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

Thanks to a post made by @ rogerzilla   about a phone holder they bought on Amazon. I thought I'd follow suit and get one too. I'd been looking at the Quadlock options, but they are bit pricey. The main thing here is, I use an OS mapping tool for green laning, which sadly isn't Apple CarPlay compatible, so it won't display on the main infotainment screen. I therefore wanted something to mount my phone for the OS maps.

For £25 this seems to be good value for money compared to the Quadlock. I also thought the extra allen head screw might come in handy as a CB radio mic mounting point in the future.

 

Before:
 

The new panel:
 

Not the new item has a cut out on the right hand side, it looks a little funky at first. The new unit is deeper and sticks out further, the cut out is there to give plenty of room to reach the indicator stalk.
 

The plastic colour and texture is a very good match:
 

The allen head screws are similar, although the factory ones have a dark black rubberised feel to them. While the new panel ones look more like treated black metal. But you only notice it you look really closely or touch them.
 

The screws are removable, so you can change the angle or the phone bracket or swap it to the other side. Or in my case I plan to maybe hand a CB mic from here.
 

The new item comes with a small plastic tool to remove the existing panel. It slips in the gap and easily pops off, it is a case of being the ideal tool for the job and very easy.
 

The new item fixes back on in the same way, you need to fit the top and push it in before arcing it downwards for the bottom clips.
 

All done.
 

300bhpton wrote:

Thanks to a post made by @ rogerzilla   about a phone holder they bought on Amazon. I thought I'd follow suit and get one too. I'd been looking at the Quadlock options, but they are bit pricey. The main thing here is, I use an OS mapping tool for green laning, which sadly isn't Apple CarPlay compatible, so it won't display on the main infotainment screen. I therefore wanted something to mount my phone for the OS maps.
 

I use OSMAnd for off-road maps. OSMAnd is a fully featured SatNav but allows you to import GPX files and then display as an overlay.  Just download the off road GPX files from your favourite site.  It works with CarPlay/Android Auto but only if you buy a subscription (or one time payment). CarPlay doesn’t work in the free version.

I have Outdoor Active (used to be called ViewRanger) that is OS maps, which I use a lot for walking, but OSMAnd is more suited to driving, especially with custom GPX imports.

Robin

 

DrRobin wrote:

300bhpton wrote:

Thanks to a post made by @ rogerzilla   about a phone holder they bought on Amazon. I thought I'd follow suit and get one too. I'd been looking at the Quadlock options, but they are bit pricey. The main thing here is, I use an OS mapping tool for green laning, which sadly isn't Apple CarPlay compatible, so it won't display on the main infotainment screen. I therefore wanted something to mount my phone for the OS maps.


 

I use OSMAnd for off-road maps. OSMAnd is a fully featured SatNav but allows you to import GPX files and then display as an overlay.  Just download the off road GPX files from your favourite site.  It works with CarPlay/Android Auto but only if you buy a subscription (or one time payment). CarPlay doesn’t work in the free version.

I have Outdoor Active (used to be called ViewRanger) that is OS maps, which I use a lot for walking, but OSMAnd is more suited to driving, especially with custom GPX imports.

Robin



 

Thanks. I use and subscribe to OutDoors GPS. Which I’ve been using for years. You can record or plan a route and upload a gpx file via the web portal. There is an online version and you can down load maps for off line use. 

But it isn’t CarPlay compatible. 

 

I do have OsmAnd Maps installed on my iPhone. But tbh I’ve never been able to make much sense of it. And didn’t really want to double up on subscriptions. 

The app is super slow to respond or zoom in and out and seems to show a load of nonsense on the map. I’ve messed about with the controls/options but never got it to even be usable. And it constantly spams buttons and options that seem to be pay only. 

Happy to learn if there is a better way to use it. But I’ve tried on several occasions and just ended up closing it giving up. The zoom in and out is like using a 1990’s PC on dial up.

 

 
One thing I didn't complete on the suspension install was the caster correction bushes.

First jacked up and secured the vehicle and front axle and dropped the arms off: 
 
 

Getting the old bushes out could be a challenge, fortunately a friend pushed them out on his hydraulic press: 
 


New bushes are the Black Raptor poly ones, I pushed them in using a vice, then insert the off set drilled pin as per the diagrams supplied. 


Then refit the arms: 


Personally I didn't find the steering too affected prior to the bushes, it wanted to tram line a little more and felt a bit more twitchy around centre, but quite liveable. With the bushes fitted the steering feels just like a standard vehicle.
 

Bravo Snorkel Update

As some of you will know, I was having some drone & vibration issues with the Bravo snorkel, more info in this thread:  www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum/6-jimny...kel?start=108#252078

In Feb Bravo sent me out a new snorkel to try with a new bracket and pipework. There was also a new grill for the head that is a snugger fit.

