Here are the parts before installation.
Brackets:
Plates:
If you are wondering how heavy these are, check this out. I am lifting the biggest skid plate with two fingers of my left hand, while shooting the photo with the heavy E3 in the other hand.
The brackets are getting mounted. None of these bracket bear any load, expect the last one.
Mechanic & Designer Mr.Ramachandra installing his creation.
The bolts are tightened with torque wrench.
There was quite a crowd around the installation pit. Every free mechanic was milling around, often the service advisors were chasing them away.
Now the transfer case is secured.
The final setup is ready to roll.
The rear and center plates, you can see mud stains where the plates hit the ground in the field test. This covers the fuel tanks, transfer case and resonator.
The center plates protecting the transfer case, gear box and it also acts as deflecting the impact away from exhaust pipes.
The front plate protecting the engine and radiator. The mud stains from the field test are visible. Notice how the front plate is flush fitted.
The full view of the skid plates.
That completes the custom skid plates story. I haven't received the bills for material and labour yet, but I have a Grand Vitara that I can boldly drive.
How often can one get factory trained Maruti technicians making custom parts for your car? My incredible thanks to Mr.Nagaraj Kamath and Mr.Ramachandra for taking up this challenge and delivering it. They have completed this project with utmost ingenuity and professional attitude.
I can't forget the help from Team-BHP support team who were following the progress keenly with lots of feedback and advice.
Finally, I also have to thank my new camera Olympus E3 which made this pictorial possible. Most of these shots are taken handheld at speeds of 1/5sec to 1/30sec at ISO800 without using flash. Very few dSLRs could have done that.
So, what next? Rock sliders of course. Notice the part highlighted by the dark circle. They take quite a banging, I need to protect it with strong metal tubes that can take on any impact.
As you see, the chassis has enough bolt holes to mount a rock slider. The question that remains is do I get it readymade from abroad, or get it custom built locally.
