The Suzuki Jimny is one of the most capable compact 4WDs ever built. Small, lightweight and genuinely capable off-road, the Jimny has earned a huge following among campers, weekend adventurers and 4WD enthusiasts.
But its compact size is also exactly why what you carry - and when you carry it - matters.
Add a roof rack, awning, recovery equipment, camping gear and other accessories and you can quickly transform a lightweight, nimble 4WD into a much heavier vehicle with a higher centre of gravity.
That’s where RacksBrax makes a difference.
Rather than leaving your awning permanently attached simply because removing it is inconvenient, a RacksBrax quick release hitch lets you take the awning off when you don’t need it and put it back on when adventure calls. RacksBrax works with compact 4WDs such as the Suzuki Jimny which is particularly suited to standard pull-out or compact 180° awning setups.
The Jimny Is Better When It’s Light
One of the things people love about the Jimny is its lightweight, responsive character.
It feels nimble. It changes direction easily.
It is enjoyable to drive around town and surprisingly capable when the road disappears. But add equipment high up on the vehicle and you’re changing the vehicle’s dynamics.
A roof-mounted awning places additional mass above the vehicle’s normal centre of gravity. A roof rack, recovery boards, rooftop accessories and other camping equipment add even more.
You don’t necessarily notice the difference when you’re crawling along a bush track. You can notice it much more on the road.
That’s why removing camping equipment when you’re not actually camping can make so much sense - particularly with a compact vehicle like the Jimny.
Less Weight Up High
The first benefit is obvious: Take unnecessary weight off the roof and the vehicle is lighter.
But the location of that weight matters too. Weight carried high on a vehicle can influence its centre of gravity and therefore how it responds to changes in direction, braking and road conditions.
Remove a roof-mounted awning and you’re not just removing its kilograms. You’re also removing that mass from high above the vehicle.
The result can be a Jimny that feels more natural and composed during everyday driving. For drivers who use their Jimny as both an adventure vehicle and a daily driver, that can make a surprisingly meaningful difference.
Less Twitchy Through the Corners
The Jimny’s compact dimensions and short wheelbase contribute to its distinctive driving character. Add additional weight up high and the vehicle can feel different through corners.
With the awning removed, there is less mass sitting high above the roof. That can help the vehicle feel less twitchy through corners and more settled during normal on-road driving, particularly compared with leaving a bulky awning permanently mounted.
We’re not suggesting that removing an awning transforms the suspension or handling characteristics of a Jimny. It doesn’t. But removing unnecessary weight from the roof can reduce the load you’re asking the vehicle to carry and can help preserve the lightweight, nimble character that makes the Jimny so enjoyable in the first place.
Better On-Road Driving
Here’s something many people don’t consider when building a camping vehicle: Your vehicle probably spends far more time on the road than it does at the campsite.
Your Jimny might spend Saturday exploring a forest track and Sunday camping beside a river.
Monday morning? It’s back to commuting.
Tuesday: The school run.
Wednesday: Shopping.
Thursday: Just another normal day.
So why carry a bulky awning and other camping equipment around for seven days when you might only need it for two?
RacksBrax was developed around exactly this idea: make it easy to switch between your everyday vehicle set-up and your adventure outfit. RacksBrax’ quick release awning and accessory hitches allow awnings and accessories to be removed in seconds without tools.
Fast on for the weekend. Fast off for the working week.
Quieter on the Road
There is another benefit that becomes particularly noticeable when roof-mounted accessories are removed: less noise.
Less weight and pressure on your tyres mean less road noise. Add your awning, roof racks and your camping gear and that extra weight becomes burdensome to the vehicle.
Remove the awning when you don’t need it and you’re removing one of those sources of unnecessary road noise.
The result can be a quieter, more comfortable drive, particularly on longer highway trips.
More Stable at Speed
Highway driving is another situation where reducing unnecessary roof-mounted equipment can make sense. The Jimny is a small, lightweight 4WD, and crosswinds, passing trucks and changes in road conditions can all be noticeable.
Removing a bulky roof-mounted awning reduces both weight and aerodynamic bulk above the vehicle. That can help the vehicle feel more settled and stable at speed, particularly compared with carrying equipment you don’t actually need.
Again, this isn’t a substitute for correct tyre pressures, wheel alignment, suspension condition or sensible driving.
It’s simply good vehicle management: Don’t carry unnecessary equipment when you don’t need it.
Reduced Wind Drag and Potential Fuel Savings
An awning sitting on the side of a roof rack isn’t aerodynamically invisible. It creates additional drag. And drag increases with vehicle speed.
