| Author |
Message |
    
Tom Hyslip (007)
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 10:35 am: | 
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Which protection / guards are the most important? (diff, steering, etc) Need to purchase over time and want to start with the most important first. Any recommendations on which ones to start with and who makes the best is appreciated.
Tom |
Will Roeder (Will_Roeder)
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 12:23 pm: |
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Rock Sliders first...then diff/steering |
Paul T. Schram (Paulschram)
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 12:23 pm: |
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Tom:
This is one of those posts that will cause many comments to be made, but, I'll jump in.
If you wish to make armor your first purchase for your truck for off-road use, I would suggest Diff Guards. If you bend a tie rod (cross tube or track rod in LR nomenclature), you can either bend it back to some semblance of its former shape and limp home, or you can buy a replacement (stronger) fairly inexpensively.
If however, you blow a hole in your diff cover and don't notice it and stop, you will be in line for a much more expensive replacement and might not be able to make it home under your own power.
I do think you are approaching this from the right direction, rather than going out looking for lights, roof rack, brushbar, etc. before even taking the vehicle off-road.
FWIW-I have MJLee diff guards and RockWare cross tube. While I like both, I do not think the MJLee diff guards allow quite enough clearance to easily remove the fill plug on my diffs. This makes regular draining and refilling more of a chore than it already was! I'll probably just turn the guard a little on the diff to make the plug more accessible.
Just my two cents.
Peace,
Paul |
pk
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 12:31 pm: |
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rocker sliders first
front diff second
rear bumper third
that's it
pk |
Brian Friend (Brianfriend)
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 01:09 pm: |
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Personal experience here....I went thewrong direction. I waited on protection. Here is the order that I have destroyed things.
1. rear diff-----torqed it to death
2. rear track rod/ steering dapner
3. left trailing arm
4. right trailing arm
5. rear track rod/ steering dampner (again)
6. left rear axle
7. smashed right rear door
8. smashed left rear door
9. smashed ft right door
10. front track rod.
11. front diff
12. front track rod (again)
13. left rear axle (again)
I have made it home after every trip successfully but I have spent much more money than I needed to by trying to save money. (sometimes I don't learn real fast) I would recomend diff gaurds first. Sometimes you just don't see the rock that will get you. Sliders second. And beef up everything else. My problem was the order I broke things. I broke the diff first wich took all of my protection money away. I now have diff gaurds, hd axles from great basin, and I fially made some homemade sliders. Still need to move my steering dampner and I'm tired of straightening out my track rods and stuff so eventually i will be changing those too. Good luck. Have fun. |
Jay Hobbs (Jayxd)
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 01:30 pm: |
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You need to address LR vulnerable areas first:
- differentials (diff guards)
- rear track rod (either a front axle skid plate like Southdown or IMO an even better option, a damper relocation kit and HD track rod.
after that i'd do sliders and then whatever else you want. most people agree these three are a must. there are pros and cons to everything else you can bolt under the vehicle with a wide range of opinions. |
Paul T. Schram (Paulschram)
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 02:13 pm: |
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Might also add that for the cost of Rock Sliders (even the cheapest), you can buy two diff guards, and at least one tie rod, if not both and maybe a cheapie skid plate.
The sliders are a nice thought, but while they will protect your bodywork, I can get home crawling in through the windows.
I might not be able to get home with no steering or differentials.
BTW-Brian:-you have earned my respect and continued encouragement with your list of broken parts! I'm far behind you!
Paul |
Dave_Lucas (Dave_Lucas)
| | Posted on Friday, September 27, 2002 - 03:30 pm: |
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I believe Tom has a 2001 DII
If that were the case would he really need a dampener relocation kit as suggested here?
I have DII as well and I can tell you what I have had happen to my DII so far and the way I would do it next time.
Here are the items damaged so far in the order they were damaged in
1. Front air dam damaged on my 2nd trip with the DII offroad, slowly rolling and bumped it and it cracked in two places, the bumper is fragile. I would recommend cutting it or replacing it.
2. Rear bumper turn signal (driver side) cracked and popped out in Moab.
3. Dragged the rear bumper through some gully�s @ Kane Creek in Moab and cracked the passenger side bumper and bent my rear quarter panel in about 8� from the bumper cracking.
4. Plastic gas tank has signs of where rocks have made contact such as scratches.
5. Front Diff guard is dinged and scratched Money well spent!
I have yet to scuff the front dampener or other steering components. I have been at the point where I have scuffed the rockers but not enough to damage the plastic sill (I am very careful though).
Here is my personal opinion of how I would do it all over again
1. Recovery gear and recovery points.
2. Diff guards
3. Cut Front bumper (may as well do it before the trail does)
4. Rear bumper/gas tank skid (DII has a fat ass and it needs to be dealt with)
5.Sliders
6. Wait and see what needs done
YMMV IMHO FWIW Yada Yada Yada |
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