Noise and comfort: J4 vs J7

[bikemaniac]

Hi,

Can anyone elaborate/compare on the topic of noise and comfort having driven a J4 (pre 1980) and a J7 (pre 1990)? To compare it would be ideal if both were diesels, for instance a HJ45 and a BJ75. Can a jump in 10-20 years really be felt or are they equally noisy/rough?

Lucas

 

[FJBen]

Hi,

Can anyone elaborate/compare on the topic of noise and comfort having driven a J4 (pre 1980) and a J7 (pre 1990)? To compare it would be ideal if both were diesels, for instance a HJ45 and a BJ75. Can a jump in 10-20 years really be felt or are they equally noisy/rough?

Lucas

Huge difference. I can compare a couple different ones.

70s HJ45 and 88 BJ74 - big world of difference in terms of ride quality, sound quality etc, yuuuge.

my hj45 was very loud and rough especially without weight in the back. The 40 series are spartan for sure. The later 79-80ish years are better than earlier years in ride quality.

My BJ74 for a leaf sprung rig drives very smooth except for jarring potholes. New parabolic springs and higher end shocks would make it right even better and deal with those potholes. Fairly quiet (for a tractor) and doesn’t have that gear whine on the 40 series and stays nice and warm even in super cold weather below zero weather. I’ve never had ac working on mine (someday) but i also mainly run a bikini or safari top all summer.


I will say, if you are looking at troopys, they tend to be a bit rougher and louder than some of the 4 door and short/mid wheel base cruisers but with some insulation and sound deadening, it will get a lot better.

Overall, there is a large difference in comfort noise between those years. The suspensions are the “same” and you can make both ride decent with upgrades. One is a metal box, the other is a double walled metal box with some vinyl and cloth sprinkled in.

 

[Sethro60]

Huge difference. I have a 70 fj40 and recently added 98 Fzj75. You can feel the old bones in the 75 but the comfort level is vastly improved and sound level is drastically lower. If you're thinking of a daily, I'd go for the 70 series route for sure. Extra power is nice if you are at altitude as well.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Noise and suspension harshness changed from 40 Series to 70 Series.

70 Series bodies have layers of metal and provision for insulation. They are less noisy than 40 Series, which are single-layer and not enough room for insulation. However, you can still hear engine noise, especially from engines like the 3B.

Yes, a BJ75 is still noisy. But there is enough space inside the body panels to add insulation, as well as in the floor/carpet. You cannot do that much in an HJ45.

Suspension remains harsh. 70 Series are just a little less harsh than 40 Series, especially unladen. This is particularly true with long wheelbase models. There are suspension options that reduce harshness a little more.

In my humble opinion, seat design improved with the 70 Series, thus easing driver's fatigue a bit.

Opting for a medium setup with an aftermarket suspension helps as well.

Then there are other features that go unnoticed, namely power steering, heating and air conditioning. These were afterthoughts with the 40 Series; most 70 Series have them as stock. Power steering reduces driving effort both on- and off-road. So do heating and air conditioning.






Juan