[DiskoDog]

Hey guys,

I've been doing a lot of reading about the Jimny and I'm in love, I'm pretty much set on getting one (2013-on) and doing a few mods.

With that being said, after reading about the infamous "Jimny shimmy" and death wobble people have encountered, I've really been put off. I wouldn't mind so much if the problem was easily sorted, but not only does it seem hard to pinpoint, but it seems to reoccur quite easily for people.

I'm not asking for a rehash of how to fix wobble, we've all read the threads and there's a lot of discussion already.

What I would like is the opinion of Jimny owners, how bad is the issue for you? Does it ruin the Jimny for you? Basically, knowing about this problem, am I crazy for still wanting a Jimny?

Thanks a lot guys, as a side note, love the forum, it's helped me a lot in my research.

[jonno_racing]

mine has done it a few times. always quite simple fix's
it can get SUPER bad but usualy its just a little shake of the steering wheel.
Go for it. jims are a cooooool little unit!

[DiskoDog]

jonno_racing wrote:

mine has done it a few times. always quite simple fix's
it can get SUPER bad but usualy its just a little shake of the steering wheel.
Go for it. jims are a cooooool little unit!

The highly variable way it can show itself is what worries me. A bit of steering shake I don't mind, this on the other hand seriouly puts me off. Being unable to pinpoint it and having it resurface is the main issue, otherwise it wouldn't worry me.

[Gwagensteve]

The fix isn't complicated- kingpin bearing preload, panhard bushes, radius arm bushes are the factory fixes.

I'm no great fan of the jimny but the wobble isn't a major issue- it's pretty easily overcome.

[tanshi]

youre reading too much into it. if the car is well maintained and lift is compensated for by castor adjustment you would have it.

[Kor3y101]

Don't even worry about it. My Jimny gets a shudder between 75-80, then it goes away. It's nothing that couldn't be fixed (and will be once I get a lift)

Don't let it put you off.

If you do a lot of research on any car you are bound to find faults. Pootrol turbos like to eat themselves quite often, but people have realised what is safe and what isn't. It's just a matter of keeping up maintance and knowing what your getting into.


You'll love the Jimny!
They get a bit of hate on here but for a daily driver and occasional wheeler/tourer, you can't go wrong.

[pete_79]

The 'Jimny Shimmy' that most people refer to is usually a castor issue. As in; they added lift and didn't correct the castor.

The death wobble is a completely different beast and Steve has covered the fixes. The list of fixes for the Jimny is much shorter and 1000 times cheaper then the fix for death wobbles in Jeeps or Patrols.

Having owned a Jimny with a very minor castor shimmy, I can say it is very easy to live with.

Having owned a Jeep with death wobbles I can say that shit is scary as hell and you will never forget that feeling.

Jimnys are a tone of fun. Cheap to buy, cheap to run and cheap to modify.
If you get into driving some challenging tracks they will help you gain far more technical skills then you would expect.

I say go for it.
Get a cheap stock one, learn how to drive it with no mods then upgrade it to suit your local conditions and get you where you want to go.

[Sloba]

Sometimes it can also be as simple as having your wheels balanced . after a few offroading sessions I developed a bit of a shimmy in my 2015 jimny between 70-80kmh that has 2" lift and castor correction (it's only done 3000km) . fix was a simple as having the wheels balanced again.. I wouldn't be worry to much, as other have said on a well maintained vehicle etc youl will be sweet

[shep]

The only time mine has wobbled is when I had a tyre that was very out of balance

[TEKNO]

Yep me to, I bought my 2012 jim with a tad over 11,000 ks on it so just about new and mine has shudder or wobble between 75 and 80 obviously from new but not severe and I find it easy to live with as most of the zones I'm in are generally over 80 anyway

[Kor3y101]

^^ same here haha. It's very liveable and there are fixes for it if your that way inclined.

It should no way put you off of buying a Jimny. They're a great little car.

[Marko_SJ]

Nicest Jimny on Auszookers

Page 1: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16751&hilit=zukenutter+jimny

[GraphicX]

only time i've suffered a wobble is when i had mud caked inside of the rim throwing it totally out of balance.

[KEENSY85]

[/quote]


Shep that looks sick!!

[Zoook]

No wobble when I bought mine new. Once the lift was on it started, but like others have said it only happens at 75kph then it completely goes. Got the Suzuki fix put on but still there a little, also a good balancing of the wheels helps.

[vet 180]

I get a wobble on mine from time to time, not an issue at all. They are great little cars. I have done 35000kms at the wheel and around 20 offroad trips

[Mike57]

I am actually starting to suspect that Suzuki have tightened up the tolerances on the king pin bearings on the later models so you may never actually have an issue. In stock form you are unlikely to have any issues anyway. If modifying them there are the basic issues to take care of which have been discussed above. There are other reasons not to buy a Jimny like lack of power and carrying capacity that are for more important then the wobble or shimmy. The wobble and shimmy can be fixed.

[striker99]

Mike57 wrote:

I am actually starting to suspect that Suzuki have tightened up the tolerances on the king pin bearings on the later models so you may never actually have an issue. In stock form you are unlikely to have any issues anyway. If modifying them there are the basic issues to take care of which have been discussed above. There are other reasons not to buy a Jimny like lack of power and carrying capacity that are for more important then the wobble or shimmy. The wobble and shimmy can be fixed.

I agree the lack of power is painful, particularly with the 4 speed auto its a pain on the highway. I live in the southern downs, every hill is like a huge mountain it's a killer in the Jimny. ..

[Kor3y101]

Shoulda got the manual Haha!

[striker99]

Kor3y101 wrote:

Shoulda got the manual Haha!

Haha I agree, was living in Brisbane at the time I purchased it

[trevnutz]

I can confirm that 205 70 MT's with stock alloys drive just as good as it did when it left the showroom. I reckon the wobble starts to happen when u start changing rims that were not designed for the car and run bigger tyres.

[Kor3y101]

I have 215/75 AT's on 15x7's and it had a shimmy when I bought it, but since a wheel alignment, no more shimmy

[Gwagensteve]

How does one determine if an aftermarket rim was "designed for the car"