Minimal Off road Jimny Rig

Yes and no. The biggest tyre with stock drivetrain is a 235.75r15 but it will need a lift. After that any bigger will need some kind of regear. Without a lift 215.75r15 will fit without a lift. Realistically a stock Jimny on stock size tyres suitable for the prevailing terrain will drive over round or through 90pc of the conditions likely to be found in the UK. It just won't look like it should.

"It just won't look like it should" says it all really. The Jimnys biggest failing would appear to be it just doesn't look rugged enough. Chris

What kind of gear reduction kit would work best for 31s?

Tom Bacon wrote: What kind of gear reduction kit would work best for 31s?

A rocklobster is best. But before you go down the modification rabbit hole you should be aware there are several approaches to modifying a car.

You can relatively easily fit 31s with a cheap lift kit, a bit of trimming and no modifications to the drivetrain and have an "off-road ready" Jimny in a weekend, looking cool on its tall suspension and big tyres. Plenty of people do this. They then realise it's terrible to drive on the road, they drive it off-road a few times, burn out a few clutches, break a few CVs, get cross-axled on every other bump and get fed up so they move on something heavy and diesel.

Or you can do a bit of research, ask around for advice, and build one properly with appropriately sized tyres, good quality suspension, the correct gearing to suit the tyres and up-rated parts where needed. This costs a lot more and takes time, but the result is a reliable and capable off-roader that can still be driven on the road and will outperform almost anything in the mud.

Of you can stick a decent set of tyres on an otherwise standard Jimny, accept it won't be the ultimate off-roader in deep ruts or impress the kids outside Macdonalds, but simply enjoy it for what it is. Which is a small, capable 4x4 that can go everywhere you'll ever need to go and lots of places you don't.

Choose which path you want to take now to avoid expense and disappointment later!

Some sound advice.
By far the biggest improvement you can make is stick some good standard size MT or AT tyres on a bog standard Jimny and just enjoy it. You will be surprised just how far this will get you.
If you want to go that extra distance the cost will spiral as indicated, and it's no guarantee you will.

But plenty do and it's your Jimny to enjoy, so if you want that's good enough so long as you are happy to spend.

Even on 235.75.15's I believe that you need gear reduction. I have this sized tyres and a rocklobster transfer box and would not be without it.

I've run 215.80.15's on standard gearing and it wasn't great.

Kirkynut