RacksBrax has long promoted removing roof-mounted awnings when they’re not required as a way of reducing aerodynamic drag and improving fuel consumption. For a Jimny owner who spends time commuting or travelling on the highway, that can add up.
You don’t need to carry the aerodynamic penalty of a large accessory every day simply because you don’t want the hassle of removing it. With RacksBrax, you don’t have to.
Protect Your Awning Investment
There is another reason to remove camping equipment: It doesn’t need to live outside 365 days a year.
When an awning remains permanently mounted on your vehicle, it is continually exposed to Australian sun, rain, dust and road grime.
RacksBrax highlights the benefit of removing awnings when they aren’t needed to help reduce exposure to sun and weather and protect the awning between adventures.
Take it off. Store it somewhere dry. Keep it out of the harshest conditions. Then put it back on when you’re ready to go camping.
It’s a simple way to look after an expensive piece of camping equipment.
No Tools Means No Excuses
The biggest obstacle to removing an awning is usually not the weight. It’s the hassle.
If removing the awning requires a socket set, a ladder, two people and half an hour, you are just not going to bother.
RacksBrax changes that equation.
The RacksBrax quick release awning system is designed to allow compatible awnings to be removed and reinstalled without tools, and it only takes seconds. That makes it realistic to remove the awning after a trip rather than leaving it on the Jimny until the next adventure.
Your Jimny Can Have Two Personalities
This is ultimately what RacksBrax gives a Jimny owner.
Daily Driver Jimny
- No unnecessary awning weight
- Less roof-mounted bulk
- Less road noise
- Reduced aerodynamic drag
- More natural on-road feel
- Less twitchy handling around the corners
- Potentially improved fuel consumption
- Lower vehicle profile
Adventure Jimny
- Awning installed
- Camping gear loaded
- Ready for the weekend
- Shade and shelter wherever you stop
And changing between the two isn’t a major operation.
Don’t Carry Your Camping Gear When You’re Not Camping
The Jimny’s greatest strengths are its size, weight and agility. So, make the most of them.
If your awning spends most of the week sitting unused on the roof, there is a better way. Use RacksBrax to take it off when you don’t need it and put it back on when you do.
- Less weight
- Less bulk
- Less road noise
- Less aerodynamic drag
- A more settled feeling through corners
- A more comfortable on-road drive
- And, better fuel economy
Then, when Friday arrives, your camping setup can be ready to go again.
RacksBrax - fast on for adventure, fast off for everyday driving.
Suzuki Jimny Quick Release Awning Hitch | RacksBrax Quick Release Awning Hitch
The Suzuki Jimny is one of the most capable compact 4WDs ever built. Small, lightweight and genuinely capable off-road, the Jimny has earned a huge following among campers, weekend adventurers and 4WD enthusiasts.
But its compact size is also exactly why what you carry - and when you carry it - matters.
Add a roof rack, awning, recovery equipment, camping gear and other accessories and you can quickly transform a lightweight, nimble 4WD into a much heavier vehicle with a higher centre of gravity.
That’s where RacksBrax makes a difference.
Rather than leaving your awning permanently attached simply because removing it is inconvenient, a RacksBrax quick release hitch lets you take the awning off when you don’t need it and put it back on when adventure calls. RacksBrax works with compact 4WDs such as the Suzuki Jimny which is particularly suited to standard pull-out or compact 180° awning setups.
The Jimny Is Better When It’s Light
One of the things people love about the Jimny is its lightweight, responsive character.
It feels nimble. It changes direction easily.
It is enjoyable to drive around town and surprisingly capable when the road disappears. But add equipment high up on the vehicle and you’re changing the vehicle’s dynamics.
A roof-mounted awning places additional mass above the vehicle’s normal centre of gravity. A roof rack, recovery boards, rooftop accessories and other camping equipment add even more.
You don’t necessarily notice the difference when you’re crawling along a bush track. You can notice it much more on the road.
That’s why removing camping equipment when you’re not actually camping can make so much sense - particularly with a compact vehicle like the Jimny.
Less Weight Up High
The first benefit is obvious: Take unnecessary weight off the roof and the vehicle is lighter.
But the location of that weight matters too. Weight carried high on a vehicle can influence its centre of gravity and therefore how it responds to changes in direction, braking and road conditions.
Remove a roof-mounted awning and you’re not just removing its kilograms. You’re also removing that mass from high above the vehicle.
The result can be a Jimny that feels more natural and composed during everyday driving. For drivers who use their Jimny as both an adventure vehicle and a daily driver, that can make a surprisingly meaningful difference.
