[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Ps: not sure about you guys, but am I happy this thread is back to life! Such a lovely tribute to this little jeep. Everyone's eyes still light up. The new Thar does not do that!

So very true. The new Thar, in my opinion, doesn't have the charm and character as the CRDe. This JEEP CJ5 shape with gem of a heart is seriously timeless.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

.

Personally, if a stock bolero anti sway bar fits for cheap I will install it, nothing more. My next change of tyres will likely be an upsize so I can "safely" reduce pressures to what I want.

Ps: not sure about you guys, but am I happy this thread is back to life! Such a lovely tribute to this little jeep. Everyone's eyes still light up. The new Thar does not do that!

Happy to see this thread alive

This vehicle is special man, its a magnet of some sorts and once you take the top off, oh boy!

Before the mysore toll way was open there were stretches where you could unleash it, I remember it was giving the new Thar driven by another friend a run for its money. Of course this is like riding in the rain without a helmet no doubt.

Here is something to look at.


Now XOB also referred to this sway bar, to my knowledge sway bar is made of spring steel - so it has a spring rate, then you have to find a place to attach it and then comes the important bit - articulation. This will become a 2014 scorpio which has articulation that's less than an average ferrari.

Did I mention this CRDe has as much road grip to lift the inner front wheel while cornering?! Imagine that happening to the rear end at the same time because of the sway bar.

Even when you upsize the tyres, underinflate only for local runs its a basic discipline you should follow as a responsible CRDe owner. We are not too many out here so I am trying to preserve your life.

[x-o-b]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

26k is steep. He told me 20k after I send the old leaf spring set back to him.

What have you decided? Are you installing them double hanging helper springs?

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Will the bolero anti sway bar not fit? Everything else seems to fit from that. I would stay away from ARC.

Well, the mount points are missing. So, the sway bar won't directly fit. An adapter plate would be required on the chassis and a custom spring clip with welded additional bolts.

With pricing like theirs, I'd stay away from ARC anyways.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Ps: not sure about you guys, but am I happy this thread is back to life! Such a lovely tribute to this little jeep. Everyone's eyes still light up. The new Thar does not do that!

That classic front look, round headlights and classic grill - that won't get old even in a thousand years. Thanks John Willys!! I have read about the features in the ROXX but given a choice between the two, I'd sleep in my old Thar any day without batting an eyelid.

Hi Kosfactor, thanks for your great inputs. Presently, I am a bit confused though.

Compare these two statements:

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Rear end does not have anti roll bars or Panhard rod etc, the entire thing sits on the shackles and the leafsprings. Any sort of 'give' in the shackles/bushes will be felt on the steering.

Bolero XL has anti roll bars in the back. If you soften the rear end of CRDe, you will have to install those here as well.

So, a rear sway bar will help.

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

... and then comes the important bit - articulation. This will become a 2014 scorpio which has articulation that's less than an average ferrari.

Did I mention this CRDe has as much road grip to lift the inner front wheel while cornering?! Imagine that happening to the rear end at the same time because of the sway bar.

No no, wait, a rear sway bar must be avoided.

Are you cleverly saying - "don't mess with the OEM rear suspension setup", are you?

An observation that I have made about rear sway bars is that somehow it is present in vehicles where rear leaf springs are absent. Is there a connection between the two somehow. ARC suspension upgrades discouraged me from using "their" sway bar in conjunction with OE leaves, too. However, my Bolero Pikup had both leaves and a sway bar in the front. Well

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by x-o-b

Are you cleverly saying - "don't mess with the OEM rear suspension setup", are you?

Give it a shot , I'm always waiting for something to read.

A sway bar at both ends is of course the best way to go about it but they should be designed along with the suspension. It's done for racing applications in any case so not impossible. You could perhaps get it right if enough time and effort is put into it.

Given the leaf set in the back is quite stiff I think they did not find the need to add a sway bar at the rear. As long as the leaf set and tyre pressures are maintained well, you're good to go. Comfort is perhaps never considered as such for the luggage in the back

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by x-o-b

What have you decided? Are you installing them double hanging helper springs?

No, I think the ballast addition along with reduced tyre pressure has done enough for me for now.

Its also quite interesting that not a single OG thar shows a modification with the bolero anti sway bar on the forum.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

I have put a lot of 500 kilometer days on my Thar. Yeah, one part of my anatomy complained a bit....but it's doable. I would be inclined to put in new seats, e.g. out of a Fortuner, Innova or other up-market wreck and/or install plushly padded seat covers, before I would try these shackles,
shackles that look like they may catch big rocks or hang up on ruts and holes. Of course, you could do both.

