Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership

sudev · 20th September 2009, 22:14

A picture from off the road outing with bunch of other vehicles. Read report under SUV trail blazing thread under 4x4 excursions.

All the GV's lined up at the end to get their picture clicked.

My vehicle is first from left. See the mud splattered certificate of achievements:

sudev · 21st September 2009, 09:56

During the recent trip to Bikaner I did quite a bit of off the road driving in trying to find some trails that can be used for Desert Storm 2010. Two of these were nice trails now entirely spoilt by work done under Jwahar Rozgar Yojna.

Essentially the village head are making money by getting waste from Gypsum mines dumped on to the sandy paths used by camel carts and tractors. However the end result is that this end up forming a "high" central hump and since gypsum stones are brittle even the camel carts do not use it.

I explored two of these trails and gave up on them. However not before I had to drive quite a bit on them. Most of time I would try and keep one tyre of central hump and one on the left/right edge hump. However this was not always possible and so had to take on beating on the engine guard.

Fearing the worst, after return to Delhi, I had put the car on lift and the results were surprising. Virtually no damage except some denting in the areas marked by black ink. And on the inside no where the sheet is touching the engine, transmission or body parts.

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3277.jpg

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3278.jpg

sudev · 26th September 2009, 11:18

I had asked MotorCraft, M.A.S.S., to thoroughly examine the irritating rattle from "somewhere at the back". One observation I shared was that when i have people on the back seat it seems to disappear - an off chance discovery.

So off they went on a road test. First just two people then again with five on board. Then the rear seats were taken out and it was discovered that some metal plate in the right rear seat back is the cause. A bit of foam tied up around the metal stopped the niggling rattle for now.

No pictures but pointer for other GV owners who may similar/this issue.

sudev · 22nd October 2009, 19:32

A vexing problem arose a few days back. After an afternoon of off roading through Aravalli hills full of thorn scrub parked the car for night.

Woke up to find rear right flat. So the car was jacked up and there arose a problem:

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3321.jpg

Can you spot it?

Manoj2268 · 22nd October 2009, 19:55

I can spot 3 lug nuts missing. Or is it the 'stunted' screw jack?

sudev · 22nd October 2009, 20:07

A closer look at the problem

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3323.jpg

sudev · 23rd October 2009, 06:38

The problem was two wheel nuts that refused to come off. After initial unscrewing they became tight. Although I guessed the cause, and effect which was result of this. I still needed to take these out. So continued rotating the wheel spanner anti-clockwise. This also involved putting pressure by foot - like truckers do. Ultimately the nuts came off.

The effect:

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3324.jpg

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3326.jpg

What do you think is the cause?

sudev · 23rd October 2009, 08:25

Aahhh the offroading bit before the tyre flat.....

Just west of Faridabad run the Aravalli hills from North to South direction. The last out crop of these hill to the north is the lies in Delhi, next to the Delhi university. To south these hills continue and I believe the highest point being Mount Abu. The Aravllis are supposedly oldest hills in the world.

In the past they were covered with lots of scrub jungle that is now almost gone and is getting replaced by concrete jungle of apartments etc. Both in Faridabad and Gurgaon. Still there exist some enchanted nooks and corners in these hills that transport you from urban jungle to deep forests within matter of minutes. Jungle populated with blue bulls, spotted deer, jackals and foxes. Occasionally leopard has also been spotted and cow herds tell stories.

Mrs. Fox takes a breather while Mr. Fox bolted on seeing us approach

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3334.jpg

Suzuki Grand Vitara: 2,32,000 kms & 7 years ownership-100_3329.jpg

tsk1979 · 23rd October 2009, 09:51

What was the cause of flat? A nail or thorns?
BTW, your GV is idle candidate to get "slimed"

sudev · 23rd October 2009, 09:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

What was the cause of flat? A nail or thorns?
BTW, your GV is idle candidate to get "slimed"

A Thorn. You know how killer the kikkar thorns can be

Slimed? Please educate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manoj2268

I can spot 3 lug nuts missing. Or is it the 'stunted' screw jack?

Stunted screw jack is ruled out as wheel is fairly squarely up in the air.

rkbharat · 23rd October 2009, 09:58

How much pressure was required to put the bolts in that shape

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudev

Slimed? Please educate.

I guess he meant using that slime kind of stuff in your tires, right Tanveer?

tsk1979 · 23rd October 2009, 09:59

Slime is a liquid thingy you put in tires. I got it done as soon as I got the new Continentals. It will prevent punctures on main tread as long as the the hole is less than 1/4" wide

sudev · 23rd October 2009, 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkbharat

How much pressure was required to put the bolts in that shape

Surprisingly not much more than a bit of hard pressing by foot on the vehicle's normal wheel spanner.

