[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by condor

Not enough, I think. In such situations,the head should Not go too far beyond it's normal position. In this case, it will.

If I am not being clear here, pls compare the travel of the head if using a regular head-rest. vs in this case.

No, I checked. In the present inclination of the backrests (the recline angle is adjustable), the head touches the glass with the cervical spine straight. Unless the glass (toughened automotive glass) breaks and allows for further rearward head movement, there will not be any whiplash injury.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I can leave the rear hatch open, close the tailgate, and enjoy the breeze flowing through.

I take it that you like dustbaths.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Now to install the forward-facing rear seats, with inertia reel seatbelts.

Hope you used the correct bolts/ nuts.

Incidentally, for the door switch mounting did you put in extra effort to get such a noncircular hole?

Regards
Sutripta

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

I take it that you like dustbaths.

Dust isn't everywhere... in any case, dust-lovers don't convert to hardtop.

Hope you used the correct bolts/ nuts.

Yes. Got them as a part of the set.

Incidentally, for the door switch mounting did you put in extra effort to get such a noncircular hole?

LOL. That's what one gets when the shop doesn't have the right drill bit, and uses an oxy-acetylene flame to do the job of a drill. Don't we all love jugaad?

[SS-Traveller]

Been a long while since I updated this thread, in which time I've only driven the car about 5,500 km.

With the hard clutch, my wife and her painful left knee have point blank refused to drive it.

I love driving it around, more so because it's a lot more manoeuvrable in the city, and makes for much easier parking in congested areas than the Scorpio. Except, there was this one irritating problem of the suspension crashing very hard over potholes and bumps. So much so that the (Yi Ultra) dashcam crash detection recording got triggered frequently even on its highest setting.

I played around with the tyre pressures, and tried to modify my driving style - but no joy. Checked the dampers, they were working fine. Until I discovered, the suspension was raised to the extent that the upper bumpstop (on the upper wishbone) was in contact with the chassis, preventing the front suspension from extending (opening up) any further.

This meant that the front suspension needed to be lowered, to allow for a sufficient range of play (collapsing as well as extending) while driving over rough surfaces, potholes and bumps. And so it was done, hardly a 15-minute job.

Work involves adjusting the torsion bar via these two bolts, one on either side...

...resulting in the gap between the upper bumpstop and the chassis opening up...

...and the stance of the car changing a bit (from 0.4 degrees tilt to the rear to 0.9 degrees tilt to the front).

Net result: The car rides softer now (but still certainly no match for the Scorpio), though body roll has increased marginally (again, nothing compared to my Scorpio). Handling in a straight line and under braking remains the same, but the car leans a little more on fast curves (though not uncomfortably so).

[KA09_BIKER_GPER]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Until I discovered, the suspension was raised to the extent that the upper bumpstop (on the upper wishbone) was in contact with the chassis, preventing the front suspension from extending (opening up) any further.

This meant that the front suspension needed to be lowered, to allow for a sufficient range of play (collapsing as well as extending) while driving over rough surfaces, potholes and bumps. And so it was done, hardly a 15-minute job.

Work involves adjusting the torsion bar via these two bolts, one on either side....

Hi SS-Traveller, Glad that you have sorted your ride. I adjust the torsion bars on my Thar every 5000kms if I feel that they have gone out of whack. After experimenting all these years I have found out that the ideal gap between the upper control arm of the IFS and the upper bump stop should be the width of your thumb or roughly an inch. Also, I keep the driver side gap a little more than co-driver side as mostly I drive alone. Once adjusted I drive over 100-200kms so that the twisting forces on the torsion bar settles in. If the gap changes I will adjust them and wait for them settle in. Once the bars settle in I get wheel alignment done.

Please make sure that front end of your Thar doesn't sag too much. If it does, there is a chance that your tire will hit your fender flares while turning on the move over uneven terrain especially if you are running on tires that have taller sidewalls.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by KA09_BIKER_GPER

Glad that you have sorted your ride.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by KA09_BIKER_GPER

Once the bars settle in I get wheel alignment done.

Changing the ride height via the torsion bars should not change wheel alignment values AFAIK.

Originally Posted by KA09_BIKER_GPER

...there is a chance that your tire will hit your fender flares while turning on the move over uneven terrain especially if you are running on tires that have taller sidewalls.

Nope, nothing of the kind happening. My tyres are stock size.

[SS-Traveller]

Long time since I have updated this thread, and TRO hasn't been travelling beyond city limits as such. The odo is now at approximately 21,000 km, and th car has hardly been used over the last 1 month since the lockdown.

A couple of days ago, I decided to start the car, after almost 3 weeks of not being touched at all. Now, the battery is OE and 7+ years old, and I was a little worried that it just might give up on me after such prolonged inactivity - and where would I get a new battery now?

The voltmeter read 10.9v, and to my great relief, the car fired on first crank. Drove it about for ~5 km on 2nd and 3rd gear, and once back home, the voltmeter showed resting voltage of 12v exactly with everything switched off. Fingers crossed, I'm hoping this will pull through the lockdown phase. For a battery to last 7+ years is a new personal record for me, IIRC.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I'm hoping this will pull through the lockdown phase. For a battery to last 7+ years is a new personal record for me, IIRC.

