[zuk94]

Hi , my daughter is expecting her new Jimny to arrive in June /August .
She wants to use it on the beach and go bush camping . Not necessarily hard core 4x4ing or challenging tracks that 4x4 parks offer.
We've already had a few months to dream about what mods and extra's to get and also the same time to shorten this list .

We understand that the long list of wants have their downsides that are costly and affect performance ( fuel economy etc. )
1/ Weight is a killer. No explanation needed.
2/Large tyres, even though they look good and increase ground clearance have their downside. ( We are considering 215/75/15 All Terrains ).
3/ Bling , fun stuff that really just empty the pocket ( we are on a budget ).

Considering its realistic intended purpose most things aren't necessary BUT suspension is the one thing that most people agree needs upgrading. From the test drive with the dealer we felt the Jimny could do with better ( more stable ) suspension and this is without it being loaded up and driven on the highway.
Please stay with me for the long winded dribble . First Big decision :
- GVM upgrade pre rego ( we are in Queensland ) .
PRO's : Its all done for you ready to go .
Its legal
May help resale value etc

Cons : Its expensive
Uses off set Caster bushes
Only one choice or rear springs yet 3 choices for the front

- GVM upgrade post rego : not sure how much an Engineer will cost or if you get to choose components .

- No GVM upgrade : Still use lifted or aftermarket standard height springs with the choice of using Radius arms : Risky ( insurance ) only if your over weight.

The problem I'm seeing is how can they sell an engineered product that offers one spring choice for the rear when its the rear that will have the greatest variation in weight. The front , they offer 3 spring choices and this is determined whether or not you have a bull bar with or without a winch.
Ive seen more than a few jimny's that appear to be sagging in the rear . This to me suggest the springs are't suited for the weight (so how has this acceptable and approved by an engineer? ). Basically my thoughts are I'm paying for a crap product just to tick the insurance box.
Ive gone and spoken to Ironman and ARB and they both say the same thing . There is only one spring for the rear because the heavier spring that was offered was too stiff.

So in short I'm after peoples thoughts on whether I'm being unreasonable or missing something .
- Is the pre rego GVM upgrade worth having for what you pay ?
- What brand and why you bought it and also has it held up, are you happy with it ?
- Is adding spaces good enough to correct sagging rear springs
- Is standard height but heavier rated springs a sensible option
- Any other helpful comments.

[Beery]

I would be doing everything I could to avoid a GVM upgrade, by simply keeping the car under GVM. They just get progressively worse to drive the heavier they get, and putting a suspension kit in that legally allows more weight doesnt change the fact that the car is heavy and is going to be compromised to drive.

Another issue is if you get a GVM upgrade to "be on the safe side" but then decide to keep the car light, it will also be terrible to drive because the spring rates and shock valving is through the roof to account for weight, (that isn't there) so it's very stiff and suspension travel is compromised (the car will basically have no droop, and will be hard to compress)

I don't own a new jimny, but I've been in a few, and I've installed a few OME kits on them. If you decide to keep your jimny relatively light, then OME is what I'd recommend. They're a small lift (roughly 40mm, which is plenty, looks wise they still look quite tall) but at the end they still ride quite soft, and is a definite improvement over factory. OME also add a bumpstop spacer in the rear and have a longer shock - a standard jimny has very limited droop in the rear, so with a lift they basically have none - this is rectified in this case. There's also a panhard riser bracket which has it's own set of benefits over other kits (in short - less lateral movement and more stability)

More weight means you need more spring rate, so adding spacers isn't a fix if the car is constantly sagged enough that you think you need to correct it (the ride height might be "correct" but the car will still be too soft). I don't know of a standard height coil with more rate that exists, they all lift the car.

Basically, keep it light, the OME kit is an improvement over factory. That setup with some 215's for your intended use should be happy days. Just my thoughts.

[zuk94]

Hi Beery thanks for your post. I hadn't considered the negative side of the GVM upgrade, so its good to hear that.
Apart from putting an ARB bar on the front and putting a fridge in our challenge is to keep it light as possible . Over the last few years we've been changing our camping setup to go lighter . So she has hiking tents and cooking gear, Helinox chair, light weight clothing etc
It is the limited wheel travel that Ive seen with the Jimnys that started me off initially thinking whether the GVM lifts actually improve performance or not . Its a good thing the traction control works well from what Ive seen, as this masks the lack of wheel travel.

[Beery]

Sounds like you're on the right track, just pick a suitible coil to account for the front bar and you'll be sweet. A GVM upgrade is only going to compromise the car and offer you no benefit for how you plan to set the car up (if you stick to that plan)

I wouldn't stress about wheel travel - it is what it is. A GVM or even a normal suspension kit won't do much to improve it greatly, and in some cases (like a lightly loaded GVM kit) it will be worse. If traction ever becomes a big issue, a rear locker will add so much more capability then trying to chase wheel travel with suspension kits, and they don't compromise the car when they're not engaged.

Ps: how good are helinox chairs!

[Slug]

Just leave it stock till you see what you really need, there capable vehicle from the factory
If your thinking about a GVM upgrade dare to say are you looking at the right vehicle for what you need in the first place

[fordem]

Put a decent set of all terrains on it - 215/75R15 is what I have, and also what Suzuki uses on their limited edition "Jimny Safari" - they will make a world of difference to the stability and handling, but they will also have a noticeable (just barely) impact on performance.

An OME suspension upgrade is on my wish list, but it'll have to wait until it's out of warranty, as the dealership has made it very clear, that that will have an impact on the warranty coverage.

[Gwagensteve]

It's extremely uncommon for for aftermarket bolt-on suspension kit to add any significant wheel travel. This is because the design parameters of the suspension (shock length, spring design link geometry is fixed and a lifted spring typically has a higher rate and is often (but not always) longer so it's harder to get the axle to the bumpstop.

A spring with a higher rate that offers no lift would have to be shorter than a standard spring. This causes issues because that requires shorter shocks to prevent the springs falling out.

[zuk94]

Thanks for the replies. I've got understanding of things as a result. I won't be so hung up now if we chose against the GVM upgrade . This will save a bit of money as well.
It probably doesn't matter what brand I end up going with because I think they will be the same anyway . I'll also save money by installing it myself as well depending what we chose in the end.