There are other answers, too. Some have stacked packs of springs vertically so as to telescope into each other as they are compressed. They made great, great claims for ride improvement...I am skeptical until shown first hand proof.

After following through on all your advice and implementing it, doing the seats with a full retrofit instead of a half baked padding job might just be the next ticket. Maybe go for something from a merc or a volvo minus all the electric skullduggery. And just transplant it.

I have scorpio seats at the moment with arm rests. Might be interesting to see what the delta in cost could be between a simple seat refresh vs a full seat transplant.

[x-o-b]

I plan to fix the rear sway bar off the Bolero Plus onto my Thar. I read that the placement of the D-Bush (with Clamps) affects the torsional function of the bar, hence I will need to play with that. One of the parts that needs to be replaced is the leaf spring clip plate pair, with this one below:



I'm bracing myself for an underbody drilling/tapping/welding job soon. Will update how it goes.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

I was driving around with about 40 kgs of gravel stacked in the back. Ride had improved a bit. I doubled that to 80kgs and with the addition of tools, camping chairs, and other knick knacks, the weight is likely a bit over 100kgs now. Short drive in the city and the expansion joints on flyovers no long unsettle the Thar like they used to (jiggly wiggly if you know what I mean). Also seated inside, I can distinctly feel a rear ward bias in weight, like the rear has squatted a bit and the front shock absorbers have released a trifle. Tyres are 28 psi and that is the RIGHT pressure for this Thar.

A longish drive out to a trail is due, but after excessive reading on this topic online bordering on lunacy, I think this might be the ticket.

Some thoughts after having completed a 400+ km drive over the weekend.

1. Rear hopping or jumping after crossing speed breakers, rumble strips etc has calmed down a LOT.
2. Rear swaying or bobbing during lane changes has dropped tremendously. The rear feels tight now and one with the rest of the body.
3. Braking has also improved. Earlier things used to feel quite nervous and all over the place. Not anymore (panic brake tests done). Looked up the web and

Yes, ballast weight in leaf spring pickup trucks can improve braking performance. By adding weight to the rear of the truck, you increase the weight on the rear axle, which helps to distribute braking force more evenly across the vehicle's tires. This improved weight distribution can lead to better braking stability and shorter stopping distances, especially when loaded.
Here's why ballast weight can enhance braking:
Increased Weight on Rear Axle:
Adding ballast moves weight toward the rear axle, which helps to ensure that the tires remain grounded and provide adequate traction during braking.
Improved Braking Stability:
With more weight on the rear axle, the truck is less likely to experience rear-end squat or lift during braking, which can lead to loss of control.
Reduced Stopping Distance:
By increasing the weight on the tires, you can improve the overall braking effectiveness, potentially leading to shorter stopping distances.
Reduces ABS Activation:
By keeping the tires grounded and reducing the chance of wheel hop, ballast weight can help reduce the activation of the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).

Overall, could I say less fatigue? I think maybe yes because now I have started fussing over the seats
Ps: i mostly drove like a rabbit on heat. It was that FUN.

Also a picture to liven up the thread

[x-o-b]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

3. Braking has also improved. Earlier things used to feel quite nervous and all over the place. Not anymore (panic brake tests done).

Could the erstwhile poor braking not be due to improper LSPV setting? Adding the "ballast" lowers the chassis and activates the LSPV valve. Just my two paise.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by x-o-b

Could the erstwhile poor braking not be due to improper LSPV setting? Adding the "ballast" lowers the chassis and activates the LSPV valve. Just my two paise.

Is 80 kgs significant enough to trigger it? I am not complaining either way.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Is 80 kgs significant enough to trigger it? I am not complaining either way.

You know with this vehicle as well as most vehicles of the M&M stable, when you see a rough patch either you take it above 40-60 kmph with A pedal down or slow down to a crawl, there is no inbetween. Its about balancing the vehicle front to back, as well as side to side (Its a Scorpio in pretty clothes)- for example, you don't wait for the turn to get over to accelerate, you keep the pedal down through a sweeping curve and it rolls less, hugs the road too.

I also want to say that you have a beautiful Jeep that too in the best possible color - red. The contrast in natural lush green surroundings is pleasing to the eye. There is one beautiful stretch like this when we travel towards BR hills.