Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   4x4 Vehicles (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-vehicles/)

-   -   Tata Sumo four-wheel-drive (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-vehicles/10126-tata-sumo-four-wheel-drive-14.html)

Many Army 4x4 Sumo ambulances come up for auction. I have indicated one on this very thread no body did even enquire about it.

I have extensively driven Sumo 4X4 ambulances in Sikkim. Believe me, other than the looks, the Vehicle is an absolute trash, with a grossly underpowered engine (1948 cc old sumo engine only) and a complicated electrical 4wd system which gets screwed by the time our great army drivers finish with it. So IMO, stay away from army auction one.

If you look at the Sumo rear in the pics in post no. 194, you can clearly see the words Turbo and DiCOR which means that they don't have 1948 CC old Sumo engine. So at least the lack of power is taken care of.

Yes. The Sumo 4x4 Ambulance I saw clearly had the words Turbo and Dicor as well as 4x4 on it, in the form of different decals. 4x4 was written on the side - rear flank.

Yeah I saw it now. Must be new development so it will be a while before these come up for disposal.

The ones that are in the auction market are the old 1.9 liter IDI engined piece of crap.

The DICOR engine ones is same spec as earlier Safari 3.0 DICOR. About 115 bhp/ 32 kgm Torque. These won't hit the auction market for a while.

Here is a Fauji Sumo taking a ride in the IAF C-17.

Does any one else see a spring in the rear suspension ?
Sumo's rear suspension is normally a leaf setup.

Recently I happened to see one at a T.A.S.S, and asked them about the possibility of converting a 2i-d to 4-WD. Apparently, the chassis of the 4WD Sumo is a hybrid between the Sumo & Safari chassis' .. rear half from Sumo, front half from Safari. This is accommodate the differences to the front wheels. Hence conversion is not possible, they said.

Yes its very much there.* err edit, Oh I mean the leafs

This was a part of the airlift, for the relief work for Phalin

Pic courtesy, from a net article



Sudarshan

If Tata can get this into series production, it would surely give the Thar buyers an alternative, that is hoping Tata have not signed any non-production agreement with the Army!

The stance of the vehicle itself makes it look different, atleast they can replicate that in HorizonNext

Have patience as Mr. BD is working on a similar thinglol:

Compared to the Thar, he already has a HT, AC, PS and 4WD in the SUMO and all he is doing is making it shorter from a LWB to SWB.

But at 2400 MM (same as Indica), isn't it already SWB? Even Merc's G Wagon, the inspiration for Sumo had the same wheelbase. Is he making it 2-door?

It is already too short. 2400 mm is fine for a hatch, not for a UV. I would prefer a 2500 mm WB instead (longer than now for stability at higher speeds, but not too long that it becomes too long for off-roading).

Any shorter than 2400mm will mean that all the dimensions of the vehicles will also have to Reduce.

What can be done is 2500 mm WB, but better GC.

Current Sumo's Length is 4258 mm and it needs to be shortened if it has to take on the Thar (3920mm) and Gurkha (3992mm).

Also SuMo has to shed some fat and put on muscles, as its too heavy at the moment.

The CG also needs to be worked upon as its tall height and the high raised roof is not required if it needs to be sold as an offroad vehicle.

I have a source near Jalandhar Cant who deals in ex army vehicles in Punjab and ask him if ex army Sumo 4WD started coming in as scraped vehicle.

Since lots of Sumo vehicles in army are used in non combat situations like ambulances or jammers, im sure they have a longer life compared to the Gypsy and 550.

@directinjection; The sumo's wheel base is same as Indicas. It cannot be made any shorter safely. Sumo has huge overhangs front and rear and hence the shoddy handling.

BD will not be able to change the dimensions, he can only make it visually more appealing and have and replace electrical the mechanical one from Thar.