Dave's la(te)st buggy build...

 

Loaded up... new Exedy Clutch, clutch cable, gearbox oil, gearbox drain plug, and a print of the BigJimny gearbox Wiki

 

Strapped up...

 

And then when my mate Phil texted to say he was leaving, ignition on for the power steering, and I pushed The Boogie out into the street...

Hitched up to the back of Phil's motor... and around the block to...

 

Another mate's garage 300 yards from my house...

John's fitting the clutch tomorrow

And he's (still) gob-smacked that I can build this kind of thing and not fancy doing the clutch in it... I explained that it's every man to his own job... If I took it all to pieces I wouldn't know if anything else was wrong - the flywheel, gearbox, etc... and then if I got it all back together it would be just like building lego, I wouldn't really know if I'd done it right...

So I'd rather pay the man that's done hundreds of them!

Let's see what tomorrow brings?...

They will have it changed in a couple of hours, especially with the big hoist. Then it'll be boogie party time

God I hope so Riccy...

im hoping to make the 23rd if all is ok after a bit of testing, and if there’s still a place available...  

Some jobs are best done by people with a four post lift installed in a warm garage. If I had room for this no other living soul would touch any of my vehicles.
That said I still plan to do the Jimny clutch myself when the time arrives, maybe if it's summer 

Regardless of who does the work, I'm glad it is almost done. Really anxious to see that little beast in action.

Not a great day yesterday,,,

The garage phoned to say they had stripped down , and found the clutch to be okay... it's the gearbox that's gone!

Panic mode engaged...

So I'm off on a road trip in the NGeeVee on Sunday to collect a gearbox from James the Jimny Breaker...

So The Boogie is in the garage for the weekend, and I'll drop the gearbox off with them first thing Monday morning,,, they've obviously got other customers vehicles scheduled in, but will sort the replacement gearbox and new clutch as soon as possible, partly as they want the buggy out of the way too!

It also needs a small spigot bearing in the flywheel, so they are sourcing that ready for the rebuild...

Many thanks to James for the quick response with a replacement gearbox in stock, and to Riccy for invaluable advice,,, I was going to rush round this morning with the angle grinder and slice the crossmember out so they could drop the gearbox out, rather than pulling the whole engine out... Riccy pointed out it's just possible to get the gearbox out without either removing the engine or the crossmember... lots of wiggling and swearing, but I'm sure the mechanics will get it out.. I'll pop around this morning after the shop settles down and see how they're doing...

So... I feel vindicated at not attempting the job myself... would I have spotted the spigot bearing had gone? Would I have realised the clutch was ok and the gearbox was gone? I could have blindly replaced the clutch, put it all back together and found it still wouldn't drive and be back to square one and have to repeat the whole process all over again...

Frustrating, but we're getting there... I hope so much that it will be back together and ready for a well needed day out greenlaning with some of the the lads on the 23rd...

Fingers crossed!

Update...

It transpires (some good luck at last?) the last Jimny buggy I attempted a few years ago, when I abandoned it I asked a mate with a recovery company to lift the chassis, engine and gearbox out of the way... He apparently stored the engine and gearbox, and being as it was an 2003 soft-top the gearbox is the same, and 120 yards from my door, next door but one to the garage who have the Boogie in pieces..

So that saves me a journey to the Oldham area on Sunday to see James and Bentley (his dog ) 

The rumbling I'd heard that we all thought was the clutch release bearing, was infact this little spigot bearing in the flywheel, I've been round and felt it with my finger, rough as a bear's arse...

The gearbox is out, as Riccy had said , without removing the engine or cutting the crossmember out.

So we're hopefully getting somewhere... just need this spigot / pilot bearing and a gearbox oil seal... next job is an email to our Martin then  

Martin to the rescue once again!

If you ever want any genuine Suzuki parts for your Jimny you can't beat the BigJimny Store!

wrote:

Update...

It transpires (some good luck at last?) the last Jimny buggy I attempted a few years ago, when I abandoned it I asked a mate with a recovery company to lift the chassis, engine and gearbox out of the way... He apparently stored the engine and gearbox, and being as it was an 2003 soft-top the gearbox is the same, and 120 yards from my door, next door but one to the garage who have the Boogie in pieces..

So that saves me a journey to the Oldham area on Sunday to see James and Bentley (his dog ) 

The rumbling I'd heard that we all thought was the clutch release bearing, was infact this little spigot bearing in the flywheel, I've been round and felt it with my finger, rough as a bear's a***...

The gearbox is out, as Riccy had said , without removing the engine or cutting the crossmember out.

So we're hopefully getting somewhere... just need this spigot / pilot bearing and a gearbox oil seal... next job is an email to our Martin then  

Stroke of luck with the spare gearbox there matey! 

Have you seen the bread method for removing the spigot bearing? I used it succesfully when i did the M18 swap, but the garage will likely have a tool for it if they are doing it.

 

wrote:

Have you seen the bread method for removing the spigot bearing? I used it succesfully when i did the M18 swap, but the garage will likely have a tool for it if they are doing it.


 

Ummm...



WTF?!

I'll pass that on to John the mechanic, but I think he'll just smirk...

I showed him my access hole to re-fill the gearbox and he said he had a swan neck filler for the job...

At £50 an hour plus VAT that's what you're paying for, their overheads (rent, light, etc) and their vast tool collection and knowledge...

I'll take a loaf of doughy bread round and gauge the reaction?