Advice on fitting an air-conditioner in the Mahindra Thar

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by maverick56

Dear BD
I was asking you whether M&M had plans to come out with an OEM hard top and front facing seats?I sincerely hope its not classified information ? Fazal here in our neighbourhood is tinkering with the idea and more thar's will be sold once they come out with their hardtop.

Dear Maverick,

Please understand what BD meant was that "YOU WILL BE TAKEN CARE ". Which way, your guess is as good as mine.

Thank god I decided to dump the THAR and buy the Getaway. Thankfully I don't have sleepless nights having a vehicle which has been orphaned by its makers :P (Actually it was right from the start barring very few people like the THAR team that included BD, Spikey and Vinod)

[nnn]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Dear Maverick,
Thank god I decided to dump the THAR and buy the Getaway. Thankfully I don't have sleepless nights having a vehicle which has been orphaned by its makers :P (Actually it was right from the start barring very few people like the THAR team that included BD, Spikey and Vinod)

How does the Getway drive compared to the Thar. Must drive like the Scorpio I guess.

What about the longer wheelbase of the Getaway as compared to the Thar for off road use.

The only major problem with the Thar is the A/C (and heater) and I have got both under control. My A/C is working great.

Regards

nnn

[carrot_eater]

Originally Posted by nnn

The only major problem with the Thar is the A/C (and heater) and I have got both under control. My A/C is working great.

I really wonder why there isn't even one Thar owner who has the AC kit fitted.
The Dealer in Bangalore - India Garage, today told me they are still waiting for the SOP from Mahindra.

How can it take so long for the dealers to have the AC kit.

[AWD]

Originally Posted by carrot_eater

How can it take so long for the dealers to have the AC kit.

Forever perhaps!

Hopeless situation, I have been warning consumers about this but there were others who kept insisting otherwise. Thar is probably an abandoned product now

[nnn]

Dear Carrot_eater,

I have not bothered to ask for the SOP as my cars was fitted with the A/C by the time M&M announced the SOP. The A/C is working well. The car does not overheat and cools adequately.

Please refer to an earlier post to know what I have done.

However in principle having understood the SOP as written by by Behram which started this thread, I feel that the kit advised by M&M will be effective. If I had not already fitted the A/C that is what I would do.

Do not go by any fitting suggested by M&M dealers which does not conform to the SOP as that will fail. One fan is not adequate as used by most dealers. Relocating the intercooler is certainly not advisible specially when M&M do not recommend it. You will need 2 fans to keep the vehicle from overheating as described by Behram.

Else ask M&M for their approval and use the fitting described by me which may be better in a way as there is no obstruction of airflow to the radiator by the condensor. Only change I reccomed from the fitting I have done is to use a Bolero compressor which is of a smaller capacity (though adequate) than the Scorpio compressor.

Regards

nnn

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by AWD

Forever perhaps! . Hopeless situation, I have been warning consumers about this but there were others who kept insisting otherwise. Thar is probably an abandoned product now

Dear AWD - I once again request you to please change your mindset about Thar. There are people out there qualified and committed to making things happen. Please give them some time. Things shall happen.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[carrot_eater]

Originally Posted by nnn

Do not go by any fitting suggested by M&M dealers which does not conform to the SOP as that will fail. One fan is not adequate as used by most dealers. Relocating the intercooler is certainly not advisible specially when M&M do not recommend it. You will need 2 fans to keep the vehicle from overheating as described by Behram.

Dear nnn, I completely agree with you . The dealer has been honest to tell me he can't fit the AC as of now. But the only challenge is that no one at the dealership is aware of the Kit. I have spoken to the Sales head and I have spoken to the workshop manager and both have no idea about the AC and they mention that they still await information from M&M.

I am only concerned is that I shouldn't be taking the delivery of the Thar and wait for 3-4 months before I get the AC. (I have booked a Thar in March and delayed delivery only because of the AC confusion). I cannot use a non -AC vehicle as my daily drive and Thar will become my daily drive.

[nnn]

Originally Posted by carrot_eater

Dear nnn, I completely agree with you . The dealer has been honest to tell me he can't fit the AC as of now. But the only challenge is that no one at the dealership is aware of the Kit. I have spoken to the Sales head and I have spoken to the workshop manager and both have no idea about the AC and they mention that they still await information from M&M.

I am only concerned is that I shouldn't be taking the delivery of the Thar and wait for 3-4 months before I get the AC. (I have booked a Thar in March and delayed delivery only because of the AC confusion). I cannot use a non -AC vehicle as my daily drive and Thar will become my daily drive.

Dear Carrot_eater,

Push come to shove -

Just go ahead and fit the A/C as I have done. Please enquire if a Bolero Crde compressor, cooling coil (if you do not insist on a heater) and Delivery / Suction hoses are available with the dealer.

Or

Ask a local after market A/C fitter and if he can source these items - will be much cheaper than M&M.

Use a Superking or other cooling coil and fan in addition to the heater as delivered to work with the compressor.

The important thing is not to obstruct airflow to the radiator else the car will overheat.

I will send you photographs to show you my fitting if required.

I am in the process of relocating the Condensor to the front of the vehicle from the bottom getting rid of the danger of the Condesnor bottoming even though it is above the lowest part of the vehicle.

I use the Thar daily and enjoy it.

Forget and be and clap. This life is too short for complaining as some others have been doing.

Ha Ha.

