[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

My friends were complaining about the side benches and how difficult they were without a proper backrest.

Get the forward facing bench that came in the Classic.

These just dont seem right. And are highly dangerous for someone sitting on them.

[beejay]

+1 to that. The seats dont look right.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Get the forward facing bench that came in the Classic.These just dont seem right. And are highly dangerous for someone sitting on them.

Originally Posted by beejay

+1 to that. The seats dont look right.

I Agree, A few weeks of testing and if they seem as dangerous as they look, I will dump them and go for the side benches again...

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

I Agree, A few weeks of testing and if they seem as dangerous as they look, I will dump them and go for the side benches again...

Santosh, sorry for the delay. I will post pics of my seat with under storage by tomorrow latest.

[svsantosh]

I got the lockers Installed today. Also got the juggad soft top redone to look better.

I will post the locker report after a mini-OTR tomorrow in my home town.

Initial response - STRANGE handling

It is a serious mod and on-road characteristic changes quite a bit. One would be left to feel - the chassis is bent or something - LOT of UNDER steer. The vagueness of Jeeps' steering is FURTHER exploited by the rear locker.

One thing to remember - the Jeeps front wheel are never in straight line- even on a perfectly setup jeep. So, at anytime the front wheels are either left OR right, and one keeps WRESTLING the steering to make it straight.

NOW - with the locker, the 'exploiting' factor - increases quite a bit. Any slight input in throttle - the whole Rear just pulls LEFT OR RIGHT - and one needs to IMMEDIATELY correct the steering AND THROTTLE - else someone had it!!!

Wheel spin occurs very easily and one has to be careful!! My parking at home has a ~10degree ramp to get into the home, and every time i Jerk the clutch in reverse - there is lots of sreeetch wheel spin.

--------These are the gears from rear diff that are not needed in the locker setup and needs to be saved for future (in case the locker packs up)-----

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

I got the lockers Installed today.
==============
One thing to remember - the Jeeps front wheel are never in straight line- even on a perfectly setup jeep. So, at anytime the front wheels are either left OR right, and one keeps WRESTLING the steering to make it straight.

Congratz!!

Who said? Try DwArF he behaves! Do a complete job of steering and jeep will also track straight!

Lockers in diesel will be more violent, coz if diesel low end torque, thats a fact i guess.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Congratz!!

Who said? Try DwArF he behaves! Do a complete job of steering and jeep will also track straight!

Lockers in diesel will be more violent, coz if diesel low end torque, thats a fact i guess.

Thx

Having driven approx 8 different jeeps extensively I came to this conclusion. I think the steering box you got is next on my shopping list...

+1. AND IS? axle ratio directly proportional to the working of the Locker. I mean to ask, will a 5.38+Locker behave DIFFERENT? from 4.88??

------------Locker in OTR Test------------

I did the Hosur trail today with another BHP'ian Bhaskar (B-2R). The locker did great. Previous obstacles where the wheels would spin - the locker would take a fraction of a second to judge, and send all the power to the needed Axle. Of course the KAT-KAT sound is heard, but hardly, the clatter of the jeep overrides all else.

On tarmac, especially on sandy roads, the wheel spin is too much. From stop-GO situations the wheel spin is very addictive. I am sure the current tyre set is gone for a toss within a year!!

U-Turns:

How do I take a U-turn from Stop-Go situations. The KAT-KAT becomes KATKATKAKTKAKT and left me scared. I am not sure whether I should stay in any 1 gear and just coast thru in slow throttle. I need to experiment.

Arka, Khan, Prabu, Rajesh (Known Locker Users) - Please advise your method to take turns from (1) Stand still (2) moving in speed

Other points: (I am sort of feeling it)...
1) Pickup is reduced.
2) Crawl speed is bit reduced due to 1.
3) Stalled a couple of times on tarmac. Need to adjust to the stop-go situations. Cant jerk clutch(without throttle) like ol' times in traffic...

[ex670c]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Thx

Having driven approx 8 different jeeps extensively I came to this conclusion. I think the steering box you got is next on my shopping list...

+1. AND IS? axle ratio directly proportional to the working of the Locker. I mean to ask, will a 5.38+Locker behave DIFFERENT? from 4.88??

------------Locker in OTR Test------------

I did the Hosur trail today with another BHP'ian Bhaskar (B-2R). The locker did great. Previous obstacles where the wheels would spin - the locker would take a fraction of a second to judge, and send all the power to the needed Axle. Of course the KAT-KAT sound is heard, but hardly, the clatter of the jeep overrides all else.

On tarmac, especially on sandy roads, the wheel spin is too much. From stop-GO situations the wheel spin is very addictive. I am sure the current tyre set is gone for a toss within a year!!

U-Turns:

How do I take a U-turn from Stop-Go situations. The KAT-KAT becomes KATKATKAKTKAKT and left me scared. I am not sure whether I should stay in any 1 gear and just coast thru in slow throttle. I need to experiment.

Arka, Khan, Prabu, Rajesh (Known Locker Users) - Please advise your method to take turns from (1) Stand still (2) moving in speed

Other points: (I am sort of feeling it)...
1) Pickup is reduced.
2) Crawl speed is bit reduced due to 1.
3) Stalled a couple of times on tarmac. Need to adjust to the stop-go situations. Cant jerk clutch(without throttle) like ol' times in traffic...