But question is what caused it? I have also made a thread in technical query section.

tsk1979 · 23rd October 2009, 12:01

Note from mod : Slime discussions moved here
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...ml#post1388334 (An inflator that seals flat tyre!)

tsk1979 · 23rd October 2009, 12:02

I also had a jammed bolt on rear wheel. Had to put water. Now I intend to out Zorick 88(thing like WD40) before trying to open bolts, and use a "ring spanner" instead of wheel spanner.

20th September 2009, 22:14	#166
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	A picture from off the road outing with bunch of other vehicles. Read report under SUV trail blazing thread under 4x4 excursions. All the GV's lined up at the end to get their picture clicked. My vehicle is first from left. See the mud splattered certificate of achievements:
	(1) Thanks

21st September 2009, 09:56	#167
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	During the recent trip to Bikaner I did quite a bit of off the road driving in trying to find some trails that can be used for Desert Storm 2010. Two of these were nice trails now entirely spoilt by work done under Jwahar Rozgar Yojna. Essentially the village head are making money by getting waste from Gypsum mines dumped on to the sandy paths used by camel carts and tractors. However the end result is that this end up forming a "high" central hump and since gypsum stones are brittle even the camel carts do not use it. I explored two of these trails and gave up on them. However not before I had to drive quite a bit on them. Most of time I would try and keep one tyre of central hump and one on the left/right edge hump. However this was not always possible and so had to take on beating on the engine guard. Fearing the worst, after return to Delhi, I had put the car on lift and the results were surprising. Virtually no damage except some denting in the areas marked by black ink. And on the inside no where the sheet is touching the engine, transmission or body parts.
	(1) Thanks

26th September 2009, 11:18	#168
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	I had asked MotorCraft, M.A.S.S., to thoroughly examine the irritating rattle from "somewhere at the back". One observation I shared was that when i have people on the back seat it seems to disappear - an off chance discovery. So off they went on a road test. First just two people then again with five on board. Then the rear seats were taken out and it was discovered that some metal plate in the right rear seat back is the cause. A bit of foam tied up around the metal stopped the niggling rattle for now. No pictures but pointer for other GV owners who may similar/this issue.
	() Thanks

22nd October 2009, 19:32	#169
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	A vexing problem arose a few days back. After an afternoon of off roading through Aravalli hills full of thorn scrub parked the car for night. Woke up to find rear right flat. So the car was jacked up and there arose a problem: Can you spot it?
	(1) Thanks

22nd October 2009, 19:55	#170
Manoj2268 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Delhi Posts: 301 Thanked: 435 Times	I can spot 3 lug nuts missing. Or is it the 'stunted' screw jack?
	() Thanks

22nd October 2009, 20:07	#171
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	A closer look at the problem
	(1) Thanks

23rd October 2009, 06:38	#172
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	The problem was two wheel nuts that refused to come off. After initial unscrewing they became tight. Although I guessed the cause, and effect which was result of this. I still needed to take these out. So continued rotating the wheel spanner anti-clockwise. This also involved putting pressure by foot - like truckers do. Ultimately the nuts came off. The effect: What do you think is the cause?
	(1) Thanks

23rd October 2009, 08:25	#173
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	Forest Interlude Aahhh the offroading bit before the tyre flat..... Just west of Faridabad run the Aravalli hills from North to South direction. The last out crop of these hill to the north is the lies in Delhi, next to the Delhi university. To south these hills continue and I believe the highest point being Mount Abu. The Aravllis are supposedly oldest hills in the world. In the past they were covered with lots of scrub jungle that is now almost gone and is getting replaced by concrete jungle of apartments etc. Both in Faridabad and Gurgaon. Still there exist some enchanted nooks and corners in these hills that transport you from urban jungle to deep forests within matter of minutes. Jungle populated with blue bulls, spotted deer, jackals and foxes. Occasionally leopard has also been spotted and cow herds tell stories. Mrs. Fox takes a breather while Mr. Fox bolted on seeing us approach Last edited by sudev : 23rd October 2009 at 08:27.
	(1) Thanks

23rd October 2009, 09:51	#174
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	What was the cause of flat? A nail or thorns? BTW, your GV is idle candidate to get "slimed"
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 09:59	#177
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Slime is a liquid thingy you put in tires. I got it done as soon as I got the new Continentals. It will prevent punctures on main tread as long as the the hole is less than 1/4" wide
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 12:01	#179
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Note from mod : Slime discussions moved here https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...ml#post1388334 (An inflator that seals flat tyre!)
	() Thanks

23rd October 2009, 12:02	#180
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	I also had a jammed bolt on rear wheel. Had to put water. Now I intend to out Zorick 88(thing like WD40) before trying to open bolts, and use a "ring spanner" instead of wheel spanner.
	() Thanks