Hello everybody,
I’m Bipin from Bangalore and a new Jimny owner.
I’m quite satisfied with the stock suspension so far since for the speed the jimny can manage I’m not too worried about the roll over or sway as yet!
But I would like to add a lift and try out a good suspension upgrade in the following months and would love to hear the forums input on Bilstein vs KYB/Tanabe since very little comes up on searches across the internet for Bilstein Jimnys.
Regards and Thanks,
Bipin.
Join our Telegram group at Telegram: Contact @curbover there are a number of owners who have the Bilsteins and they can share their experience.
I recently got just the Bilstein extended length shocks and I also posted my review there.
For your quick reference I am posting it here also.
Bilstein B6 Performance Shockers (Raised Height) Initial Impressions.
These shocks are ever so slightly longer than stock shocks when fully extended and offer more travel. Front one is 10 MM more and the rear ones are 25 MM more at full extension when compared with stock shockers.
Initial impressions of the Bilstein B6 Performance Raised Height Shockers with Stock Coil Springs.
The pitching movement has almost completely gone and so has the roll. The front shockers do not bottom out even if going fast over a hump.
The thud has considerably reduced, except on single bump strips like in the society driveway where it still thuds albeit in a more civilized manner. On regular speed breakers the thud is negligible now. There is no thud on the platform type huge speed breakers where earlier my front end used to crash and bottom out and the rear used to thud.
The rear stepping out on rumble strips at speed is also gone. I specifically tried this and the car’s tail did not step out. I do have 225/70 R15 and they also help a lot in this respect. I have to test this more at a higher speed and a curve with rumble strips.
The Jimny feels taut at all times and cornering ability has improved. There is zero nose dive under braking, similarly there is no pitching backwards when starting off from a standstill.
Flyover expansion joints just make their presence felt because of the sound but the car remains flat and the expansion joints are dismissed without any effect to the Jimny’s composure. The ride remains unnervingly flat. You are expecting to be thrown up but that does not happen . I was doing 90 on Airport Elevated road and that is how it felt at the expansion joints. This was most impressive. Earlier the Jimny used to rock and roll over these joints like a Jack in the box.
The car is no longer wobbly while cornering or braking.
However the ride quality at lower speeds is firm but not stiff and never bone jarring at ant time. Its just firm and you can feel road imperfections more than stock at low speeds. I plan to reduce 1 PSI on the tyres tomorrow and then check if I can find a better balance between the firmness and a more cushioned ride.