Jimny/Vitara advise

More important, loose the 80 series axles. They're much heavier than Jimny axles. And it's unsprung weight.

Should probably be able to get Jimny HD shafts and CV's for what the 80 series axles are worth.

Essentially what we are all saying is, just drive a Suzuki! :lol: Don't think that's the answer you were looking for...

I'm a bit keen on keeping the chassis and the axles as the kinks are worked out already. It's based on a RR but there's not much RR left on it. It does however have a really good suspension setup with loads of travel. The axles are kitted out with longfields and lockers front and rear and they are sporting a set of Simex 35's.

Just sticking a new set of axles onto a vitara without quite a lot of modifications to the chassis and suspension probably wont make a very good truck. And all that fabrication has been done already on a different chassis

I've heard the v6 is a it gutless? Or was that just something I picked up incorrectly somewhere?

The point anyway was I was looking if vitara was a viable option over a jimny and it seems to be the case.

All Suzukis are gutless! The 2.0 V6 in early Vitaras is 134hp so pretty good in a small 4x4, and for a 2 litre. The 1.6 16v are 95hp, 8v ones are 75hp...
Later Grand vits got a 2.5 with a bit more grunt, but not a lot.

The 2.0 V6 has no low end power at all.

But why not go for more power instead of lower weight. You have excellent axles and tons of upgrades available for the chassis.

A Lexus 1uz-fe v8 is fairly cheap way of getting 260 bhp. A lot more fun than a gutless Suzuki.

I already have loads of power. I run a turbo diesel tuned to the moon but it weighs about 400kg, that's without gearbox & transfer box.

The terrain we are on is pretty boggy (Ireland) so the heavy vehicles just sink. Climbing is a huge struggle with the weight.

So the v6 have no low end power, what about the 1.6 16v?