Kirkynut's Jimny (aka Daddy's Tractor) - The Evolution continues...

helijohn wrote:

The tyres were 215/80/15 Colway MT's, so it's quite ironic I'm back on 215/80/15's again now! -

So you really like that tyre? What is it like?

well my current ones are Malatesta Kaimans in that size, which don't compare to the old Colways as they are far more aggressive and bigger due to the tread depth.

I think the size suits the Jimny well though. It still really benefits from a Rocklobster with them though.

Kirkynut

helijohn wrote:

kirkynut wrote:

helijohn wrote:

The tyres were 215/80/15 Colway MT's, so it's quite ironic I'm back on 215/80/15's again now! -

So you really like that tyre? What is it like?

well my current ones are Malatesta Kaimans in that size, which don't compare to the old Colways as they are far more aggressive and bigger due to the tread depth.

I think the size suits the Jimny well though. It still really benefits from a Rocklobster with them though.

Kirkynut

I have a motor in need of some 215 x 70 x 16s (can't fit bigger) and like them there Colways.

Unfortunately Colway are no more John. Kingpin I believe took them over but they're not good quality and I'd avoid them. Look up Insa Turbo Dakar instead!

Kirkynut

I've been a bit busy with the Jim Jam over the last week or so.

I've had a set of Big Jimny Shop's extended brake lines on the shelf, ready to fit for a while. Whilst I have a bit of time on my hands I decided to stick them on as they are an inch or so longer than the Goodridge ones on it at the moment.

I know an inch is not a lot but after testing my new suspension some time ago I found that the Goodridge hoses get quite towards the uncomfortable side of taught on the front when on full droop.

This photo shows it if you look carefully:

Now it still has a little bit more before it's at full stretch, but you don't want it at full stretch - ever! I don't know if the shock had anymore in it or not but don't want to find out the hard way, one day on a Green Lane in the lakes or Wales etc!

I suspect it is as far as the shock can go down as in this old picture in the Lakes on my old suspension, with the same length shocks, the brake line looks similar:

This is with the Big Jimny 2-3" Rough Country shocks and the reason why it says on the Big Jimny shop that you'll need the 2-3" lift shocks with Goodridge Brake Hoses and not the longer ones on the Big Jimny shop - I was the tester of the kit!

I only got the front driver's side hose on though as when I went to fit the front passenger side I ran into trouble!

It seems that the Goodridge Brake Hoses available from KAP have the wrong fitting at the top! I've got a spare set of these with this same fitting on that side as I damaged the driver's side front a while ago. Both are the same.

As such, the previous owner (or KAP if they worked on it) chose to change the fitting on the car to suit the Goodridge Hoses rather than the fitting on the hose. This means I can't fit any hose intended for the Jimny to that side!

Fortunately I had bought from the Big Jimny Shop and had Martin to contact to help establish where the problem lied. As always, Martin was as helpful as can be and contacted his supplier who confirmed my car has the wrong fitting as opposed to the supplied Brake Line.

So if I want a long one that side I have to either change the fitting back over and buy a flaring tool to do so or get another longer hose made up locally. I think in time I'll get one made up locally as the easier, albeit not cheaper option.

I have also fitted a set of Big Jimny diff breathers as my hose pipe never was the ideal solution and looked a bit Heath Robinson.

I have also fitted the nylon bushed Rocklobster mounting bushes back on, rather than the original Jimny rubber mounts as the rubber ones did little to reduce the noise transfer and were a potential art to break with no benefit to the risk of failure they brought with them.

I may fit the rear Brake Line that came in the kit but I am less concerned about the length of that as it sits in the middle and thus does not have to be that much longer, unlike the front ones. The new one is only an inch longer too.

Having said that, I have some Rhino Ray rear shock locating bushes, which effectively extend the rear shock by 2", along with some ORA rear spring clamps. I originally intended to fit these and drill out the rear shock mount, putting a bolt all the way through instead. the Jury is out on that idea though!