So the battery finally died... and left me stranded in the middle of the road.

I was so happy when, in the end of May, the car fired up on first try, with the voltmeter at 11.0v. We'll pull through the lockout, it seemed.

Nope.

The engine stalled and gave up the ghost when the car was running in 2nd gear, about 6 km away from home! As unbelievable as it might sound, the battery was totally dead - the voltmeter showed 5.2v. This was an entirely new experience for me, even as the time was past 6 pm, and we worried about getting back home before the 7 pm curfew.

Managed to get hold of BHPian JKDS, and he came over at short notice within 15-20 minutes. He had a heavy-duty jump start cable (mine was at home), and we got the engine started from his Bolero's battery.

Had the battery replaced through a local auto store-cum-battery dealer the next morning.

Out goes the old (7 years 7 months old to be exact)

In comes the new (same Amaron Black AAM-BL-0BL700RMF battery)

Price: Rs.4000 including refund for the old battery. This was way cheaper than what Batterywale / Batterybhai quoted, and this battery was home delivered and fitted as well.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

In comes the new (same Amaron Black AAM-BL-0BL700RMF battery)

Price: Rs.4000 including refund for the old battery. This was way cheaper than what Batterywale / Batterybhai quoted, and this battery was home delivered and fitted as well.

Awesome. 7 years on a diesel car is some sort of a record I believe. Speaks volumes about your maintenance practices and the good health of your Thar's electrical system.

Lately I have realised that within a brand most batteries are similar and we end up paying for warranty when we buy the most expensive ones. I also purchased a 35Ah Amaron Fresh(12 months warranty) yesterday for Rs. 2250 after exchange of old battery. It worked out to be way cheaper than what Online stores were quoting.

However noticed that the shopkeepers aren't enthusiastic about selling Black and Fresh series since they probably have the least margin. They kept pushing me for Flo or Pro with the maximum warranty possible.

Regards,
Shashi

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Out goes the old (7 years 7 months old to be exact)

Attachment 2014341

I see some "familiar" marks on the LHS stay rod right above the battery. Hope all is well.

First your Scorpio 4WD, now your Thar, you are setting benchmarks for durability tests on M&M products.

Spike

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

I see some "familiar" marks on the LHS stay rod right above the battery. Hope all is well.

Nope, nothing out of the ordinary there. Now I notice some kind of shadow and light on the stay rod, which could be mistaken for a burn mark!

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

First your Scorpio 4WD, now your Thar, you are setting benchmarks for durability tests on M&M products.

The Thar actually hasn't run much - only a little more than 20k km - and here I am, already planning to sell it, because I don't seem to have anywhere to go in 2020. Make me an offer I can't resist, and I'll sell it!

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The Thar actually hasn't run much - only a little more than 20k km - and here I am, already planning to sell it, because I don't seem to have anywhere to go in 2020. Make me an offer I can't resist, and I'll sell it!

I think you and HVK are among the best candidates for doing any real world durability tests, specially for Mahindra products. You have an additional advantage (in case of breakdowns), that you carry all your "surgical tools" during your travels.

Had it been a Black color Thar, I would have made an offer . As they say, once you go Black (MH01V521), you never go back.

Spike

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I am... already planning to sell it...

So there - the Thar has been sold, and I am quite relieved that it's gone. The insurance was due in December, and it is already almost 8 years old - a sort of crime if you own a diesel car in the Delhi-NCR region.

Thinking back, the 2 of us were quite happy with the Thar, as long as no one had to climb into the back. But in these times of Covid-19, we are 3 of us, since the daughter is with us - and we usually travel as a family. Although there are front-facing rear seats and the front passenger seat could be folded forward, it was a struggle (and torn clothing) to get into the rear, and once there, the common complaint from everyone was of a bumpy, nauseating ride. My salute to those who undertake long distance trips with more than 2 on board in a Thar, but my family simply refuses to have anything to do with this car.

The new Thar looks tempting on paper, but from what I see of the reviews, the rear is not far behind in bumpiness compared to the old Thar. Also, ingress-egress is still a problem - why the designers could not incorporate longer front doors in a car designed as a 3-door from the ground up (and later think of designing a 5-door version), beats me.

The Ciaz remains the only car of the household now, and there is no plan to add a 2nd car for the foreseeable future. Or is it the 3rd? Our 2nd car remains parked on another continent 10,000 km away, being occasionally driven by BHPian rideon, despite the strict lockdown that city is still going through.

[Blooming Flower]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Now to install the forward-facing rear seats, with inertia reel seatbelts.

Got a pair of seats from the Mayapuri scrap market. Very robust and well-made seats with great finish, and a leather material that seems to have weathered time quite well, with their own set of lap belts, but I have no idea which vehicle they came from (any inputs, anyone?). I wanted 3-point inertia reel belts, so picked up a fresh set.

Hello,
I have a real answer to which vehicle the seats came from! I know it's no more relevant as the Thar is already sold and the thread has reached a dormant stage. Yet truth must come out!

They are the 3rd row seats of Force One SUV. Do you remember the vehicle?