Regards

nnn

[Ricky_63]

Originally Posted by Aroy

Though M&M claim that Thar is "AC Ready", their interpretation and mine some how do not match. When you say "AC Ready", it conjures images of say my M800. When I wanted an AC installed, the installer did the following

1. Bolted the compressor on to the bracket present.
2. Bolted the Condenser in space provided.
3. Bolted the inside heat exchanger to the blower housing
4. Connected all the pipes and accessories.
5. As it was a carburetor engine, bolted and connected the idling relay.

At no stage did he have to cut/shift any existing pieces. The whole process took 3 hours. I had a heater already installed, so after AC I had both "hot" and "cold" facilities!

That is what I call AC ready. I wish M&M would work a bit more on the Thar to make it really AC ready. Another thing is that for M800 you could get the Ac fitted either in the factory, or at MASS or at Subros (the OE), with full warranty. The only difference was that factory fitted AC cars had an insulation layer between the roof and the fabric cover, which was absent in the other installations.

After going through this thread, my observations are

1. M&M made provision for the AC post facto (as their initial target audience - Europe had no need for it), that is as a hind sight. That is why they are not fitting the AC in the factory.
2. If the AC had been incorporated at the design stage then
- Location of the condenser would be provisioned, for it to be bolted on.
- The blower fan would have provision for attaching the heat exchanger, without disturbing the heater.
- Space for piping and "bottle" would be there.
- Intercooler would not have to be disturbed.
What I cannot understand is that they have the AC/Heater in Bolero and Scorpio, why forget it in the Thar?

Could not agree with you more. I distinctly remember that I bought my first car in 1987 which was a NON-AC Maruti 800, after a few years I had enough savings to fix an AC on the car.

I went like you said to a vendor NOT even MASS, the guy installed the AC in around 2-3 hours as the car was AC ready & I used that car for long after that. Never had any issues. The cooling was at par with company fitted AC cars........sigh !! That too in 1987 today we are in 2011 & M&M did not factor in this basic need

I am on the verge of getting a thar & modifying it with a hard top & AC, BUT I still wish I could get a factory option atleast for the AC



@ nnn

I quite agree with your optimism !! The aftermarket Quick Refrigeration guy has been in the business of fitting AC's in cars since the time of the Fiat's & Amby's - he does know his job, there is no denying that. There have been instances of the Coil being fitted on rooftops with electric fans, that I have seen...worked great but looked - yucky..

So what are your plans, relocating the condenser inside the engine bay ?

I am curious as I want to buy a THAR & modify it with a 2+2 cabin and an AC, Maxxis Bighorn / Yokohama M/T's, nice alloys & a lift kit from Ironman if they build it anytime soon... but have held off because unless the damn AC works well, there is no way one can use it in our Delhi kind of weather.



@Mr Dhabhar

By when can one "realistically" get an option on the AC




Cheers

[nnn]

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

@ nnn

So what are your plans, relocating the condenser inside the engine bay ?

Ricky_63:2402023

Mount a Travera condensor behind and below the front bumper - remove the cover above the chassis - slip the condensor at an angle above the Torsion bar - One would need to remove the Horn mounting bracket and relocate the horn to give a bit of extra space.

That way the condensor would not be seen, be safe from damage and not obstruct airflow to the radiator.

Quick refregeration could do it easily. They have done another Thar apart from mine.

[Ricky_63]

I am attaching pictures of the kind of body I would want to get on the THAR as & when I buy one..would the after market AC with the Tavera Condenser serve the cabin space well or should one go for a half cabin like the rally Gypsies ?

There was also someone developing a FRP top for the Thar..is it anything like this ??

Views are welcome. Would appreciate it


Cheers

[nnn]

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

I am attaching pictures of the kind of body I would want to get on the THAR as & when I buy one..would the after market AC with the Tavera Condenser serve the cabin space well or should one go for a half cabin like the rally Gypsies ?
Cheers

Ricky_63

My Thar cools with the soft top in these days Delhi heat. Not Freezing but not sweating in the hot sun. Please remember that there is no insulation and the Soft top is black and absorbs loads of heat. I am getting some insulation done shortly.

With an insulated body like you want it will cool well.

Try Manas on 09900246668 for the FRP body. I do not know if they have completed the moulds as yet but they were working on a set. Check another thread on the Thar Hard Top on this forum.

nnn

[Ricky_63]

Originally Posted by nnn

Ricky_63

My Thar cools with the soft top in these days Delhi heat. Not Freezing but not sweating in the hot sun. Please remember that there is no insulation and the Soft top is black and absorbs loads of heat. I am getting some insulation done shortly.

With an insulated body like you want it will cool well.

Try Manas on 09900246668 for the FRP body. I do not know if they have completed the moulds as yet but they were working on a set. Check another thread on the Thar Hard Top on this forum.

nnn

Many thanks for the guidance Manas did respond to my querry on the "other" thread !!

Are you considering a hard top any time soon ??

Cheers

[nnn]

Originally Posted by Ricky_63

Are you considering a hard top any time soon ??
Cheers

I am not sure. Waiting to see the hard top which Manas has made????

nnn

[Myk.b]

Last enquired, folks at Sireesh, Bangalore told me of a few A/c kits lying idle for the past couple of months still waiting for someone at M&M to guide them on the installation procedure. cost - 60k.
Can someone in M&M pls send over a few folks to teach them how this is done. I have been pestering them for the A/c ever since I got hold of my Thar.