| Author | Message | ||
     David Morin (Sporin) Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 149 Registered: 02-2003 |
I've read through a few different archived topics on the subject, so I have a good idea of what I want to do to my RRC as money presents itself. What I wanted to know first is... Which First? Diff Guards or Sliders? I might have money for both depending on how the IRS treats me this year, but in case I can only get one or the other right now, which would you choose? I've already decided on the: QT Services Diff Guards (front and rear) http://www.okoffroad.com/okrovers/tech/qt-1.jpg http://www.qtservices.co.uk/graphics/Rockslider_for_web.JPG and the DAP Sliders http://www.dap-inc.com/acc/ba2091.JPG. Opinions? | ||
| benny (Wreching_today) New Member Username: Wreching_today Post Number: 12 Registered: 03-2004 |
from my personal experiance. protect the steering rod! i have seen and have broken these very easy. once they break you are stranded. look into atlantic british www.roverparts.com they sell a complete kit. front and rear diff guards, steering skid plate, transmission skid plate. all this for 689.00 approx. | ||
| Jon Santana (Mustache) Member Username: Mustache Post Number: 131 Registered: 09-2002 |
both are equally important, but if you must absolutely choose between on or the other, dont- haha. get the sliders and a front diff guard if plan to wheel that truck at all. i'm simply speaking from experience. good luck with uncle sam. | ||
| steve herrod (Sherrod) Member Username: Sherrod Post Number: 80 Registered: 02-2003 |
i agree with jon......sliders and front diff guard. | ||
| Blue (Blue) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Blue Post Number: 1413 Registered: 04-2003 |
diff guard front | ||
| Jon Santana (Mustache) Member Username: Mustache Post Number: 132 Registered: 09-2002 |
hey blue, i'm coming your way inthe beginning of may! (srry to hijack your thread, david) i saw some of the runs on the AZLRO boards that look good, you gonna grace us california boys with your presence this time? :P | ||
| Patrick Wyld (Rovrboy) New Member Username: Rovrboy Post Number: 4 Registered: 10-2003 |
your profile says you are in VT. The protection you require really depends on the trials you run. If the trails are Narrow, with tight turns then I would Say go for the sliders first. If you run trails that are good-n-wide, but rocky Go with the diff guards. A quick note though, your pumpkins should be offset to the passenger side. This should make it much eaiser to line the truck up on trails with boulders, stumps and Yugos. | ||
| Aaron Richardet (Draaronr) Senior Member Username: Draaronr Post Number: 522 Registered: 09-2002 |
diff guards, cheaper and protect vital running gear. | ||
| Gordon Turner (Gordo) Member Username: Gordo Post Number: 77 Registered: 07-2003 |
Ive had the QTs for a while now. I really dont like the way the rear is designed. Sure it protects the center of the diff were the gears are but not the sides. I know this doesnt matter much unless you are backing up or being pulled over a stump, but this is the weakest part of the housing. Anyway, I won them at a raffle so I cant beat the price. They do protect the steering linkage a bit though and the rear ujoint which is a bonus. I had to shorten the front connections that weld on the housing a bit to fit my larger tie rods so keep that in mind if you plan on upgrading the rods down the road. Overall they have performed and held up very well offroad. However we do not have rocks in FL. My recommendations are diff guards, most importantly the front. heavy duty tie rods (I got the ones from DAP), then sliders. (I prefer the Rovertym design over the DAP style as the DAP sliders hang down way too much). Dents dont leave you stranded. Gordo | ||
| ben (Wreching_today) New Member Username: Wreching_today Post Number: 18 Registered: 03-2004 |
man i cant belive that no one has suggested a front shid plate! personal preferance i guess but the steering rod is so week and vunerable it snaps like a stick. hasent any one busted one of these before. at least if you puncture your diff oil will leak out and can be fixed on the trail and if it happened in water then you can drive to higher ground. but if the steering lets go you can not move at all. you are where you sit. add up the prices of getting this equipment seperatily. it becomes costly. why not get it all in one convient kit? atlantic british and they are only in n.y. | ||
| Steve Cooper (Scrover) Senior Member Username: Scrover Post Number: 756 Registered: 09-2002 |
Which first? (that was the question, right?) Front diff. guard. SC | ||
| compact fence (Wreching_today) New Member Username: Wreching_today Post Number: 19 Registered: 03-2004 |
steering stabiliser relocation kit! then land rover stickers LOL! get the whole kit and be done with it. i just cant see buying peice by peice? too costly! | ||
| Jon Santana (Mustache) Member Username: Mustache Post Number: 133 Registered: 09-2002 |
