[Bibendum90949]

Hello, I'm looking forward to suggestions on this.Thanks in advance.

i've Old Man Emu suspension in my hardtop Gypsy. The rear has now started to sag a bit especially if the rear is loaded with two adults and with that the stance of the Gypsy has gone a bit off. The leaf springs are also from ARB's OME.

Do I look at recambering the leaf sets or look to add another leaf? i've the stock leaf springs with me lying around. Which is a better option considering that the ride quality isn't compromised and the stance of the vehicle is restored.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by condor

I had my first drive in a Gypsy today. First impressions: the ride is not really bad when the roads are fine.

Also drove a MM550 today, and surprised that the space in the Gypsy at the rear is better. I am looking at the length behind the driver/pax seat upto tailgate. The width between the wheel arches on the inside was surprisingly same, even though the Gypsy is narrower.

If I were you, I would pick the Gypsy over the MM550 for all practical reasons. Gypsy is such a fabulous simple machine,when well maintained, can run trouble free forever. All parts are easily available through MGP stores. With the rear seats removed, it can haul up a lot of luggage than you can imagine. And Gypsy rides and behaves better when you've 60-80 kgs of load at the rear. It's old school nature is very addictive. A driving enthusiast would any day be happy to be behind it's wheels. You can always add the creature comforts in the form of AC, PS etc. all at the expense of performance and it's share of reliability headaches, nothing too alarming though. Good luck.

[shankar.balan]

Please come and drive my pure stock Gypsy.
Then take an informed decision.
Personally I will vote Gypsy because though I ve loved and driven my Dad’s MM540’s/ 550’s, Im basically a Gypsy person at heart.
Like the Maruti Ad - There is a Gypsy in Everyone.
Its longer wheelbase and extended body makes for better storage. Its lack of any frills and pre built accoutrements makes it absolutely perfect to customise as you wish into a simple go anywhere overlander.
Yes the addition of power steering will help you if you intend to put big radials. But if you stay with the stock cross ply tyres or use only 225/75/15 size radials you will not really need power steering.
If you put an AC in it, the performance will really fall because of the compressor load on the engine.
But in Blr you dont need the AC either!
And believe me, the stock Gypsy with the correct tyre pressure is a pretty comfy vehicle on the decent roads as well as the bad roads.
One just has to take proper care when driving it.
Drive it at sensible speeds in an sensible manner and there is no excessive bounciness and bumpiness.

Originally Posted by condor

I had my first drive in a Gypsy today. First impressions: the ride is not really bad when the roads are fine.
Thanks to all who responded to my queries. The search continues. Let's see which way it goes.

1.I think that this ‘collapse’ in stance must be because of your recent long drive across country and different terrain, all the while carrying a large-ish static load.
2.Yes you can try recambering the OME leaves for sure, but can the local Non OME guys do this properly for you?
3.In case you’re planning to continue using this Gypsy as a load carrier then the addition of one more leaf will definitely help you.

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

Do I look at recambering the leaf sets or look to add another leaf? i've the stock leaf springs with me lying around. Which is a better option considering that the ride quality isn't compromised and the stance of the vehicle is restored.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

If I were you, I would pick the Gypsy over the MM550 for all practical reasons.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Please come and drive my pure stock Gypsy.
Then take an informed decision..

Thanks, guys.

Shankar, will come over sometime - long time since we met.

A key point is finding a civilian one. Even otherwise, the prices mentioned in the ad's are premium.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by condor

Thanks, guys.

Shankar, will come over sometime - long time since we met.

A key point is finding a civilian one. Even otherwise, the prices mentioned in the ad's are premium.

It is genuinely very hard to get a plain clean stock civilian gypsy. Near impossible in fact.
Prices are very high especially in Bangalore. Frankly even I paid a very high price for the Gypsy I am using presently. But there was no alternative because such clean stock vehicles are just not available.

This is why many people who really want a Gypsy are opting for the rebuild restoration route. Considering it is a very versatile and eminently simple vehicle, it is relatively easier to accept in restored form than other vehicles are.
You would have seen my other post providing references of the restorers and some information and feedback on them.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

. But if you stay with the stock cross ply tyres or use only 225/75/15 size radials you will not really need power steering.
If you put an AC in it, the performance will really fall because of the compressor load on the engine.

Correction of typo on tyre size in my earlier post. I had written 225 instead of 215.

The stock cross ply nylon tyres in the Gypsy are F78-15 size.
The recommended radials for the Gypsy are 205/70/15.

An acceptable upsize which works is 215/75/15.
One does not need power steering at all, if one is using any of these above and importantly as long as one is using the correct recommended air pressure.

Anything bigger and fatter and wider than these above, will tend to foul with the front bumper bottom edge and the leaf springs as well. It may even rub against the sway bar and anti roll bar. So there will need to be modifications made such as the off road bumper and lift kit and all the rest of it. And of course, with such tyre upsizing also comes great pain in steering, which necessitates the addition of Power Steering as well.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

With rear seats of Gypsy removed, it can swallow in a lot of luggage, much much more than you can imagine..