Hi Santosh,

Congratulations on becoming Locked 'n' Loaded.

The Locker effect (lock/Unlock) will be more prominent in a SWB vehicle (CJ3B).

Power through a Turn or U-Turn.

Regards,

Arka

PS - How many shims did you install on the Side Gears?

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by ex670c

Congratulations on becoming Locked 'n' Loaded.
The Locker effect (lock/Unlock) will be more prominent in a SWB vehicle (CJ3B). Power through a Turn or U-Turn.

Thanks a lot Arka. I thought so (SWB effect), I will try the 'power thru' the turns (with care) and test the driveability.

PS - How many shims did you install on the Side Gears?

I need to check with Raju Mech. Please tell me something, arent the side gears removed (I posted a pic above), which shims/side gear are you referring to here?

[ex670c]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

I need to check with Raju Mech. Please tell me something, arent the side gears removed (I posted a pic above), which shims/side gear are you referring to here?

Hi Santosh,

I thought it was your JEEP.

The OEM Side Gears are Replaced By Lock-right Side Gears , and the manual says you need to put back all the Side Gear Washers/shims from the Open Diff, and if need be add a few Shims to make it tight.

Then Jack the vehicle and engage 4th Gear and rotate the wheels, to check the locking unlocking.

Regards,

Arka

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by ex670c

....The OEM Side Gears are Replaced By Lock-right Side Gears , and the manual says you need to put back all the Side Gear Washers/shims from the Open Diff, and if need be add a few Shims to make it tight....

Yeah Arka, unfortunately my (hosur) mech with whom I can spend all day together @ workshop, didnt have expertise (read - time), to go to shivaji nagar, shop for FFRA, do the exchange with the gujuri dealer, et all. So, he "agreed" to let me use a different mech to get the FFRA done - which led to me using Raju itself for the Locker, since he has worked with these Loc/LSD before. Raju mech is a 2-hour drive from my bangy home and I hardly get time to go to his workshop. We meet up in a common place and I use a bus to come back/reach from my home.

Just got off the call with him, (he was very patient - nice chap), explained to me what you are asking. He recollected he used 1-One EACH washer/Shim on each of the Locker Side gear.

Now, last Saturday, after the mini-OTR to test the locker, I drove upto my Hosur-mech, explained to him about the FFRA (which he obviously knew), and the Locker - which he didnt. I spent 10-15 mins showing him the 2 manuals that came with the box, he seemed to understand quite a bit and gave me a look asking 'why' do I want to kill myself (the steering part). I tried the OTR part, then left it. He never understands why I want to break a perfectly OK looking Jeep!!

Now - all this was done to retain the services of 'temperamental' mech's like the Hosur-Small town one. They get irked once the regular guy, walks across the road. For guys like me, his services are in-valuable. (1) He works my JEEP anytime, any day, any place. (2) More imp - he charges Filth when compared to bangy guys.

Of course, after Saturday afternoon, my mech is still laughing his guts out along with the 2 helper boyz on how much I paid to the 'mech' across the road.

[ex670c]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Just got off the call with him, (he was very patient - nice chap), explained to me what you are asking. He recollected he used 1-One EACH washer/Shim on each of the Locker Side gear.

Hi Santosh,

One Shim is required for warranty purposes.

Next time yo open your diff, Shim the Lockers tight (with Diff Side Gear Shims), also check the Diff Pinion Cross Shaft for Play.

Regards,

Arka

[solpie]

Dear Santosh

i have been following your story especially now since you are using the auto lockers. Would it have been better to fit lockers for the front diff so that you could have had free wheeling hubs to disengage the front diff while on tarmac and thus avoided the steering issue u are now facing. You could engage the free wheel hubs when required for an OTR and also enjoy the benefits of the lockers . the clicking sound and the steering issues wont be much of a hassel on an OTR as u wont be going at any great speed.
This is just a thought which i had .
rgds and all the best

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by ex670c

One Shim is required for warranty purposes.

Next time yo open your diff, Shim the Lockers tight (with Diff Side Gear Shims), also check the Diff Pinion Cross Shaft for Play.

I agree, I read it somewhere in the Owners manual. Mech told that over-tighting will 'stop' the wheels from spinning? Is it true? I will check for the Diff pinion shaft too.

Originally Posted by solpie

i have been following your story especially now since you are using the auto lockers. Would it have been better to fit lockers for the front diff.....

Hi Solpie, After reading many threads in TBhp and else where, I came to the understanding that in any 4x4, the rear does ~70% of the work, and the front is only for the other ~30% help/assistance to the rear. Also, I have read examples of front axles breaking off due to the excess torque on the front axles due to a locker. Better to leave them as it is, MAY be a LSD in the future, but nothing for now. Thanks for your idea.

[svsantosh]

Got some important things for my CJ340.

Skid plate - 800Rs (550 Army scrap)
Shaktiman trucks' tow hooks - 500Rs each
7to8 meters wire rope - 450Rs

Thanks to Trammway 'Siva anna' for procuring these for me...