Vitara 4WD gearstick is bent sideways.

[tt92]

Just curious.
After some very helpful comments from regulars on these forums, we bought a 1993 Vitara JLX. It is a mixed bag: the electric windows shudder a bit and the left-hand window is very slow to close; the tyres are close to replacement time; but it goes well and is surprisingly agile in the bush.
But something puzzles me: the 4WD gearstick is bent? misplaced? to the left, so much so that when in 4WD LO, it almost fouls the handbrake. I have never seen another Vitara, but I assumed that the stick would be pointing upright in 2WD and 4WD HI, and pointing a little to the left when in 4WD LO. I'm not game to remove the rubber boot over the stick in order to look inside. Is this sideways orientation normal, or at least acceptable?
On the subject of tyres, is there any preferred make/tread pattern? Is there anything I should avoid? Mostly on dirt tracks, some times on raw undergrowth, not much on bitumen.
I think I am more than two hours from the nearest Suzuki dealer or Suzuki "stockist".

[Mudbits]

You cant do any harm looking inside.
It may be the small locacting bolt broken or fallen out that holds the gear lever central.

[nicbeer]

Tyres.

depends on how much muddy stuff u do. go for a decent set of AT's

[tombutt]

mine did a similar thing to this and it was the selector bent on the bottom of the gear stick after when 4wdriving and getting stuck a log wegged inbetween the transfer case and the cross member didnt break a single mount. all i did was pull it out and straighten it as little as possible to make it clear everything

[fe11xx]

Not hard to take the lever out, its just held in with a spring loaded cup thing. Push it in and turn it and it'll pop out. You can then bend the lever whichever way your heart desires, or buy a secondhand one from a wrecker.

With the windows spray some silicone spray down into the window guides. When they get old the get hard and a bit sticky hence the shuddering. Also pull the door trims off and lube up the window reg. While your there pull the connectors off the window motors and clean the contacts with some contact cleaner and wet/dry. That'll make your windows a bit better. Also check the fuses, while they may not be blown they may have dirty contacts or they are about to blow. Don't forget to put the inner membrane back on the doors, otherwise you'll get a swimming pool when it rains!

[tt92]

The silicone spray made a huge difference to the windows.
As for the gearstick, a surprisingly mild amount of brute force straightened it up in seconds.

[tt92]

And now I know how it became bent in the first place.
Sometimes when I slide into the driver's seat, I find I am sitting on the seatbelt, which doesn't retract fully. To lift my fat bum off the seat, I put my left hand betwen the seats, and lift. Sometimes my hand falls onto the little gear stick. If I lifted myself by pushing down on the stick, it would bend in a trice. Previous owner was a big heavy chap .