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-   -   Taking the Plunge, bought an MM540DP. EDIT : Now with 14B! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-vehicles/77619-taking-plunge-bought-mm540dp-edit-now-14b.html)

Hi Everybody,

Last one year or more has been primarily about visiting the 4x4 section of Tbhp and ogling at people fussing about every nuance of their vehicle and every Monday looking up the excursions section to ogle at people having a blast with their jeeps over the weekend!

Coming from a family where I've been driven in a LHD Petrol Willys and a '78 Series III LWB Land Rover as a kid, it really irked to be not having a Jeep myself (Today I humbly accept that owning a 4x4 Safari's not quite the same thing). So today evening I finally bought myself a 1990 MM540DP. Yes its a Gelding but that's something I am going to change first! (Request the MODS to not shift it from the 4x4 section. I Promise to get it uncastrated as soon as possible!

The Details:
Color: Black
Engine & Mechanicals: In pretty good shape but it will go in for a complete service and change of oils etc after I drive it for a few days and get the hang of it.
Initial Drive: Its awesome to have a naturally ventilated vehicle (Its open with no doors!)

Planned changes:
1) 4x4 - Going to get that taken care of first. In the process of contacting a good mechanic for the same!
2) Tyres - Currently on 6.00x16 crossplies and going to go in for the 235X70R16 Yokos/BFG - Someone please confirm again that the original rims are good enough?
3) Soft top - Given the heat in Ahmedabad a soft top would be quite necessary. Am looking at something like what Naren (Desertking) has on his jeep.
4) Power Steering - Going to give it some thought. Am assuming with the 235s it might be quite practical to have PS.

Rest, ideas will keep coming in depending on the time and money element and going to play it by the ear.

Look forward to updating this thread and get some much-needed advice as time goes.

Cheers,
Adi

P.S. Pictures will be up tomorrow

Congratulations. Waiting for the pics.

Drive around a bit before considering PS.

AVR, Congrats and welcome to the club. and as someone already stated in this forum. Your pains starts from now.:D

Regarding your mods.
Just get it serviced first, replace all the fluids, check & overhaul the brakes, then get the 4WD and soft top fixed and drive it around for few thousand km or few weeks before even thinking about any mods.

If the tyres are Ok dont change them now unless you are planing for OTRs and long drives soon.
I dont think PS is really required. I myself drive Jeeps and Gypsies with 255 & 275 tyre sizes with ease without a PS.

Just my thoughts.

Regards
Shibu

Congratz!! do post some pics please. Power steering, well if you have access to expertise go for it, otherwise leave it stock. Once set up proper MM steerings are pretty much easy to live with :)

Hey Congrats AVR... amazing buy. I sort of have the same story that ends with a Tata Sierra (bought a couple of days back). Do post pics of your new aquisition.

Have fun Driving,

Cheers.

Congrats AVR,
Have fun, drive around and enjoy yourself my friend.

Congrats on the 540. Yes you can fit the 235/70 R16s on the original rims, Im running JK elanzos of the same size on the stock rims

1st of all congrats :thumbs up . hope to buy one for myself.
i dint get the meaning of Gelding. whats that ?

Gelding = castrated horse.

So that it doesn't run wild, and do "nasty" things ;)

What weird things we do to our animals ...

Congratulations Adi, can we have some pics please:

Spike

Another one bites the bullet!!!

Congrats Adi!

PS: It is tomorrow and still no pics! :(

Congrats on the buy Adi. The Jeep looks great.

I am sure you are going to enjoy the ride.

I think the original jeep rims are 16x4.5j For 235mm wide tires the recomended rim width is 6.5j, if not at least go in for 5.5j.

The drive with 235/70 R16 tires should be fine without PS. If you do decide to go in for a PS make sure the job is done properly.

Is the dashboard painted in White?

PS: Am i the only one seeing this or is the 3rd picture a mirror image?!! I can see the steering wheel on the left side and the accelerator pedal on the extreme left!

Happy Jeeping!!

Cheers

Nishanth

Thanks Nishanth!! I absolutely love your khakhi jeep. I had planned to buy a scrapped 540 and do it up a slightly darker shade than your khakhi but then this 540 is in pretty good shape in black so not going to change it. The dashboard is a light shade of grey but planning to get it painted black.

So, If the original rims are 4.5x16 then it means I'll have to go in for new rims also. How much would basic 6x16 or 6.5x16 rims cost me? Am not keen on alloys. Alternatively, what rims would I need to put tyres like the ones on Harjeev's (Sandgrips??). How much do those tyres cost?

And yeah! Don't know what I managed to do for it to look like an LHDlol:

Cheers,
Adi

Guys,

Need recommendations:

1) Tyres: Am going tomorrow to look for regular wheel rims that would be able to fit on the MM540 and take the 235/70R16 tyres. Can someone recommend which vehicle rims would fit so I can look for them at the scrapyard.
2) Engine Oil: Going in for a service and change of fluids next week so what Engine oil would be recommended? I use Mobil 1300MX for my TCIC Safari. Should I use the same for this engine?
3) Radiator: Given that summers are coming up, What proportion of coolant-water should I use?
4) Shock absorbers: I read somewhere that Tempo Trax shocks are a seamless fit on the 540 and make the ride comfortable? Are there other alternatives that could help apart from CFL springs.

Opinions needed!

Cheers,
Adi