Yes, seeing that. also good that the rear seats are foldable, and this helps.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

The recommended radials for the Gypsy are 205/70/15.

An acceptable upsize which works is 215/75/15.

We checked out one yesterday with 215mm MT tyres. The tyres were rubbing against the corner of the pipe behind the bumper.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by condor

Yes, seeing that. also good that the rear seats are foldable, and this helps.We checked out one yesterday with 215mm MT tyres. The tyres were rubbing against the corner of the pipe behind the bumper.

Yes MT tyres will tend to rub because of their aggressive big mud plugging tread sipes. AT will be very close too. This is why usually people fix the typical off road bumpers along with the upsize to 215 size MT tyres. My green gypsy which is now with Bibendum had this combo. Many people go even more aggressive and put 235’s and all. But usually these are accompanied by a 2 inches or 3 inches Lift Kit and dog bone shackles and all.
Personally I find all of that unappealing, preferring to keep things stock.
See the pics.
The white gypsy is a local friends gypsy which presently has Yoko Geo AT in 215/75/15 and these dont rub at all.
The Green Hardtop is Bibendums gypsy which has the off road bumper and Goodyear 215’s which I had put. It doesnt rub.
And the other green is mine which uses stock nylon tyres.
Look also at the cool white gypsy which was cool_dube’s in earlier days. That also had Yoko 215’s which didnt rub. And the other brown one which I had evaluated in Dec 2021 but didnt like because it was too modified.
Remember also that apart from a lift kit and off road bumpers, when you put very large tyres they will also rub against the leaf springs when the steering is turned.

[condor]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Personally I find all of that unappealing, preferring to keep things stock. ... And the other brown one which I had evaluated in Dec 2021 but didnt like because it was too modified.

I'm looking for on these same lines. Stock. Naturally, in good condition. I'd rather do some basic modifications myself / as per my preference.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Correction of typo on tyre size in my earlier post. I had written 225 instead of 215...

I use 1" wheel spacers to resolve this issue. Earlier used 215/75/15 Yokos for 9 years even those were fouling against the driver side leaf spring bolt-clamp. So I got spacers. Now I run 225/75/15 Apollo Apterra AT2 tyres with absolutely no issues. Lovely tyres BTW - highly recommend them over the Yokos due to their ill-reputed weak sidewall. The Apterras do everything well that Yokos are claimed to do well and I like them better.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Ragul

I use Earlier used 215/75/15 Yokos for 9 years even those were fouling against the driver side leaf spring bolt-clamp. So I got spacers. Now I run 225/75/15 Apollo Apterra AT2 tyres with absolutely no issues. Lovely tyres BTW - highly recommend them over the Yokos

Thats interesting.
I solved that rubbing problem on the green gypsy by introducing a bolt like there is in the Jeep Wrangler.
I also like Apollo Apterra because the tread looks mean. But Im only considering tyres of this kind maybe for my Thar and not for the Gypsy.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Thats interesting.
I solved that rubbing problem on the green gypsy by introducing a bolt like there is in the Jeep Wrangler.
I also like Apollo Apterra because the tread looks mean. But Im only considering tyres of this kind maybe for my Thar and not for the Gypsy.

Hi Shankar
Can you please highlight the bolt in red ink? I am having a hard time spotting what and where in the pics or how a bolt can help.

Thanks

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Ragul

Hi Shankar
Can you please highlight the bolt in red ink? I am having a hard time spotting what and where in the pics or how a bolt can help.

Thanks

That Gypsy is with Bibendum now. Best if he gets under it and takes a pic.
My pics are all 3plus years old and I havent got any others.
But the fix was done here locally in a manual tyre alignment place at HSR.
Basically I introduced a bolt which effectively provides a ‘stop’ and therefore the tyre does not rub any more.
Here is a youtube video explaining it in a Jeep Wrangler and there are many such videos. I simply adapted this solution for my Gypsy.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=w1LdEB8iH3s&feature=share

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Basically I introduced a bolt which effectively provides a ‘stop’ and therefore the tyre does not rub any more.

This means that your maximum steering angle is reduced and turn radius increases even more?

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Ragul

This means that your maximum steering angle is reduced and turn radius increases even more?

The effect you mention is negligible because it is a very small bolt head that was introduced. It doesnt cause any appreciable detrimental effect on the turn. But it makes a huge difference by preventing tyre rub.

[condor]

As the search continues, and I have checked a few now (personally + messaging), I noticed an interesting point - there is a kind of fad to get Army auction gypsies. And often, buyers are selling their vehicles within a year of getting them. Purchase done, but looks like they are not able to use them as planned, especially as family vehicles.

Btw, one I checked today had a FFE on it, plus AC & a celerio PS unit installed. Each one I have checked out has been better than the previous one. But not there yet.