Less Twitchy Through the Corners
The Jimny’s compact dimensions and short wheelbase contribute to its distinctive driving character. Add additional weight up high and the vehicle can feel different through corners.
With the awning removed, there is less mass sitting high above the roof. That can help the vehicle feel less twitchy through corners and more settled during normal on-road driving, particularly compared with leaving a bulky awning permanently mounted.
We’re not suggesting that removing an awning transforms the suspension or handling characteristics of a Jimny. It doesn’t. But removing unnecessary weight from the roof can reduce the load you’re asking the vehicle to carry and can help preserve the lightweight, nimble character that makes the Jimny so enjoyable in the first place.
Better On-Road Driving
Here’s something many people don’t consider when building a camping vehicle: Your vehicle probably spends far more time on the road than it does at the campsite.
Your Jimny might spend Saturday exploring a forest track and Sunday camping beside a river.
Monday morning? It’s back to commuting.
Tuesday: The school run.
Wednesday: Shopping.
Thursday: Just another normal day.
So why carry a bulky awning and other camping equipment around for seven days when you might only need it for two?
RacksBrax was developed around exactly this idea: make it easy to switch between your everyday vehicle set-up and your adventure outfit. RacksBrax’ quick release awning and accessory hitches allow awnings and accessories to be removed in seconds without tools.
Fast on for the weekend. Fast off for the working week.
Quieter on the Road
There is another benefit that becomes particularly noticeable when roof-mounted accessories are removed: less noise.
Less weight and pressure on your tyres mean less road noise. Add your awning, roof racks and your camping gear and that extra weight becomes burdensome to the vehicle.
Remove the awning when you don’t need it and you’re removing one of those sources of unnecessary road noise.
The result can be a quieter, more comfortable drive, particularly on longer highway trips.
More Stable at Speed
Highway driving is another situation where reducing unnecessary roof-mounted equipment can make sense. The Jimny is a small, lightweight 4WD, and crosswinds, passing trucks and changes in road conditions can all be noticeable.
Removing a bulky roof-mounted awning reduces both weight and aerodynamic bulk above the vehicle. That can help the vehicle feel more settled and stable at speed, particularly compared with carrying equipment you don’t actually need.
Again, this isn’t a substitute for correct tyre pressures, wheel alignment, suspension condition or sensible driving.
Reduced Wind Drag and Potential Fuel Savings
An awning sitting on the side of a roof rack isn’t aerodynamically invisible. It creates additional drag. And drag increases with vehicle speed.
RacksBrax has long promoted removing roof-mounted awnings when they’re not required as a way of reducing aerodynamic drag and improving fuel consumption. For a Jimny owner who spends time commuting or travelling on the highway, that can add up.
You don’t need to carry the aerodynamic penalty of a large accessory every day simply because you don’t want the hassle of removing it. With RacksBrax, you don’t have to.
Protect Your Awning Investment
There is another reason to remove camping equipment: It doesn’t need to live outside 365 days a year.
When an awning remains permanently mounted on your vehicle, it is continually exposed to Australian sun, rain, dust and road grime.
RacksBrax highlights the benefit of removing awnings when they aren’t needed to help reduce exposure to sun and weather and protect the awning between adventures.
Take it off. Store it somewhere dry. Keep it out of the harshest conditions. Then put it back on when you’re ready to go camping.
It’s a simple way to look after an expensive piece of camping equipment.
No Tools Means No Excuses
The biggest obstacle to removing an awning is usually not the weight. It’s the hassle.
If removing the awning requires a socket set, a ladder, two people and half an hour, you are just not going to bother.
RacksBrax changes that equation.
The RacksBrax quick release awning system is designed to allow compatible awnings to be removed and reinstalled without tools, and it only takes seconds. That makes it realistic to remove the awning after a trip rather than leaving it on the Jimny until the next adventure.
Your Jimny Can Have Two Personalities
This is ultimately what RacksBrax gives a Jimny owner.
Daily Driver Jimny
Adventure Jimny
And changing between the two isn’t a major operation.
Don’t Carry Your Camping Gear When You’re Not Camping
The Jimny’s greatest strengths are its size, weight and agility. So, make the most of them.
If your awning spends most of the week sitting unused on the roof, there is a better way. Use RacksBrax to take it off when you don’t need it and put it back on when you do.
Then, when Friday arrives, your camping setup can be ready to go again.
RacksBrax - fast on for adventure, fast off for everyday driving.
Not sure which quick release awning hitch fits your awning brand?
Tell us what awning you've got and we'll do the rest →Have questions? Contact us at sales@racksbrax.com