The suspension is now firm but not hard resulting in much better road handling and lesser body roll even if it is 40 mm taller than before.
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What I was looking for: An aftermarket suspension for the Jimny to help improve its overall ride quality, handling & off-road performance.
Buying Decision:
The factors considered were:
- Ride Comfort
- Handling and Stability
- Off-Road Performance
- Durability and Reliability
- User Feedback
- Local Warranty and Spares availability
Three brands were considered primarily: Iron Man, Old Man EMU & Tough Dog. All reputed Australian Brands with wide install bases in the 4X4 world.
All were almost identical in prices in Australia – all around AUD 1800 for similar configurations and a 40 mm lift kit.
The general feedback on multiple forums and Facebook groups for Jimny was that Iron Man was that it was stiff on tar/city riding so dropped it.
Between Old Man and Tough Dog was a divided house with Tough Dog having a slight edge as there was some feedback as well as feedback on Old Man EMU developing sag with time.
Also, Tough Dog has Foam Cell Technology, whereas Old Man EMU as well as Iron Man use Nitrogen Gas, charged shocks are a huge positive as it would most certainly affect the performance of the shock as foam cell shocks are developed for high-heat environments and they typically do better than Nitrogen Gas charged shocks.
Also, Tough Dog ticked all the boxes in the buying factors listed. Have dealt with Blue Garage in the past many years and the transaction was a pleasure. Had confidence on their support as well in times to come.
Purchase: Iron Man and Old Man EMU were both priced at around 1.40 lakhs whereas Tough Dog was at 96K. Really a no-brainer on which one to choose.
Promptly ordered a Togh Dog 40 mm lift kit with Blue Garage – the Official Exclusive Partner for Tough Dog in India. Avinash (the owner of Blue Garage and a fine gentleman) understood the urgency of the situation and promptly scheduled an installation the next day morning. Installation is another 8K – optional from them or your choice of installer, I chose to use their services.
We were all set to convert the “Little Jimny” to a not-so-looth anymore Jimny……
The Kit: 40mm lift and included the following:
- Front & rear foam cell shock absorbers
- Front raised coils
- Rear raised coils
- Headlight module kit
- Brake hose kit (rear left)
- ABS relocation kit
- Crossmember kit
- Caster Correction Bushes
Installation: A time-consuming but simple process – best explained in the photos below:
After the installation went to Madhus for a must-do alignment. The necessary corrections in alignment were made and we were all set. The ride is now heavenly. To misquote Kapil Dev’s famous Palmolive advert with a twist: “Tough Dog da jawab nahi”.
Result: The suspension is now firm but not hard resulting in much better road handling and lesser body roll even if it is 40 mm taller than before. Cornering has far less body roll and confidence-inspiring even at high speeds. Where it shines is at decent speeds on the highway – it just sticks to the road. Travelling on gravel roads is much much smoother even at high speeds. Off-road is to experience to believe the difference it has made. Getting the body a bit further away from the ground made clearing rocky obstacles much easier and less harsh on radial cups and side sills. It’s made the mountain goat now the one that a better goat than most – a pro if there was ever one.
Looks now: Jimny: Will let the photos do the talking – and did hear my Jimny whisper to me: “I’m no longer just a Jimny; I’m a Tough Jimny!”
Keyword: Aftermarket suspension for my Jimny: selection, purchase & installation