Introduction

• There can suddenly come a day when your precious unbreakable Jimny might need to be towed for a significant distance.
  • "Significant distance" means anything more than a couple of hundred of meters.
    • So, this story does not apply to situations when your Jimny is being towed off-road for just a few meters or so, just to get it unstuck.

• You see, there are rules on how (not) to tow a Jimny.
• Those rules were set by a vehicle manufacturer from Japan called Suzuki.
  • Jimnys were designed and made by Suzuki, so Suzuki should know best what you should (not) do.
• Suzuki also wrote a comprehensive user manual for your vehicle, which you were supposed to read in its entirety before ever driving your Jimny.
  • The manual contains the rules on how (not) to tow a Jimny.

• This article gives additional alternative methods on how to tow a Jimny (and how to "prepare" it for towing), while staying compliant with Suzuki's rules.

This article was written with the best care, attention and intention in mind. However, no guarantees are made about the validity of any part of its content. It is exclusively your fault if you damage your vehicle by following any of the procedures described here!

Rules for towing

Jimnys with lever-operated transfer box (1998-2005)

Matters are relatively simple for these Jimnys.

• First, shift the transfer box lever into 2WD mode.
  • Then tow your Jimny any way you like.
    • This means that all four of its wheels can be on the road, and you can tow it either from forward or from reverse side.

• If you have an issue with the transfer box and can not shift its lever into 2WD mode, then you have two options:
  1. Load the Jimny onto a truck or a trailer and have it transported like a cargo.
  2. Demount both the front and the rear propeller shafts from the vehicle.
     • Then you can tow it with all four of its wheels on the road.

If demounting the propeller shaft(s), don't forget to first mark their exact mounting positions in relation to the transfer box and differential(s).

Jimnys with button-operated transfer box (2005-2018)

• Things are more complicated with these Jimnys, as is everywhere where electronics are present.
• First you need to check if the vehicle is truly in 2WD mode, and this can be a bit tricky.
• The available options highly depend on this factor.

Checking if the vehicle is in 2WD mode

If the engine is running:

• Shift the transmission into 4WD-H mode by pushing the 4WD-H button.
  • The green dash board 4WD lamp should become constantly lit within a few seconds.
• Then shift the transmission into 2WD mode by pushing the 2WD button.
  • The green dash board 4WD lamp should turn off completely within a few seconds.
• After this is performed, there is a 90% chance that you are now truly in 2WD mode.
  • However, if you want to be 100% certain, perform the procedure "if the engine can not be turned on" below.

If the engine can not be turned on:

• Jack up the vehicle so that either the left or the right front wheel is completely raised from the ground.
• Then turn the raised front wheel by hand and see if the propeller shaft is turning as well.
• Lower the vehicle.
• Repeat the same procedure with the other front wheel.

• Now, if neither of the front wheels are turning the front propeller shaft, the vehicle is truly in 2WD mode.
  • In this case, skip to the sub-chapter "if the vehicle is in 2WD mode".
• However, if either (or both) of the front wheels are turning the front propeller shaft, the vehicle is not in 2WD mode.
  • In this case, skip to the sub-chapter "if the vehicle is not in 2WD mode".

If the vehicle is not in 2WD mode

You have two options on how to proceed:

1. Load the Jimny onto a truck or a trailer and have it transported like a cargo.
2. Manually decouple the front wheels from the transfer box in order to effectively "restore" 2WD transmission setup to the transmission system.
   • After you do this, you can perform the procedures from the sub-chapter "if the vehicle is in 2WD mode".

Manual decoupling of the front wheels from the transfer box can be performed in one of the following two methods:

1. By demounting the front propeller shaft.
2. By demounting the wheel hub head from each front wheel which has been found out to be turning the front propeller shaft.
   • Then and manually slide the collar in the wheel hub head all the way inwards.
   • The wheel hub head is now in a "free" position and can be returned back on the wheel, and that wheel will be disconnected from the drive line.
     • Beware that you should not try to turn the engine ON after returning the unlocked wheel hub head(s) back on the vehicle, as the vehicle computer might automatically try to lock them again as soon as the vehicle is turned on!

If demounting the propeller shaft(s), don't forget to first mark their exact mounting positions in relation to the transfer box and differential(s).

If demounting the the front wheel hub head(s), don't forget to first mark their exact mounting position in relation to the wheel hub(s).

If the vehicle is in 2WD mode

The main rule is that the gears in the transfer box must not be turning while the vehicle is moving.

This can be accomplished in three ways:

1. Load the Jimny onto a truck or a trailer and have it transported like a cargo.
2. Place both rear wheels on "dollies" (small platforms on small wheels) so that the rear wheels do not turn while the vehicle is being towed.
   • Then tow the vehicle from behind (rear wheels on dollies, front wheels on the ground, steering wheel unlocked).
3. Demount the rear propeller shaft from the vehicle.
   • Then tow your Jimny any way you like.
     • This means that all four of its wheels can be on the road, and you can tow it either from forward or from reverse side.

If demounting the rear propeller shaft, don't forget to first mark its exact mounting positions in relation to the transfer box and the rear differential.

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Page last edited on 17/09/2018 by user Bosanek