Offroad-Onroad failures & DIY solutions

[glomus123]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Which gauge wires do you use for this? The above mentioned method is very useful and critical. I remember an operator named Balu Phakde who taught me this trick while I was a trainee in R&D. Thank you Phakde Bhau

Spike

I think this one has been already answered. Thank you Sudarshanji for the valuable information. This very same has been tested successfully several times by me in one of our cars, where the Ignition switch had some problem (?). The car will start with a single touch. For this my dad used to keep an old Plug wire, which is having enough gauge with two ends open.

With thanks and regards

[sreejeshmp]

Sudharsan,

I can see a belt outside the differential can you please explain the purpose of that belt ?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by sreejeshmp

I can see a belt outside the differential can you please explain the purpose of that belt ?

Your question was answered on another thread (Messedup with the exhaust at restoration,corrceted after OTR)...

Originally Posted by ex670c

I see limit Straps for you axle. Any particular reason for them?

Is it to prevent Shackle Inversion?

Normally Limit Straps are associated with Solid Axle Coil Spring vehicles.

Originally Posted by Sudarshan

...thease axle straps are in series L R s from stone age , the purpose may be as

1 ) to limit the down travel thus not allowing the Damper to be pulled excessively & ripping it off . this is as per one Bawa ( not ours ) friend of mine ( & Behram too ) . I agree to it partially.

2) Or as you said , may be , but I am not too sure

3) I have thought another thing on this . This does both ,allows axle articulation & acts as an anti roll or something ( lets the axcle go up freely at one side & on the other side restricting too much down travel & also preventing lifting of vehicle from that side ) .

[Sudarshan]

Well sreejesh(mp) , I think this (what SS-Traveller has quoted) is the latest I have on your Question.
But good habbit of observation of yours .

Some more notes on Leaf Springs .

Checking .
1 ) keep regular watch on anything loose or cracked ,check the U clamps & the shackle bolts as well as pivot bolt .

2) Specially check after 1st 100 kms of any work done in connection with the leaf springs . Many times after the leaf springs are overhauled, they need some re tightening of all nut bolts involved specially the U clamps that hold them to Axle

Areas prone to damage

1) U clamp ends
2) longer center bolt ( than necessary )
3) Breakage of centerbolt by Rusting in very old assys + stress
4 ) Most Dangerous : In absence of proper clampings ( c clamps ) ,Broken leaves get separated from the bunch & hit tyre thus cutting it .
5) Shearing of shackle bolts

Main Causes
1 ) Driving style , Jumping the vehicle thus hitting hard

2 ) getting hit by rocks ,or objects while doing offroading

3) negligence ,

Solutions

1) keeping spares pic.



2 ) tying up the whole bunch with wire tightly to keep it assembled
Pic of binding wire used on construction sites suitable for this purpose

3 ) trying reversing the side of main leaf ( if it breaks at pivot end try to put the broken end at shackle end ) .
pic


Sudarshan

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

+1, importance of Lubrication in leaf springs, Raju bhai do the Landys come with Anti-friction pads, what kind of Leaf springs are they?

Spike

PS- Never re-camber a progressive spring.

[Sudarshan]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

+1, importance of Lubrication in leaf springs, Raju bhai do the Landys come with Anti-friction pads, what kind of Leaf springs are they?

Spike

PS- Never re-camber a progressive spring.

I have used Castral chassis grease for that purpose on my Jeep but I think It has little long effect ( except to preserve centerbolt from rusting ,that too to a limited extent ) .

Lubricating leaves while assembly seems to be a myth now ,Unless wraped with plastic & with some canvas sleeves on top of that . this holds good for a year or two . I have done this 'experiment' twice . The grease dries very shortly otherwise .

Landies ( as I have seen ) dont come with antifriction pads .
But I have seen two types of sets in landies , My earlier Landy came with extra heavy duty ,( that was more comfy ) ,& on this one I am still experimenting .( but not happy )

by the way what are progressive springs ? ( I really dont know , may be I know but with some different local name )

Sudarshan

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

A multiple stage spring consisting of a primary and secondary stage is called as a Progressive spring. The first stage acts till a load of say 4000N and from then onwards (4000N-8000N) the second stage comes into play.

Spike

PS- Generally the leafs are liberally coated with a layer of Graphite paint for better lubrication properties between them.

[Sudarshan]

Here is something to share , very simple but effective things

have a look






Sudarshan

[Sudarshan]

These two drawings I came across

This is for Leaf Spring break downs




This is for wheel ,axle & alike problems vehicle can be towed , or driven on front wheels for some distance .




Sudarshan

[Sudarshan]

Almost forgot to share something .
This is about a makeshift temperature gauge I had made on a car , when the Temperature gauge failed .

caution : This is NOT the accurate thing but one can get approximate value ( state of temperature ,High or Low ) .

I connected a bulb to the Temperature sender unit on the engine , this gave me some Idea about how hot the engine was so I could manually operate the ( radiator ) electrical fan ( That switch had failed too )
Functioning
1) When the engine was dead cold = Bulb didn't glow
2) when the engine was warm = Bulb did glow a little ( dim )
3) When the engine was hot = Bulb did glow but not full
4) engine very hot = Bulb glow ,almost full

Stages 3 & 4 gave me warning to connect the cooling fan & when the bulb again started to glow dim ( 2 ) I would shut the fan .

I have driven like this for some 400 km ( Valsad to Pune ) , no overheating faced as I was able to connect the fan manually ,when required .

Here is the wiring diagram



Sudarshan

[svsantosh]

Ideal Tools needed - HiLift Jack and a Crowbar (a pretty long one would be good)

Practical Tools inside a trail - a stone block (as square as possible, and any wheel jack)

This is a Shackle Reversal (would eventually break the main leaf).......




.......... highly recomended to FIX it THEN AND THERE - ASAP, try your best and dont risk Driving as much as possible unless you are left with no option.

KEY Points for FIX - Jack up the CHASSIS, NOT the diff housing or leaf mount plate. There should be NO LOAD on the leaf when UN-DOING the REVERSAL.

Once the load is off the leaf/shackle (make sure the wheels are ~2 inches up in the air to come down once its un-reversed) - use a crow bar and stick one end somewhere in the diff and undo the reversed shackle using elbow grease. I am sorry I dont have a pic, but its understandable I guess. The point here is a simple log, or 1-2 foot iron rod will not suffice - you need lot of torque/strength for the reversed shackle to undo itself and brute force like hammering wont work here. It HAS to be steady application of force using a long rod like a crow bar to bend it out.

PS - Once undone - the shackle will still look as if its pointed wrong - dont worry, undo the jack slowly and let down the weight of the vehicle slowly and the shackle will point outwards again.

[Sudarshan]

done some improvisation on a friends Land Rover
the alternator belt tensioner failed & so the charging was down , found a thick piece of rubber from a friendly neighborhood tire guy , rolled it & pushed it in the gap between the alternator & engine block .

here



Sudarshan

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Ingenuity at it's best!

Parking brake booster :



Source & more text:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

[Sudarshan]

Some light hearted humor from my side too




Sudarshan

copied from a very old Land Rover owners manual