Grand Vitara gets custom made skid plates

[tsk1979]

Thats a very neat install Samurai.
A few questions from my side.
1. Did you use rubber washers to stabilize the bolts. If not you are looking at rattles every few weeks.
2. any excessive wind noise? I have seen even extended side mirrors leading to excess noise at high speeds, and it can become annoying.
3. While reversing etc., do they scoop dirt etc., if you are touching the underbelly? If so you need to do something about that.
4. How hot do they get after a long run in the sun. Splash water on them and see if it sizzles(I ask this because of close proximity to exhaust)
5. Last but not the least, what is the cost.

After seeing your experiement, I am tempted to replace the front sump guard of my indica with a aluminum one. Many times the car has taken rock hits while on extremely bad roads, and the really flimsy sump guard does not inspire any confidence.

[Rudra Sen]

Post# 2, picture# 11. I would have washed the underbody before fixing those bolts.

[Rehaan]

Hey Samurai,

Great pictorial.

Some really good points have already been raised by BHPians in this thread so far!

1. Spring loaded/lock washers and "self-tightening" bolts are a good safety upgrade.
2. Since you dont want to use a socet head cap screw in a counterbored hole, how about using a bolt (allen head) with a hemispherical head -- so it is less likely to snag on something.
3. Rubber washers as TSK said. Might make sense to take this extra step even if there is no such noise now.
etc

Goodstuff!

cya
R

[Samurai]

Thanks for the compliments, the real credit goes to the fellows at Abharan Motors, Udupi.

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

I guess it is time to bring the GV to kelambakkam.

Not before I get rock sliders.

Originally Posted by vikram_d

It will be easy to bend if you heat the sheet using a blow torch. Makes life a lot easier.

Good tip. Now that I already used regular aluminium, I just have to see how it performs.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

1. Did you use rubber washers to stabilize the bolts. If not you are looking at rattles every few weeks.
2. any excessive wind noise? I have seen even extended side mirrors leading to excess noise at high speeds, and it can become annoying.
3. While reversing etc., do they scoop dirt etc., if you are touching the underbelly? If so you need to do something about that.
4. How hot do they get after a long run in the sun. Splash water on them and see if it sizzles(I ask this because of close proximity to exhaust)
5. Last but not the least, what is the cost.

1) No rubber washers. When I brought up the spring washer question, Mr.Ramachandra showed me many fittings all over the chassis which are factory fitted using just collar bolts of various sizes. He said collar bolts are quite sufficient and they don't loosen that easily.
2) I haven't driven at higher speeds yet.
3) This can't happen. The plates are tapered upwards wherever it could touch ground.
4) Aluminium is often used as heat sink for dissipating heat fast, these plates have huge surface area, plus you'll have wind rushing by it. This is not something I am worried about.
5) I don't know, yet.

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Post# 2, picture# 11. I would have washed the underbody before fixing those bolts.

Dirt defines an off-roader, didn't somebody recently accuse me of keeping the GV too clean? The underbody is still accessible, I could get it done in the next service using pressure wash.

[Rudra Sen]

Get it done asap. Trapped mud is the thing to expedite rust.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Get it done asap. Trapped mud is the thing to expedite rust.

OK Sir, when I go for the payment.

[nitrous]

Fantastic pictorial.Almost like a professional DIY guide.You should be paid to write and shoot this.
I've given a 5-star rating .

[ex670c]

Hi Samurai San!

A Very well researched and executed project.

I would suggest you make a few more holes on the plates
1) Will not hold too much of mud/rocks/sand
2) reduce weight

Regards,

Arka

PS - Skid Plate as the name implies allows the vehicle to skid over a protrusion on the ground, and not snag.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by ex670c

I would suggest you make a few more holes on the plates
1) Will not hold too much of mud/rocks/sand
2) reduce weight.

Thanks. I remember this part Arka, you had mentioned it, but we are holding back on this for a reason. It is pretty light already, but we don't know whether is it strong enough. Don't want to weaken it with extra holes. Once I grow in confidence, more holes can be considered. As of now mud and rock can be easily checked/cleared from the gaps from the side.

BTW, it was Arka who first put the idea of custom made skid plates into my head.

PS: Arka, you titled your post Skid Plates Vs Rock Armour, both nothing about it.

[maddy42]

Great description samurai. Now i get a realise what an underbody protection looks like.
Good job and if there is scope for some improvement that can be done in the future. Will be waiting for the info on rock sliders and i dont want to do some research on this subject as i find your decription pretty simple and well explained with pics.
Happy offroading

[amitwiz1]

Wonderful description, Samurai ! Will wait for your mention on the money involved ...

[narayan]

getting rid of trapped mud should be easy - just take a 45 deg incline slowly - put hand brake and stop the car. play some HARD ROCK music inside and mud should slide down from the back side..

on heating - even if it gets heated - i think there are some heat dissipitating coatings available..

[Jaggu]

Wow you are off to building a tank arent you????

Congratz and great job.

[sudev]

I am tempted to follow the example. This is something I had been postponing till after Desert Storm. With that over this gets done on the next service. And I have your excellent pictorial to show to mechs what I want. Any one who can throw in some idea on Aluminum alloy sheets? I was told that for slightly higher basic cost I could get sheets that are much stroger that aluminum.

That said right now GV is running with out protection as the plastic sheets tore off when off-roading in sand with deep ruts on routes used for Desert Storm.

[Torqy]

Cool job.

Kelambakkam.....get ready for a GV!!!

-- Torqy