"Mild" off-road plans for Jimny commuting and playing - Opinions welcome :)

So, it is time to order the lift kit. We are going for the 2" Trailmaster, with BigJimny looking the best price. I was wondering what else is sensible to replace/check while changing the springs and shocks. As I understand it, the radius arms don't need to come off, so those bushes remain undisturbed (I also am planning radius arm guards, so that is when I will do the bushes with camber correction bushes if needed after the lift). New kingpin bearings are also on the near-future plan, but again could be done separately - should I be changing any other seals when I do them, for instance.

Just a general Is there anything else that comes out with the springs/shocks that I should pick up and replace as a sensible opportunist action?

Should I be adding the shock relocation brackets as well? It wasn't that clear to me whether they were needed with the Trailmaster kit.

Jimnybits rear recovery points are also on the way to help with the inevitable Although the current ones have been used more for pulling others out than pulling me out, I think they are a weak link.

Again - many thanks for any pointers.

Nick

I apologize for late reply.

Thank you NickR for commenting on most of my advices. This provides a "coverage" to most of my suggestions from another point of view, so it can help the others to make a better evaluation.

On a side note, I have significantly expanded and improved my wiki page in the meantime. ( www.bigjimny.com/mediawiki/index.php/Imp..._and_all_terrain_use )

I also thank Venter on his well written feedback about tyre sizes. Therefore, I incorporated suggestions from Venter ( www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum?view=to...1032&start=24#173666 ) into the wiki page (chapter "Tyre size").



You see how the lower part of NickR's front bumper is smudged in mud on that picture above, where he climbed a clay hill ( www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum?view=to...1032&start=36#174127 )? That's what I was talking about when I wrote about how inappropriate 2nd gen front bumper is for off roading.

1st gen. front bumper is approx 7-8 cm "higher" than 2nd gen front bumper, and that is just how tall the muddy part of NickR's front bumper on that picture is.

I managed to find a used 1st gen. front bumper from a scrapped Jimny in another town in my country, so I ordered it.
I should receive it in about 7 days.
When I receive it, I will take my 2nd gen front bumper off and see if I can mount that 1st gen. front bumper straight on ("bolt on bolt"). Painting will be required of course, but my first concern is physical compatibility.

My Jimny is a bit specific because it has an intercooler for the diesel engine mounted in the front lower section just behind the front bumper. It might interfere with the 1st gen bumper, or the 1st gen bumper might restrict the airflow to it (1st gen bumper does not have side ventilation grilles like the 2nd gen bumper does). That is my biggest concern. But petrol Jimnys don't have that device.

Does an intercooler need good airflow?

Bosanek, went and had a look at your Wiki this morning for the first time. Very thorough and well put together resource that! Well done.

Bosanek - that Wiki page is excellent - many thanks

On the Gen 1/2 bumper, here is the Gen 1 Jimny (on Duellers) in the exact same space. I got the mud from the drop in to the gully before the hill I am on in the picture. This Jimny is at the bottom of the gully, where I was already muddy. You can see his bumper is nice and clean (and he went through first so would have flattened it down for me anyway!!)



It will be interesting to see how compatible the mounts are - lower screws on mine are seized (but soaking in GT40 at the moment) - for when my bumper gets too battered! They are quite flexy though

Another reason to get on with the lift kit

Nick

Mine is lifted and slightly taller tyres and I still have the bumper make contact sometimes.
Its always going to happen in some places. It flexes quite a lot so no damage so far.

My Saab used to make contact with the road just driving forward off my drive, so the odd battle-scar on the bottom of the bumper doesn't worry me