New Jimny project - a few questions!

This weekend, I cut and re-welded the rear wheel arches. You can just cut off the ribbed bit and gain another 100mm of diameter - but I wanted to go the whole hog and gain 130mm.

You have to cut off the rib that joins the inner wing to the outside of the body where one is spot-welded to the other - then re-weld at the cut lip otherwise the outer panel is just flapping in the breeze.


As you can see, I also cut off the corners then welded a piece of plate over the hole to keep it all together.

While I was fitting the rear axles, I discovered the brake pistons were shot. It had clearly been run with no pads for a while! I thought I'd be able to order new ones fairly easily, but it seems not - not for a price I was willing to pay. So I machined some out of 304 Stainless:


And fitted:



Just one more link to make and I'll move on to the front.

Si

I am glad you put these pics up.
I am getting to that stage myself now and have been thinking the rear arch/body needs altering.
I have also moved the rear axle back 70mm, which i just yest eve got the new chassis brackets in place for so axle can go under but did think i need to trim. Handy you have now done it as i dont want to move the body mount either nor do i want a body lift....lol.
Although my tyres are only 34" so should hopefully get away with it....lol.
was it fairly straight forward?? sure it must be just some cutting and welding....
cheers and cool pics

Very straightforward. I just cut off as much as I needed with a disk cutter - then pressed a piece of paper against the cut edge then followed the edge with my (dirty) thumb. This leaves a line on the paper to cut round.

Place the paper on a sheet of steel and draw round the paper then cut out the shape.

The paper bends much more easily than the steel to follow the contours but if yaounde start welding in one corner then hammer the steel you can make it follow very neatly.

I drove the Jimny round the garden today with the Toyota back axle & Fox Air Shox on the rear - I've done quite a lot in the evenings this week.

Now it's pointing the other way on the ramp ready to receive the front axle and cross link suspension.


Si

that was the answeri was hoping for...lol.
Want to get mine sitting on btoh axles before i chop it though...lol.
looking good the Simon

you don't half work fast thats going to be a very nice motor when finnished

im planning twin transfer box on my vit so any advise you can offer would be great & some close up pics of the twin box setup would be good

I've been disappointed how slowly it's going! I'd planned to have it finished for next weekend - but that's not to be.

The original plan for the Vitara twin transfer came from Difflock I think. I believe there is also a write up on Pirate4x4 (for a Suzuki Sidekick). Have a search on there.

This conversion has one big advantage over Rock-Lobster conversions in that the reduction is divided between two boxes. This means the reaction torque on the mountings is reduced. Rock Lobsters have a habit of ripping the mounting plates out of the casting of the transfer case (as the reaction torque is more than double a standard box) unless you fit a 'bucket' style mounting which braces the two mounts together and makes it a lot stronger.

Si