Team-BHP - Mahindra CJ340 joins Team-BHP family

Congrats on your new buy. Nice looking Jeep.

Switching between Power assisted steering and non power steering can cause trouble on blind curves if you are not on your guard. On blind curves you need to slow down and the steerring becomes heavy on a Jeep. It happened to me few times with my Gypsy and Mahindra Jeep. You tend to turn it in a relaxed manner thinking that you are in your power assisted vehicle (especially if you are used to handle the steering with one hand) and Jeep will not oblige.

Congrats Samurai

I think like any other sensible offroader you have opted for the right vehicle. Now even if you break that chassis it won't pain you much.

The first time I scraped the underside of a new Landcruiser GXR I had in Dubai I swore never again to buy an expensive SUV and try all those stunts. They are ideal for long distance travelling and great fun as family cars.

So here in India I've decided I want the Gurkha and hopefully this year I'll get one. Seeing what a stock Jeep can do offroad I think you have a terrific vehicle. With a torquey engine, light weight, and short wheelbase you will definitely have the perfect mix for offroading and I can see you are on your way to loads of fun.

Wishing you lots of safe fun

PS There's no end to tricking this Jeep up. My view is to keep it cheap and simple, spend all the cash on replacing broken parts as you have fun.

Finally the pictures! Great lookin' Jeep, Samu. Your afternoon task is to paint the rear wheels black.

Quote:

This has never happened to me before, a stranger coming to compliment my ride.

SWB Jeeps attract a lot of attention, whatever the place. These Jeeps exude charm....a special kind of appeal derived from their simplicity, old school architecture and offroad capability.

Quote:

I know it is just 62bhp and 12.3kgm. But how it delivers, that is phenomenal.

Yup, that engine is one torquey animal. Perfect for offroading while the simple construction makes it supremely reliable. It can touch a 100+ kph (indicated) but you need guts to stay there....the Jeep feels incredibly vague at speed. Ideal cruising speed is 70 - 80 kph.

I have said this before, but I will say it again : Jeep fever is seriously spreading on Team-BHP. Cheers to these magnificient machines!

Here is Anand's adpost listing where the CJ340 is still listed. Time to remove it...

Anand Kumar's Ads from Bangalore Karnataka Urban @ Anand's Adpost (Has his phone numbers)

BTW, the adpost listing was forwarded to me by member Nattusbs, the IIT-KGP professor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by khan_sultan (Post 843790)

There will be a Coorg OTR sometime in end june/early july.. I hope you are planning to be there.. believe me, it will be an experience of a life time... a '4x4 heaven' with the rains gods in full benevolent mood..

Sure, once the dates are fixed, I can confirm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by svsantosh (Post 843812)

2) thanks for the news on the CJ;s condition after 12 hours, but what about yours and your better halfs? Did you experience any kind of discomfort to your back, calf muscles, arms???
3) Did you check the FE after reaching your home? Was it around 9-11 Kmpl?

2) Fortunately, I am rather fit for my age.:) Although my right leg was hurting because of the brakes, and left arm because of the gear shift, next day I was fine, not even a sore spot. My wife was just tired, nothing else.
3) He gave me a full tank, I added 10 more liters. Right now it is showing half tank, so I have no idea. The tank capacity is 40L, but allowing for expansion, only 37L is the real capacity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKG (Post 843821)

The first time I scraped the underside of a new Landcruiser GXR I had in Dubai I swore never again to buy an expensive SUV and try all those stunts. They are ideal for long distance travelling and great fun as family cars.

Absolutely, one has to own it to understand the fear and yet push it off-road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 843826)

Finally the pictures! Great lookin' Jeep, Samu. Your afternoon task is to paint the rear wheels black.

The rims are 4.5 inch rims, not happy with it, they pinch the tyres. I need to replace it when I get the chance.

BTW, I just added to the original article that the Jeep also has brand new Lambda Free wheeling or locking hubs.

The mods I need are, in the order of priority:
1) Get the Radiator/overflow tank to work.
2) Disk Brakes (panic stops are very difficult right now)
3) Switch from 4.5 rims to either 5.5 rims or even alloys if I can source it.

Rest can wait.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shankar.balan (Post 843774)

since the rear is more or less vertical, when driving at even reasonable speeds, the effect of the slipstream and wind, will naturally tend to blow back into the rear side of the vehicle - this used to happen in our old CJ500 and with the canopy closed, used to bring the exhaust fumes into the jeep and give us terrible headaches as small children.

Thats probably the reason CJ340's and Classics have the exhaust on the right hand side. Check his Jeep pictures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai (Post 843879)

The rims are 4.5 inch rims, not happy with it, they pinch the tyres. I need to replace it when I get the chance.

I was just wondering why those tyres look nothing like 235's.

Congratulations Samurai San,

I would suggest you drive the JEEP around for a few months before any mods.

1) Brakes -
Change to the MM540 drums that will be adequate.
Disc Brakes will complicate things and take away much needed bonnet space and some leg room (suspended pedals)

2) FFRA - Full-Floating Rear Axle
I would rate this as the most important upgrade for Off-Road going JEEPs

3) Check your suspension. The rear of the JEEP is raised.
count the no. of Leaf Springs
CJ3B Military - Front 10 Rear 11
CL340DP(CLASSIC) - Front 8 Rear 9

Regards,

Arka

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex670c (Post 843980)

1) Brakes -
Change to the MM540 drums that will be adequate.

Ok, then I'll do that. Is that easily available at Mahindra workshops?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex670c (Post 843980)

2) FFRA - Full-Floating Rear Axle
I would rate this as the most important upgrade for Off-Road going JEEPs

I am yet to understand how that works, need to read up on that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex670c (Post 843980)

3) Check your suspension. The rear of the JEEP is raised.
count the no. of Leaf Springs
CJ3B Military - Front 10 Rear 11
CL340DP(CLASSIC) - Front 8 Rear 9

Ok, I'll check that.