I've also fitted a set of Big Jimny Panhard Rod bushes on the front axle which has cured a bout of Death Wobble. Read about that fully in my Death Wobble thread though!

Kirkynut

TomDK wrote: Just remember that when you extend the rear shocks you also extend the collapsed length. Greatly increasing the risk of bottom out the shock with potential damage to follow. So make sure you make the bumpstops longer as well.

Dealt with a long time ago mate!

Kirkynut

I've been working on my Jimny the last 2 days. The reason:

When changing rear diff oil after tapping the thread in the top for the breather, the bottom one of these two teeth was stuck to the magnet drain plug!

Now the one part of my Jimny I have not really had much to do with is the rear axle. When a rear wheel bearing failed I was too busy to fix it and my daily car needed work too, so I gave it to a mechanic I know through family to change both rear wheel bearings.

I've had a spare axle that I've stripped before but did not have to put that back together in working order. At least I knew what I was doing, even if I hadn't done it yet.

So yesterday I got up bright and early to crack on with it. What a nightmare!

The rear brake pipes were so corroded and brittle they would not come undone from the back of the wheel cylinders without twisting and snapping. It's probably a good thing as it forced me to get some new ones made up.

I was going to make them up myself and buy some copper pipe, fittings and a flaring tool. I was going to practice flaring the pipes and if it seemed like I was not able to do a good enough job, I have a friend who I know has done many.

Then when the local motor factors offered to make them up for me, I thought, stuff it and took him up on it! I'll perhaps still get some pipe and a flare tool and teach myself one day.

So that was that and I could crack on, or so I thought. I thought I'd get the brake pipes on and working before I continued on with the diff, doing one thing at a time.

The new fittings on the brake pipes did not like going into the crusty old cylinders, threads full of rust from the old steel pipes and fittings. So the threads stripped on them both!

I get on well with a good motor factors a few miles away, near to my parents. A call to them and he recognised my voice and the Jimny immediately, despite me not visiting them for over a year now! By 11:00 this morning he had two new cylinders for me and I stopped off to check with my mechanic I was not doing anything else wrong that I was missing. I knew I wasn't and I am both confident and competent in what I'm doing, but with brakes, I like to be sure!

So, brakes sorted, new diff in last night (when the second tooth presented it's self!) and I'm pleased to say it's all back together and the brakes are now great, following a jolly good bleeding session!

The new diff I've had in a spare rear axle for a long time and comes from the same vehicle that donated the front axle.

I replaced the front axle when I had issues with the thread in the captive nut on the passenger side of the front panhard rod mounting being stripped. It's inside the spring housing where you can't get to it to replace it and I wasn't trusting just re-tapping it. The previous owner's solution was to tack weld the bolt on place. The tack gave in at Slindon, the bolt came out and got lost and I had no steering! Thank god it did not happen on the road!

I thought I had finally found the last of the previous owners "issues" when I found they had changed the union on the front passenger side brake hose, to fit the wrong union on the Goodrige extended hoses it has on it. How wrong was I! I thought I would change the rear extended hose for the 1" longer Big Jimny Shop extended hose whilst I had the hydraulics undone. Except the previous owner had welded the union on the axle end to the axle! I could have got the grinder out but the other end is in a very awkward place and I had had enough in all honesty. Maybe another day!

A road test after dinner this evening has shown the new diff is a goodun (thank god!) and the brakes are all good too!

I had thought the teeth were from the crown wheel. Now I've got the diff out they are not from the crown wheel or the pinion, so must have made their way out from the spider gears! I feel lucky they did not get caught up and jam on the road! A rear axle locking up at speed in a 3" lifted Jimny would not be fun!

When I find the time I'll strip the old diff to find the problem. I had heard some unpleasant knocking noises from the rear diff when turning in tight circles, so this must have been it!

So my ickle Jim Jam is ready for the snow now! Come on snow, I dare you!

Kirkynut