[Zook2510]

Hi all,

We've owned a coily for about six months now and really loving our off-roading, the sierra is such a fun and capable car. We have been planning on doing a G16A engine conversion and some custom suspension. However we've been thinking lately about the option of switching over to a Jimny. We like the idea of the non-VVT DOHC engine and easier suspension upgrades (as we all know coily's don't have much after-market support). We don't want to make the swap though if there is a big down-grade in off-road capabities etc.

What are everyone's thoughts on the Jimny?? At this stage looking ideally at about a 2003 or 2004 non-VVT DOHC model. Or is the SOHC better for any reason??

Have done a bit of research in the last few weeks but would appreciate any opinions.

Cheers

[Dan85]

There are some very capable jimny's running around on this forum. I don't see why you would be disappointed off-road in a well setup jimny. Ours is pretty well stock and just going to 215/75-15 tyres gets us most of the places we want to go.

[alien]

id go jimny... they only made coilys for 2 years and nothings compatible with them. Jimny have far better aftermarket support, better engine and arguably more comforts.

[Zook2510]

Thanks for your replies.

Just wanted to confirm that the jimny VVT model is a lot more difficult re: fitting a different transfer case? In a fairly cost effective way anyway. From what I've read one of the main swaps is the auto vvt case?

Hence we were thinking of going with the non-VVT for ease of swaps.

[alien]

non-VVT were only made from 1998-2000 i believe - so you'd be buying a pretty old jimny. IMO you're better off with the better VVT motor and a newer car (plus it opens you up to and m15 engine swap!)

[Marko_SJ]

alien wrote:

non-VVT were only made from 1998-2000 i believe - so you'd be buying a pretty old jimny. IMO you're better off with the better VVT motor and a newer car (plus it opens you up to and m15 engine swap!)

Alien, you might wanna check that.... I thought 1998-2000 was g13bb Jim, whereas slightly later you got M13a non VVT.

I could be wrong though.

Edit: for ease of modding you probably want a g series Jimny as its more similar to a sierra. But less awesome.

[jimny_timmy]

As far a tcase swaps. Anything pre VVT (99-05) is a straight swap for a sierra case and gearing to suit (+ fitting kit obviously). Although auto tcase into a manual is a straight swap for the vvt's and also a very good upgrade. If I was to to it all again if go a 2000-05 model. Less hassles with abs and other "minor" stuff to get around in comparison to the newer models.

[pezz]

Zook2510 wrote:

We don't want to make the swap though if there is a big down-grade in off-road capabities etc.

purely based on the fact that you can buy diff locks for the front of a jimny, i would say its a upgrade in off-road ability

[droverdave]

Depends what offroad capability you required...

I drove a jimny for the first time the other day, certainly a massive step up from a sierra in the comfort department.

[alien]

doesn't a jimny blow a coily away for offroad capability too? (stock for stock).

monley's jimny was something like 100mm longer wheelbase than my sierra, which has about 150mm extended wheelbase over a standard WT (or coily) - so 250mm or there abouts longer... which would be a great improvement on handling and comfort alone over a coily IMO.

[Reubs]

Jimmy... 'nuff said.

[Marko_SJ]

Leafy w/ A/C and power steer obsoletes Jimny & Coily.

LWB sierra obsoletes SWB sierra, Jimny, coil sierra and Vitara, patrol, Landy, landcruiser and hilux.

[monley]

M13A non-vvt Jimny, with 30s, 4.16s tcase gears, front locker and some bar work you can't go wrong

Coily is just a dead end.

[tanshi]

yep if those are your options, go the jimny

[Jezza86]

JX jimny from queensland, no abs to worry about, m series motor, and if you fit 30's or 31's the vvtat transfer case swap takes a hour maximum, including oil changes and cleaning the 1;1 manual transfer for storage.
youll want to keep the 1:1 transfer if you get a M18 because why not???

[Zook2510]

Ok thanks for all the advice...sounds like the Jimny will be the way to go.

How difficult are the t-case swaps? At the moment we are running a 1L transfer in our coily (WT flanges etc therefore already fitted)...how much work is involved with fitting this to a jimny? Also the mounting kits look like they're around the $400 mark, is that correct?

[Jezza86]

a 2006+ transfer case swap is direct, plug and play and means you coily is still drivable.

[Zook2510]

Jezza86 wrote:

a 2006+ transfer case swap is direct, plug and play and means you coily is still drivable.

The VVT auto t-case is a direct swap? Do you know what sort of reduction that gives?

Our other option is to go for a non-VVT M13A model, in which case we can swap our 1L transfer case in (we still have the original coily one, so can put that back in the coily ) But not sure if that would reduce the gearing too much for the highway.

