Team-BHP - Modifying my Endeavour 3.0 4x4 AT for Off Roading!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endeavour333 (Post 2553735)

EDIT: The question you wanted me to answer earlier: Does a lift increase the operating angles of the Front UJ & CV Joints?

Yes a lift kit would increase the angle at the CV joint, but would a larger angle not put less strain on the CV joint? I would think that a smaller angle would put more strain on it. A larger angle = closer to 180 degrees means that it is more like a straight line from the engine to the axle. Is this thinking not correct?

Thinking is right, but something is not correct here!!

In layman's terms

A larger angle means more acute an angle than obtuse angle. An acute angle will put more strain on the joints and will have an effect on life of the joint!!

But if it is closer to 180 deg, its a different story!

Quote:

Originally Posted by headers

Yes exactly, by "larger" I meant closer to 180. Since the engine is in the same place but the axle drops a few inches, the angle will nudge closer to 180, putting less stress on the joint in theory. Right?

Whoa Vishnu! I can't wait to see the modded mean machine!

I've changed to 31x10.5x15 tyres and wheels. I will put up the pics on the alloy wheels and tyres thread. Pete's tuning box is the only other mod I'm contemplating doing but that's just for power and with that I stop. I don't really want to take my Endy "offroad", i.e., hardcore. I am now hunting for used Jeeps using my Chittappa's (dads younger bro) contacts with the IAF. He was a Group Captain and has assured me that though it will take time, he will find me a really good one.

I really admire your efforts and let me remind you, I'll be a passenger on your first OTR on the modded beast.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endeavour333 (Post 2553792)

Engine is on top of the axle - Axle drops because of suspension setup. What happens to the axle distance? The Wheel position is fixed. :D

Just an update: I've got my Endeavour back and it is absolutely amazing!

Rear sway bar removed and it still handles just fine. No excess body roll at all and the rear end is actually more comfortable than stock. Great modification.

The reported gain is 2.5 inches in the front and 3.5 in the back! Additional gain of 10 mm is possible in the front too.

Zac has sent me the scanned data on the lift measurements but I can't access the image on my phone right now. Will post more pics when I get back to chennai tomorrow.

The Endy feels so much higher right now it feels like I'm driving a truck! Upgrade definitely worth it.

I can now safely declare that removing the sway bar at the rear is a great modification with the ironman lift kit to improve ride quality and articulation without killing on road behavior.

One teaser pic attached. Have 2 small ironman stickers on the car right now but have 2 more large ones with me to be installed on the rear glass panels when I get back to chennai.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endeavour333 (Post 2554655)

Congratulations , a friends terracan was fitted with the iron man suspension, there is an ocean of difference in ride and handling , no swaying at all. I am sure it will help you greatly on and offroad.

Its nice to have international brands in India with warranty.

Pics I have taken so far:

Something I have noticed is that the fuel tank and transfer case seem to be sitting lower relative to the chassis than before. Their clearance above ground does not seem to have changed so they look lower on the car now than before. Not sure if I am just seeing things of if that is actually the case with lift kits. Everything else has been raised except the fuel tank and the T case. Can someone explain to me why that is the case please? I've taken pics of the fuel tank and t case to show how much lower they look relative to the chassis now. Have they been dropped?

You can see the rear away bar removed in the pic of the rear axle too.

Or maybe since the car has been raised I can see more of the bottom and that is what is making me think that they have been dropped? Not sure

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssh1979

I've changed to 31x10.5x15 tyres and wheels. I will put up the pics on the alloy wheels and tyres thread. Pete's tuning box is the only other mod I'm contemplating doing but that's just for power and with that I stop.

I really admire your efforts and let me remind you, I'll be a passenger on your first OTR on the modded beast.

Shyam, that is great news about your tyres! Please tell me how and where you got them because that will be my next modification in a few months. Waiting to see some pics.

Instead of Petes tuning box I'd recommend the Spider Diesel tuning box. Check out my thread on the spider vs Petes box in the under the hood-> modifications subforum. I have the spider box in my car and love it. You can test drive it if you like and see how much faster it is that stock.

Will definitely take you as a passenger on the Nov 6th OTR. Let me know how I can contact you and where you want to be picked up. I live next to the park Sheraton hotel on chamiers road near alwarpet.

Just got back to Chennai.

Driving on the highway was a blast and the car handled great. No excessive sway even in really fast corners, although there might be just a tad more than stock. Barely noticeable though. The rear also feels much more planted in bumpy corners compared to stock. More confidence inspiring for sure. Suspension feels like it had more travel and was absorbing bumps much better.

Stopped off at McDonalds on the way back near hosur and took the snap there. First pic is after the lift and the second pic is before.

The before picture is not really the best because there is a bit of shade over the tyres so makes the gap between the tyre and the wheel arch look larger than it is. But the after pic is a good one. I can feel a huge raise in height when I sit in the car though. It was immediately apparent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endeavour333 (Post 2555309)

Pics I have taken so far:

Something I have noticed is that the fuel tank and transfer case seem to be sitting lower relative to the chassis than before.

Or maybe since the car has been raised I can see more of the bottom and that is what is making me think that they have been dropped? Not sure

Just spoke to Zac and he said that the transfer case and fuel tank have not been dropped at all and have gained about 70mm of ground clearance :)

I'm just imagining things. The before and after pic above are really not showing the height increase well. The before pic is all dark so you cant see the edged of the mud guard. It might not look too much different there but I assure you there is a large difference!

That increased ride height is what made me see more of the fuel tank and transfer case and made me think that they had been dropped.

Got 2 huge ironman stickers too that I plan to stick on the side rear windows today to make the car look even better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by headers

^^ CAN YOU post the before and after GC please? The vehicle looks mean!!

Trying to get those numbers from Zac but in the document he sent me it only has initial measurements. Post installation measurements not recorded. Zac still tells me 2.5" lift in front and 3.5" in rear. Will get more concrete evidence of this from him. One mistake I made was that I didn't take the time to measure before the lift. Got lazy and didnt do it. Damn.

One thing I can say for sure is that the rear is certainly visually higher and the car as a whole definitely feels a lot higher from the drivers seat. I can't just blindly believe his claimed lift numbers so not 100% sure how much higher it is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by headers

^^ CAN YOU post the before and after GC please? The vehicle looks mean!!

Got the details from Zac. Stock height was 71.2 cm in front and 72.2 cm at the back.

Present height is 77 cm in front and 78 cm in the back. I can even raise the front by upto 1 cm in the future if I want by turning the torsion bar nut clockwise on both sides.

Some pics of my car now with stickers on the sides. Are they too much? :)

Wow! Endy is looking really butch after the lift.

The stickers on front bumper and rear windshield are ok but the one on the side window is little over the top and making the Endy look like Ironman's mobile advertisement vehicle.

Is it only me or after the lift Endy is really looking under tyred?