[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by GTO

@ Tejas, I highly recommend you take a spin in my Jeep before deciding on the swap.

Will do.

Originally Posted by xtreme power

tejas,
you know we have that brilliant choice also, which is arka approved

Yes! Stage 2 post monsoons. Am quite excited about it.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

@ Red Liner: you took some pics of my roll cage during the EXAMM! Please post them here till i get to my jeep.

Here you go. Pictures of your roll cage from a variety of angles:

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Visited Allan's workshop today. A few pics of the snorkel. Work still in progress.

[madbullram]

Tejas: What happened to your audio install ?

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by madbullram

Tejas: What happened to your audio install ?

The deck is integrated in the custom dash. The speakers are right now fitted in a box which is just placed in the back. Still finding a suitable place to fix the speakers.

[madbullram]

Why not fabricate something like this:
Centra-Pod Speaker Enclosure with Speakers - Alpine Jeep Ltd. - Centra-Pod Speaker Enclosure with Speakers

Saves space and also if you plan for amp sub (WIP for me)
This is another model I am looking at Intra Pod - Center Console - no speaker or amp - Alpine Jeep Ltd. - Intra Pod - Center Console - no speaker or amp

Btw: Just spent 1.5 hrs and read the entire....AWESOME is the word for you

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by madbullram

Why not fabricate something like this:
Centra-Pod Speaker Enclosure with Speakers - Alpine Jeep Ltd. - Centra-Pod Speaker Enclosure with Speakers

Saves space and also if you plan for amp sub (WIP for me)
This is another model I am looking at Intra Pod - Center Console - no speaker or amp - Alpine Jeep Ltd. - Intra Pod - Center Console - no speaker or amp

Thanks for the links. I unfortunately don't have space to place the speakers (as shown in the links) since my custom dash is there.

However, i still have a ace up my sleeve. Watch this space!

Btw: Just spent 1.5 hrs and read the entire....AWESOME is the word for you

Thanks buddy!

[madbullram]

Watching it close and also anything under your sleeve for making the jeep safe.

[harjeev]

Hey Tejas
As its been a couple of months since you've been using 31" tyres so could you please share your experiences regarding the change in the road and off-road handling characteristics of the CLASSIC
Also any idea what diff ratios are you running??

The reason I am bugging you with all these questions as I too am contemplating an upgrade in the tyre size and am not sure whether to change the front and rear diffs along with the tyres or just go for a shackle lift now and leave the diff upgrade for later.
Also where did you buy these shackles from and are they available ex-stock or need to be specially fabricated??
Considering the increase in the width of the tyre, did you switch to negative offset alloys to compensate the increase in the width so that the tyres do not rub the body on lock to lock cutting??
I assume that you must be using 31" 11.50" 15's Big Horns

As both the CJ3B & the CLASSIC are siblings your info/ suggestion would be of great help!
Thanks

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by harjeev

Hey Tejas
As its been a couple of months since you've been using 31" tyres so could you please share your experiences regarding the change in the road and off-road handling characteristics of the CLASSIC
Also any idea what diff ratios are you running??

The reason I am bugging you with all these questions as I too am contemplating an upgrade in the tyre size and am not sure whether to change the front and rear diffs along with the tyres or just go for a shackle lift now and leave the diff upgrade for later.
Also where did you buy these shackles from and are they available ex-stock or need to be specially fabricated??
Considering the increase in the width of the tyre, did you switch to negative offset alloys to compensate the increase in the width so that the tyres do not rub the body on lock to lock cutting??
I assume that you must be using 31" 11.50" 15's Big Horns

As both the CJ3B & the CLASSIC are siblings your info/ suggestion would be of great help!
Thanks

My bighorns are 31" x 10.5 x 15

My original alloys were 6.5J with positive offset. I had to change them. I could not find a 10.5J rim so settled for 8.5J negative offset rally rims.

The shackles were custom fabricated by allan.

I'm running the stock 4.88 dif. I have not noticed any significant difference / reduction in performance as of now. However, i have done a lot of slush runs and not major climbs, etc to feel the need to change to 5.38. Maybe after monsoons when i shift to dif terrain requiring more torque i may feel a difference.

The lift is scary no doubt and you are always scared of tipping over (although the jeep is stable, it's a mental block). I don't corner at fast speeds at all. I'm seriously considering shifting to mm550 axles which are 3" wider than the classic ones. It's help a bit with the stability.

The lift and bigger tyres are a boon 100%. The ramp over angle has drastically improved!

[4x4addict]

@harjeev: Shackle lift will only increase your body height but the lowest point in your diff and GC will not change. Only larger tires will increase your GC and improve your overhangs/rampover angles. When you put larger tires a shackle lift helps prevent the larger tires fowling with the body. A shackle lift alone is not very useful in my opinion.

You can get slightly longer shackles. I put these on my MM540. If you are not able to source them there, let me know and I'll try to source them for you in kerala/chennai. They are not as long as Tejas' but longer than OEMs.

[genesis]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

My bighorns are 31" x 10.5 x 15
...
The lift and bigger tyres are a boon 100%. The ramp over angle has drastically improved!

@Harjeev: Dont forget to budget for the power steering that you will have to put in to steer the bighorns!

[AVR]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

@harjeev: Shackle lift will only increase your body height but the lowest point in your diff and GC will not change. Only larger tires will increase your GC and improve your overhangs/rampover angles. When you put larger tires a shackle lift helps prevent the larger tires fowling with the body. A shackle lift alone is not very useful in my opinion.

You can get slightly longer shackles. I put these on my MM540. If you are not able to source them there, let me know and I'll try to source them for you in kerala/chennai. They are not as long as Tejas' but longer than OEMs.

So if you are just going for an upgrade to 31 inch tyres, Can just having shackle lifts suffice? I have a 540 and while I want bigger tyres like the ones Tejas has, I dont want to change the rims from FC 5.5x15 rims as I still haven't like any of the alloys that I have seen. Will I need to add spacers or just shackles suffice?

Cheers,
Adi

[Tejas@perioimpl]

@4x4addict
You are confusing with body lift. The shackle lift in addition to being used to accommodate articulation also improves ramp over angles because the skid plate which is the lowest part in the center does rise up.

Harjeev, yup I have a bolero PS

AVR, what's the offset of the rims?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

My bighorns are 31" x 10.5 x 15

My original alloys were 6.5J with positive offset. I had to change them. I could not find a 10.5J rim so settled for 8.5J negative offset rally rims.

You were trying to get 10.5J rim for a 31x10.5 tyre? The ideal rim width for 10.5 tyre would be 7.5 to 9 inches. So your current rims are perfect.