Lets, for the sake of argument, say that somebody is sitting in a call center in India, but nobody calls because of let's say the economic crisis. Then let's say, again for the sake of argument, that that person has found a new hobby, pissing people off on the internet. With a lot of time on his/her hands this somebody has perfected this, and know just how to push peoples buttons just enough to get the desired response. This could actually be a contest in said call center, with each participant focussing on a particular group, lets say fourwheelers, or TLC owners. It might just as easy have been poodle-breeders or warhammer forums... There mighht actually be a monthly contest with prices and all! This is of course highly speculative and fictious and does not intentionally relate in any way to any participants in this thread, just an idea for a fictional novel about what they're up to in the call centers in Mumbai, sorry for the highjack.
On another note I have heard somewhere that the Indian Gurkha rear axle is from a Mercedes 307D truck (predecessor of the Sprinter), heres one:
Now again I have heard (And I might be wrong about this though) that the rear axle rating on the Gurkha was 2,750 kg, but the 307 has a gross vehicle weight rating of 3,200 kg (7,055 lb) or 3,500 kg (7,716 lb). That is not load capacity, but total weight of vehicle AND load (the european way of measuring, a bit different that the US way). Does this mean that only 450 kg's of a fully loaded vehicle is supported by the the front axle?
What I do know for sure is that the the 307 had the four cylinder Diesel engine with 2404 cc and 65 hp (48 kW) engine OM 616, same engine as in Mercedes-Benz 240D. So, knowing Mercedes, the axle is suited for that strength, Mercedes usually makes components as strong as needed, and so they fit each other, not need to spin a overly heavy axle if it is not needed.
The name 307 is actually Mercedes code for vehicle gross weight (3=3.2-3.5 metric tonnes) and engine output (07=approx. 70 hp)
Again, I appologize for the highjack, it must be something I have miss-read or something got lost in conversion between metric and non-metric...
Back on track though, I for one would not attack the geländewagen, I have driven a lot of them when I was a sergeant in the Danish Army. They were slow, had the servo removed and very spartan (to the point of having no wind-screen!). But always worked and never let me down.
One of my favourite versions of the G-series is this one though:
Its from this page:
http://www.panzer-modell.de/referenz/in_detail/g4/g4.html Although in German, there are some really good fotos of the chassis etc. Very interesting to see the complexity and engineering!
Have to go, the phones are ringing!!!