How to live with a CJ340 or similar Jeep?

[Samurai]

Ok, I am still not getting it correctly. Can someone post couple of images that can clearly illustrate the difference between full-floating and semi-floating, may be a cross section of the drive shaft.

Meanwhile, I removed the soft top today so that I can give it for anti-rust painting on Monday.

Checkout the beauty without the soft top.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Ok, I am still not getting it correctly. Can someone post couple of images that can clearly illustrate the difference between full-floating and semi-floating, may be a cross section of the drive shaft.

No, we can not. Images do not easily show it. His choice of the term "drive shaft" was unfortunate as it means the propeller to most whereas what he should have meant was axle, mostly.

I will try again. To float or not to float, that is the question. What is "floating", or not, is the axle.

Imagine your ball point pen is your axle structure. Outside is the plastic housing, inside is the metal ink cartridge. The ink cartridge is the axle and the plastic housing is the axle housing.

If it is floating then the wheel is connected via bearings to the plastic housing, the outside of the pen. The axle housing then bears the weight of the vehicle. If it is semi floating then the wheel is connected to the ink cartridge, the axle, via lugs and the axle rides on bearings AND ALSO SUPPORTS the weight of the vehicle.
Because full floating axles do not have to support the weight of the vehicle they are stronger, usually, and this extra strength gives you a more robust off-roader.

[Samurai]

Thanks Dan, your pen analogy helped a lot. I was thinking that the whole thing including the housing as axle. Now it makes sense. When people say axle break, they don't mean housing, just the rotating part inside. In case of semi-floating, if the inside axle breaks the wheel will come out then. In full floating the wheel will stay intact, but no torque will be delivered to it. The front wheels can still take you home.

[Sankar]

Samurai, the jeep looks beautiful without the top. Infact the canvas was hiding the functional beauty of this machine.

Dan that was the most apt analogy to help describe the semi & full floaters.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Sankar

Samurai, the jeep looks beautiful without the top. Infact the canvas was hiding the functional beauty of this machine.

Thanks Shankar. I too quickly realised it once I removed the cover. Incidently my camera was with me, so I had do an unplanned photoshoot session.

Today the Jeep got the full diesel wash treatment before I handed it over for some work at the neighbourhood garage.

1) Radiator core to be changed.
2) Full body anti-rust treatment.
3) New key cylinder, old one is quite worn out. I can remove the key straight out and engine will be still running.
4) Rims and bumper going black.
5) The aluminium border work riveted to the body is a problem. Thinking of covering it with black vinyl beading work.

[maddy42]

Saumrai your jeep looks lovely without the top. So its a two seater or has it got the rear seats also? Hows the comfort level with the bucket seats?

[Technocrat]

LIke other said the Jeep looks lovely with out the soft top, the Diesel wash seems to have done wonders, it looks so clean & gleaming

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

LIke other said the Jeep looks lovely with out the soft top, the Diesel wash seems to have done wonders, it looks so clean & gleaming

Cough, cough, this was shot before the diesel wash.

[madbullram]

Awesome thread Samurai, my Jeep has been restored and waiting for me in Kerala. Would be back in India by July 15th and would get her to Chennai next weekend. Two things pending are a good canvas soft top and Roll Cage.

Learnt so much from the thread, have to now practically see it once I get the jeep.

Once again, great delineated thread

[headers]

Originally Posted by DKG

I did notice a red Jeep dropped on its side being winched out sideways in some offroad trip here in India. Can't recall where it was.

Do try it the next time you are out. At times you feel the co-passenger is almost sitting above you, its scary, but you love your vehicle when it does this without going into a downward slide, and worse a rollover .

Oh BTW when you need to go up the very tall dunes you do this for considerable stretches as you climb. I think Vikid has posted some shots of his friends doing this.

@DKG, what you are suggesting is that our friend Nitrous get into a jeep and do a rollover? Anyways, he's already done that mate. The pics are with one of our JT members. Only difference is that, that vehicle was a gypsy driven by yours truly!

Originally Posted by DKG

where did this happen nitrous?

Attachment 22527

That happened for so that Nitrous could 'pose' along and impress his girlfriends:

[Technocrat]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Cough, cough, this was shot before the diesel wash.

Wow that means it is in such spec & clean condition by default, good man

[Spitfire]

@Samurai: For the exposed fuel line get a steel braided hose of the same size.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Samurai - ref your post no 76 above on your axle shaft query, your CL340 is equipped with the original design semifloating axle. Nothing will ever happen to it. Just put new oil (SAE90EP) till filler plug level and you will be OK. There is no load on the axle (the vehicle is too tiny to load the axle), so factor of safety is very high.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[RedMM340]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Samurai - ref your post no 76 above on your axle shaft query, your CL340 is equipped with the original design semifloating axle. Nothing will ever happen to it. Just put new oil (SAE90EP) till filler plug level and you will be OK. There is no load on the axle (the vehicle is too tiny to load the axle), so factor of safety is very high.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Fully agree with this statement. There is no need for full float on the rear axle, unless you really do some extreme off roading and increase your engine output drastically.

But keep in mind that the quality of the axle is very important, and you should use Mahindra genuine axles. Other aftermarket or "local" axles are made of very low grade material that will shear very easily. Needless to say, upgrading to full float rear axles is not a solution to this type of failure.

Regards,

Gaurav

[Samurai]

How do I know whether I have original axle, any identification mark?

Meanwhile, I went to pickup my Jeep yesterday and the mechanic was concerned about my battery. He had removed the battery and placed in his office so that it won't get stolen. When he put the battery back after 3 days of non-use, it wouldn't start. He had to jump start it.

He showed me one more thing, when he pressed the A-pedal hard, the battery indicator (ammeter?) hardly moved. He said something is wrong with the battery or the connector, one connector was loose but couldn't be removed due to rusty nut. So I left the Jeep so that he can take the battery to Udupi and get it checked with an auto-electrician.