Quote:
Originally Posted by Rigid Rotor Hey Boss! Those are some awesome videos!
And you ventured into pure 4X4 territory, what with those typical slush-filled border area cart-tracks and Army Stallion trucks for company!
Did you have any apprehensive moments out there - especially at night in that nightmare of a "road" in your 4X2 Duster? Any point when you were almost in the muck with the rear wheels just spinning away helplessly?
I would have probably used a Gypsy with the front wheel hubs locked and at least in 4H in some of those stretches as they appear in the videos!
Detailed comments would be welcome! |
Hi Rigid Rotor. Thanks for the comments and time.
Not sure if its a "pure 4X4 territory" but the Duster(front wheel drive) with its amazing road handling capabilities
did not give me any tensed moments except one.
But I have a hunch feeling, with rear wheel drive, the wheels would have spun helplessly.
I would still regret if they launch the 4x4 soon, that would have been a real peace of mind.
There was one incident while coming back that scared me for life.
At 4.30 in the morning we left the place only to come and get stuck at this landslide prone place.
Reason, 3 boulders about 2-3ft in length lay on the middle of the road, right of which, the road has already caved in.
On my left, was a huge pile of loose gravel (accumulated overnight due to land slides) waiting to slide down on to the road.
With no way to go but over the rocks, ordered my two friends to get out and remove them, it was still raining and Duster was standing on loose gravel.
Both of them got down, tried to move one rock, looked at me and nodded.
I opened my(driver) side door (thinking I go to gym, do dead lifts, with the help of other two it will be an easy task), got down and we
all three tried to move the rock. IT DID NOT MOVE EVEN AN INCH.
Dejected, concerned, tensed in heavy rain and darkness, I decided to take the Duster over these.
With the guidance from my friends in front, got over the rocks one by one, an ordeal that seemed to be never ending.
At one moment, I had just about a foot on my right, beyond that was a steep fall.
I never got so tensed with loose gravel and slush the way it happened here.
At all times during this drama, stones and rocks were rolling past from the top,
what if a landslides starts now and I being swept across the road to heaven.
The long wheel base was a concern but the Duster sailed through with flying colours.
Wonder if my shirt was dripping wet with rain or sweat.
I regret not to have shot a video of this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheel Hi!
I am back from Sikkim as well and wish to know as to where did you encounter these roads?
It is a necessity to have a vehicle with good GC in those parts. |
Hello Sheel, thanks for the comments and time.
Yes, high GC is a must for the areas I visit. Visualize a road, narrow enough to make one car pass.
With gravel, stones and undulations, the track where the wheels will run is much lower than the center of the road.
The only way is to take the car through the center, a low GC car will have its middle portion (differential) scraped.
This holds true for Tavera, Bolero and cars with similar GC.
This is western Sikkim to a spot not much frequented by many. A landslide
prone area, I have been going there for the past 3 years, 3-4 time a year.
Planning to hold a birding workshop in march after which will post a detailed travelogue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by suchit23 Agree 100%. Absolutely fabulous videos! I am getting tremendous inspiration to take my Duster to places where I never thought I would. Thanks a lot for sharing. |
Ya Suchit, thanks for the time and comments too, take the Duster where ever you like,
the underneath is built like a tank but don't scrape the exterior (read doors and fenders).
This is the only regret I have, the sheet metal given is so thin!
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