A few updates.
The leaky heater hose that I thought I fixed, I didn’t. They weren’t leaking. Instead, it was the upper radiator hose that was weeping onto the heater hoses, which made it look like they were leaking. Of course, I couldn’t get anything stateside, so I had to order the hose from Amayama.com. While I was at it, I ordered all of the radiator hoses as well as a replacement water pump for “sometime.”
When I pulled that upper hose, there was a bit of rubbing that had occurred inside the hose where the clamp was. That was odd. Turns out the clamp must’ve worn a pinhole leak. Fixed it in about 10 minutes, and now it’s sealed and great.
Now I’m thinking about other things to have on hand just in case. We’re finding parts for the little Jimny aren’t as easy as our JDM Mitsubishis. One of the things I think I should order is an alternator. The OEM part number doesn’t cross directly with anything in North America. However, sites like Amazon, eBay, and Spareto show the alternator part number may cross with the 1999+ Suzuki Vitara with the 1.6-liter. This WAS sold in North America. I should probably look at the plugs and make sure the swap. I read the pulleys can be swapped if needed, but some said this is actually an upgrade anyway.
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I also got the winch one. I pulled the Harbor Freight APEX winch, sold it, and got a new WARN R60-S winch. It has a 6,000 lb. capacity and is made for UTVs and small SUVs like the Jimny. Since it already had the mounting plate (which is drilled for this size winch or a full-size truck winch), it just bolted up. I wired it up, and it was almost ready to pull.
The Jimny Bits winch plate, however, is drilled for a truck-style winch fairlead which has a 10" spacing for the bolts. The UTV fairlead is much smaller and wouldn’t work. So, I got a Factor 55 Short Drum Comp fairlead, which has a narrow opening, perfect for this winch. I also topped it off with a Factor 55 UltraHook XTV, again, intended for UTVs, but still well within the pulling capabilities.
Our little trucklet has been relegated to only around-town drives, but I’m looking foward to getting it dirty. I’m also wanting to pull off the light-duty roof rails and put something else on it. Ultimately, I’d love to do the Front Runner Outfitters Slimline II. I also need to put some vacuum caps on the 4WD system so the light stops blinking—a function of putting manual hubs on. Lastly, I think I’d like to add a bit taller spring. Right now, it has King Springs coils, which offer a 1.0" and 1.5" lift front/rear, respectively. I think I’d like to go up to 2", although not sure if it’d require things like longer brake lines, custom drive shafts, etc.
I really need to get some photos of this green machine, too.
