diff --git a/examples/axes_grid1/demo_axes_grid2.py b/examples/axes_grid1/demo_axes_grid2.py
index c1159b342583..320d19c9fe14 100644
--- a/examples/axes_grid1/demo_axes_grid2.py
+++ b/examples/axes_grid1/demo_axes_grid2.py
@@ -20,16 +20,15 @@ def get_demo_image():
     return z, (-3, 4, -4, 3)
 
 
-def add_inner_title(ax, title, loc, size=None, **kwargs):
+def add_inner_title(ax, title, loc, **kwargs):
     from matplotlib.offsetbox import AnchoredText
     from matplotlib.patheffects import withStroke
-    if size is None:
-        size = dict(size=plt.rcParams['legend.fontsize'])
-    at = AnchoredText(title, loc=loc, prop=size,
+    prop = dict(path_effects=[withStroke(foreground='w', linewidth=3)],
+                size=plt.rcParams['legend.fontsize'])
+    at = AnchoredText(title, loc=loc, prop=prop,
                       pad=0., borderpad=0.5,
                       frameon=False, **kwargs)
     ax.add_artist(at)
-    at.txt._text.set_path_effects([withStroke(foreground="w", linewidth=3)])
     return at
 
 
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/demo_curvelinear_grid2.py b/examples/axisartist/demo_curvelinear_grid2.py
index 4fb2872bd0f5..88b656b32cd7 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/demo_curvelinear_grid2.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/demo_curvelinear_grid2.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 from mpl_toolkits.axisartist.grid_helper_curvelinear import \
     GridHelperCurveLinear
+from mpl_toolkits.axisartist.grid_finder import MaxNLocator
 from mpl_toolkits.axisartist.axislines import Subplot
 
 import mpl_toolkits.axisartist.angle_helper as angle_helper
@@ -44,7 +45,10 @@ def inv_tr(x, y):
                                                      )
 
     grid_helper = GridHelperCurveLinear((tr, inv_tr),
-                                        extreme_finder=extreme_finder)
+                                        extreme_finder=extreme_finder,
+                                        # better tick density
+                                        grid_locator1=MaxNLocator(nbins=6),
+                                        grid_locator2=MaxNLocator(nbins=6))
 
     ax1 = Subplot(fig, 111, grid_helper=grid_helper)
     # ax1 will have a ticks and gridlines defined by the given
@@ -59,10 +63,6 @@ def inv_tr(x, y):
                interpolation="nearest",
                origin="lower")
 
-    # tick density
-    grid_helper.grid_finder.grid_locator1._nbins = 6
-    grid_helper.grid_finder.grid_locator2._nbins = 6
-
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     fig = plt.figure(figsize=(7, 4))
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axes.py b/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axes.py
index 179089d01538..db133fcd89f6 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axes.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axes.py
@@ -32,16 +32,15 @@ def setup_axes1(fig, rect):
     tr = Affine2D().scale(2, 1).rotate_deg(30)
 
     grid_helper = floating_axes.GridHelperCurveLinear(
-        tr, extremes=(-0.5, 3.5, 0, 4))
+        tr, extremes=(-0.5, 3.5, 0, 4),
+        grid_locator1=MaxNLocator(nbins=4),
+        grid_locator2=MaxNLocator(nbins=4))
 
     ax1 = floating_axes.FloatingSubplot(fig, rect, grid_helper=grid_helper)
     fig.add_subplot(ax1)
 
     aux_ax = ax1.get_aux_axes(tr)
 
-    grid_helper.grid_finder.grid_locator1._nbins = 4
-    grid_helper.grid_finder.grid_locator2._nbins = 4
-
     return ax1, aux_ax
 
 
diff --git a/examples/axisartist/demo_parasite_axes.py b/examples/axisartist/demo_parasite_axes.py
index ae361556461b..5c877c8d0811 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/demo_parasite_axes.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/demo_parasite_axes.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
 par2.set_ylabel("Velocity")
 offset = (60, 0)
-new_axisline = par2._grid_helper.new_fixed_axis
+new_axisline = par2.get_grid_helper().new_fixed_axis
 par2.axis["right2"] = new_axisline(loc="right", axes=par2, offset=offset)
 
 fig.add_axes(host)