Have spent hours and hours reading different posts but so many different ratios of diffs, t-cases etc it gets confusing.

[Jezza86]

ultimately you want this page viewtopic.php?f=5&t=32700


the vvtauto case is 1:1.27 (by tooth count)= 4200 rpm @100 GPS with 30x9.5's
the vvtmanual case is 1:1 =3200rpm @ 100KPH GPS with 30x9.5's
shep just put 31's on his, and he reckons its even better

the speedo sensor on the VVT auto case also corrects the speedo on the dash perfectly either by accident or suzuki wanted us to run 30's

[Zook2510]

Jezza86 wrote:

ultimately you want this page viewtopic.php?f=5&t=32700


the vvtauto case is 1:1.27 (by tooth count)= 4200 rpm @100 GPS with 30x9.5's
the vvtmanual case is 1:1 =3200rpm @ 100KPH GPS with 30x9.5's
shep just put 31's on his, and he reckons its even better

the speedo sensor on the VVT auto case also corrects the speedo on the dash perfectly either by accident or suzuki wanted us to run 30's

Haha well 30s are the perfect size! Thanks for the response. You beat me to it though, I was going to edit my other post though as I think we are actually going to go with a non-VVT M13A Jimny.

Edit: after looking into all the transfer case ratios I think our current 1.0L switched case (with WT flanges) will give a good reduction for our 30s (about 17% by my reckoning).

Now wondering where people have bought the mounting kit from? Just priced one up from ORA in the UK and it was $660 including shipping, seems quite pricey

[31zook]

Neither are great off road, but if your happy with a stockish coily then more then likely a jimny will be enough offroad for you.

Put the locker in the rear BTW as jimnys have 1L size CVs

[zukenutter]

Zook2510 wrote:

Jezza86 wrote:

ultimately you want this page http://www.auszookers.com/forum/viewtop ... =5&t=32700


the vvtauto case is 1:1.27 (by tooth count)= 4200 rpm @100 GPS with 30x9.5's
the vvtmanual case is 1:1 =3200rpm @ 100KPH GPS with 30x9.5's
shep just put 31's on his, and he reckons its even better

the speedo sensor on the VVT auto case also corrects the speedo on the dash perfectly either by accident or suzuki wanted us to run 30's

Haha well 30s are the perfect size! Thanks for the response. You beat me to it though, I was going to edit my other post though as I think we are actually going to go with a non-VVT M13A Jimny.

Edit: after looking into all the transfer case ratios I think our current 1.0L switched case (with WT flanges) will give a good reduction for our 30s (about 17% by my reckoning).

Now wondering where people have bought the mounting kit from? Just priced one up from ORA in the UK and it was $660 including shipping, seems quite pricey

I think 17% sounds pretty close.

ORA kit is pretty good, I think it was also the cheapest available when I got mine. Aussie dollar is weak at the moment which won't help the price.

I'm running a non VVT gearbox, WT Sierra transfer in my VVT with 30s and stock R&P.
100km/hr (GPS) = 3800RPM
110km/hr (GPS) = 4200RPM
Virtually the same as stock, great on long highway drives. It happily accelerates to 140 and cruise all day at 110.

[Zook2510]

Thanks for the info zukenutter. It is a simple tcase and gearbox conversion for the VVT? Just wondering out of interest why you went with a non-VVT gearbox, I thought the VVT box had higher ratios?

[zukenutter]

VVT gearbox is lower geared. Lessens the suitable transfer swap options.
The swap was mostly a straight swap, with a small amount of minor fabrication. Bell housing, clutch and clutch cable all match.

[zukenutter]

VVT transfer is where the higher gearing is.

[Zook2510]

zukenutter wrote:

VVT gearbox is lower geared. Lessens the suitable transfer swap options.
The swap was mostly a straight swap, with a small amount of minor fabrication. Bell housing, clutch and clutch cable all match.

I think must have confused myself somewhere along the way here...I get swapping in the WT transfer case to the VVT model as the WT case is lower geared (a higher ratio...eg. in high, 1.32 compared to 1). But I'm a bit lost about the non-VVT gearbox...my understanding was that the VVT gearbox is lower geared (because the ratio is higher...ie. 1st gear VVT 4.425 vs non-VVT 3.652). I thought this would be better for off-roading? Or have I confused myself with all the numbers

Thanks for any clarification!

EDIT: Or were you putting the non-VVT gearbox in to counter-act the large reduction that a different transfer case gives?

[zukenutter]

Higher numbers equals lower gears

Zook2510 wrote:

Or were you putting the non-VVT gearbox in to counter-act the large reduction that a different transfer case gives?

^^ This