, albeit I'll have a few months of waiting before I get it and then I'll have to get some new UJ's on the prop I plan to use.

Martin has done a guide to fitting an SJ transfr box, which a Rocklobster essentially is, just it's been messed about with to have lower ratios. Have a read of it. There are parts to obtain first.

Rockwatt on Difflock / Shropshire Suzuki is the cheapest way nto Rocklobsters and his work is good. He's just a busy boy though as a consequence of being cheap and good.

Then I would consider an external cage. As you get more into Off Roading you'll do more daring stuff and the chances of going over on your side increase. I have just had a cage fitted!!!

I also agree ith Martin about trying to go your own way. Learning to improve, modify and repair your vehice will give you a better understanding of how it works and will save you a fortune.

Off roaders need shed loads of maintainence and a specialist could suck you dry. I trust KAP but Darren will want to sell you his products, albeit you appear to have a fair few of them aleady with both bumpers looking like his. I wouldn't be suprised if they built it!

I hope you have as much fun with it as I have been and still am with mine!!!

Kirkynut

kirkynut wrote:

Hi there,

You have a good truck to start with there.

I agree with Martin about geting a Rocklobster box and I am in the process of getting one myself, albeit I'll have a few months of waiting before I get it and then I'll have to get some new UJ's on the prop I plan to use.

Martin has done a guide to fitting an SJ transfr box, which a Rocklobster essentially is, just it's been messed about with to have lower ratios. Have a read of it. There are parts to obtain first.

Rockwatt on Difflock / Shropshire Suzuki is the cheapest way nto Rocklobsters and his work is good. He's just a busy boy though as a consequence of being cheap and good.

Then I would consider an external cage. As you get more into Off Roading you'll do more daring stuff and the chances of going over on your side increase. I have just had a cage fitted!!!

I also agree ith Martin about trying to go your own way. Learning to improve, modify and repair your vehice will give you a better understanding of how it works and will save you a fortune.

Off roaders need shed loads of maintainence and a specialist could suck you dry. I trust KAP but Darren will want to sell you his products, albeit you appear to have a fair few of them aleady with both bumpers looking like his. I wouldn't be suprised if they built it!

I hope you have as much fun with it as I have been and still am with mine!!!

Kirkynut

Thanks very much for the info

I might take a trip to KAP just to have a little look around instead of getting them to look at my truck. I have a friend who is good with 4x4s and another who is a good welder/fabricator so the first port of call is to just give it a good tidying up. I'd like it to be black or green too but not sure where the best place to get a spray job done (as come bodywork will need beating out)? I saw that KAP do bodywork/paint now but it mentions GRP on the site so i'm unsure. The end goal is to have it black or green, with a black cage, maybe relocate winch under bumper, some spot lights on grill, maybe a van back instead of windows too with a tidy interior A long way to go but should be fun

Like the truck! ace colour! :laugh:
like the shovel on the bonnet - where did you get that from?
I agree the rocklobster is the way to go first.It's the main reason I bought my jimny + its much cheaper tobuy one already done.

darthloachie wrote:

Like the truck! ace colour! :laugh:
like the shovel on the bonnet - where did you get that from?
I agree the rocklobster is the way to go first.It's the main reason I bought my jimny + its much cheaper tobuy one already done.

Thanks
Yours actually looks how I want mine to look (not sure if i'll stay blue though) so i've got a lot of work to do! Your truck looks awesome :woohoo:

Shovel is just a folding entrenching tool that previous owner has decided to attach to the bonnet. I take it off at night but think it adds to the "expedition" look :laugh:

KAP stands for Keighley Auto Paint as they sarted out as a Paint Shop and I believe Darren is a bit handy with a spray gun.

If you want all that done, maybe it might be best to go to him. Just keep in mind what yoou want and don't let Darren or you get carried away with what YOU want to spend.

You might pay a bit more here but the work will be awesome!

Kirkynut

Also, stick with the blue - I have black and it shows every scratch - as will any other dark colour - trees and mud play havoc with your paint job - another reason not to get a re-spray - imagine how you'll feel when you hear that noise that sounds like finger nails down a blackboard but it's a branch against your paintwork!!!

My car left KAP when I bought it with not a mark on it - a year later we were away and stopped off at KAP and Darren wondered what I'd done to it - perhaps I started with too good car!

Kirkynut