Install is the same as before.

 
 

There was also a new band clamp for the snorkel head:
 
 
 

This is the best iteration thus far. I really do believe most of the noise was some kind of harmonic resonance. As the testing I've done with the different pipework give starkly different results. This setup is as good as it has ever been and good enough to live with. There is a small amount of harshness at circa 1200-1500rpm, but without taking the snorkel off of the vehicle, I couldn't be 100% certain it is the snorkel. The vibrations in the pedals and droning noise have all vanished.

Bravo have mentioned about some silicon hoses, although the hose they sent is as pictured, so I don't know if there will be any silicon hoses in the future. I can't really fault Bravo Snorkels as they have been very accommodating in trying to resolve the issues. I still like this snorkel and the fact you don't have to cut a hole in the wing!

Not posted much recently due to having been laid up with a knee injury. Starting to get a bit mobile again and driving.

Decided to upgrade the speakers a while back, but had been waiting for a nice day to fit. Then off my feet with my knee and months rolled by. I bought the Jimny front speaker kit and some JBL speakers. The Pioneer ones that Suzuki fit didn't seem to get the best of write ups.

Sadly the factory kit is clearly designed to only fit the Pioneer speakers!!! so I had to hack up the new mounts to fit the JBL's...

However, on with the install. TBH I wasn't unhappy with the factory speakers, they did the job. But on removing them I couldn't believe how little they weighed. Clearly you can see how small the magnet is on them.

 
 

With the door trim off I took the opportunity to spray some corrosion protection inside the door.
 

Also found lots of seeds in the window channel, I should try to remember to close the window when driving some of the off road sections through the long grass.
 

Wrapped the plug in some fabric tape to prevent it rattling.
 

Added some sound proofing material in the door and around the speaker opening, plus all the foam bits and done.
   

The speakers make a nice improvement and sound great. Although I'd probably say the JBL's were a tight fit and hacking up the plastic adapters was not a fun job.

I also bought the JBL speakers to fit to the rear. I bought a "cheap" fitting kit from Aliexpress which came with the wiring and brackets.

Again decided to spray some corrosion protection in the rear wing and sills while the trim was off. 
 
 

I also added some more sound proofing inside the rear wings. There seemed to be some controller for the trailer electrics that the dealership had put right where the speaker should be, so I had to relocate this.

 
 

I also added some sound proofing in the boot area and under the rear seat.
 

Quite pleased overall, the rear speakers make a huge difference to "quantity" of sound you get in the cabin. Making it much easier to listen to music at motorway speeds.

I previously posted up the CB antenna bracket I fitted. I've now completed this with a Stainless Steel Thunderpole Orbitor antenna. I ran the coax in through the door:
 
 

 

I removed the trim that I had out for the rear speaker and ran the cable behind the speaker and down along the sill under the carpet, following the rear screen wash line and some other wires. I then fed it under the front foot well carpet and out through a handy hole behind the heater vent:
 

I really fancied buying a new CB, but the one I want is the Thunderpole  handheld TX with the car kit. And I just couldn't justify the price. I also had this compact AE-6110 CB I'd taken out of another vehicle.

Currently held in with Velcro on the carpet, I didn't want to drill any holes.
 

Still need to sort the mic hanger, just ordered one up, thinking somewhere like this however:
 

Just two observations on your install.
1) Where you have run the coax in, I would make the entry at the base of the grommet and loop the coax up in a 'U' shape to provide a natural drip point for any water that will track down the coax.
2) Have you thought of any protection between the antenna coil and bodywork? A sock of some sort over the coil or PPF on the C pillar/door?

Soeley wrote:

Just two observations on your install.
1) Where you have run the coax in, I would make the entry at the base of the grommet and loop the coax up in a 'U' shape to provide a natural drip point for any water that will track down the coax.
2) Have you thought of any protection between the antenna coil and bodywork? A sock of some sort over the coil or PPF on the C pillar/door?

Thanks.

I'll have to see if water causes an issue. It should be sealed pretty well, so no ingress however. I also could have done with having more cable to leave a loop. I didn't know how long I'd need, so ordered 4 metres (I think). Which is about perfect, but an inch or two longer would have been great.

As for the coil on the antenna. I've not thought of a sock. However it doesn't touch the body work, or I've not been able to get it too by hand. The whip touches the roof on the gutter channel, but on the plastic covering. Although I have used some self adhesive rubber foam.

 

Ah, the gutter might just be the perfect built in bumper for the antenna

I have done away with the phone mount that came with it. And used one of the capheads to fix a CB mic hook to. I had to make a small plate for it.

I just swing it up 90 degrees out of the way when my CB is not in the car.