Mahindra Thar ROXX Axle Hop In Reverse Gear: Don’t Worry, It’s Normal [Video]

Mahindra Thar Roxx has been a topic of discussion on the internet for the past week. Apart from videos of people taking deliveries and modifying their new Thar Roxx, we are also seeing videos of people reporting a few issues with the new Roxx. One recent video highlighted an issue with the rear axle hopping in reverse gear. We now have videos from other SUV owners stating that this is common behavior in such SUVs.

The first video shared in this story shows the so-called issue. In this video, we hear the vlogger or customer saying that he raised the issue, and the dealership staff asked him to visit the showroom to demonstrate it. In the video, we see the rear axle hopping while the car is moving in reverse. The driver attempts this a couple of times, and in all cases, the results are the same.

The car was even driven by the dealership staff, who shared a similar opinion. The vlogger claims that the rear axle was hopping aggressively, which he fears could damage the internal components and differentials of the car. It should be noted that similar axle hopping has been observed in both modified and stock Mahindra Thar Roxx vehicles.

Many other SUV owners also came forward, pointing out the same issue. The videos have gone viral, prompting more SUV owners to share their experiences. We have seen videos of a Jimny owner and a Toyota Fortuner owner mentioning the same. They claim that axle hopping occurs in their cars as well and that it is not an issue specific to the Mahindra Thar Roxx. The video shows how the rear axles of these SUVs were hopping even in their vehicles.

Is it an Issue?

It is actually not an issue. Any SUV with a live axle will exhibit this behavior in reverse gear at higher RPMs. This is due to the high torque in reverse gear, and at higher RPMs, instead of spinning, the wheels hop as the vehicle attempts to move backward.

This is also related to weight distribution. When you release the clutch aggressively or launch the vehicle sharply in reverse, the rear lifts because there is less load at the back. Manufacturers consider these points when designing SUVs like this. The components in the SUV are built to handle such loads, and we believe the axle hopping is natural in these types of vehicles.

While this is natural, we do not recommend doing it regularly. Such axle hopping is common when off-roading on steep inclines, where it helps the vehicle get out of tricky situations in reverse. This behavior is also seen in heavy trucks when they are reversed at high revs with a full load.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx is available with both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol version uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, while the diesel version uses a 2.2-liter turbocharged engine. Both petrol and diesel engines are available with manual and automatic transmissions, though only the diesel engine option offers 4×4.