all this is good and true, but you really have to not be paying attention to punch a hole in your diff, even if you do, some jb weld and duck-tape will get you home.(again, i speak from experience.) i also have a set of sliders that can testify to amazing abuse and being the savior of my doors. many of the hits would have destroyed my doors and the ability to open them. + all the times i have had to hi-lift from the side, either to change a tire or get over an obtacle, they have proved indispensible. point being, a front diff guard is A#1 on your list, but if you plan on getting into wheelin', by the love of God, outfit your rig with all the appropriate armor before you begin. welcome to the break it and fix it club. | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 151 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thanks all. My truck is no beauty queen and I bought it to 'wheel so I wanted to stress mechanical stuff over cosmetic. So it looks like I'll get the front diff guard first, and then upgrade the steering rod and relocating the steering stabilizer. I've been admiring Rockware's stuff and may just go with them for all of it. Looks like I'll save the sliders for now. My sills are pretty rusty anyway.  ben, I did some searching on the front skid plates since every Rover in LRO seems to have one... I thought it would be my first mod. however, the predominant opinion here in the US seems to be that they are just mud shovels and it's better to add stronger components instead. I could still be swayed thoough... ;) | ||
| John Parker (Jparker) New Member Username: Jparker Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2004 |
I'd say diff guards. There's no feeling worse than climbing up a rocky hill and nailing your unprotected diff on something! | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 152 Registered: 02-2003 |
I lost my link to whomever it is that sells the QT guards in the US... anyone remember? | ||
| Sergei Rodionov (Uzbad) Senior Member Username: Uzbad Post Number: 392 Registered: 08-2003 |
David - discountbritishparts.com (discountrovers.com) is one where i got mine. | ||
| Blue (Blue) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Blue Post Number: 1414 Registered: 04-2003 |
hey Jon, give me a shout when you're out here. I should have a new radiator in the whale by then and I'll be up for a run. I wrecked good old moby last month and insurance totaled it, but I saved it from the scrap heap & I'll get it going again.... | ||
| Jim Lupinetti (Jims95) New Member Username: Jims95 Post Number: 17 Registered: 08-2003 |
A few years ago, I caught the rear differential and ground the 2 lower bolts and nuts. I went with the QT Services Diff Guards almost 2 years ago. I then had the Electronic Air Suspension converted to springs about 1 1/2 years ago. I installed Rovertym Sliders. I also had the Rockware offset steering arm as well as the Rockware steering damper relocation kit installed too. Don't discount the offset steering arm and steering damper relocation kit. An SCLR club member, who also has a Land Rover repair facility turned the steering damper on his Discovery into a "smiley face". He couldn't turn the steering wheel, and had to remove it on the trail. I have eliminated most of the "catch points" under the vehicle. These improvements to my Classic have kept me out of big trouble off-road. Hope this helps. | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 160 Registered: 02-2003 |
Can anyone point me towards a quality, preferably inexpensvie, way to relocate my? steering stabilizer? | ||
| Brandon Johnson (Deathorglory) New Member Username: Deathorglory Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2004 |
you can build the "kit" for just dollars. i live up in white river (all of 10 minutes from you)so you can swing by to check it out sometime. basically i took a piece of .5"?? flat bar thats about 8"'s(?) long and drilled 3 holes in it. 2 of the holes are spaced right to fit into the holes you have in your frame on the pass. side. (i believe its where the steering box would go for RHD) the third hole has to be a little bigger for the stabiler to go through. and should be located a couple of inches below the frame. meaning the bar should be angled down and foward. then the second piece is another piece of .25" bar thats like 3"'s wide make an L out of it by heating it up. drill a hole in the short end for the stabilizer to go through. go get u-bolts for the hardware store that will fit around your steering rod. and then drill holes in the L so that the ubolts will go through. bolt it all up and your good. i used the stock damper b/c it was in fine shape it just took a long time to figure out where to place the L on the steering rod so that i could go lock to lock with the stroke of the damper. but time is free... sorry for rambling. i dont have pics. but its WAY cheaper than a "relocation kit" also to protect the front diff you could use the 'sewer cap' method. i have not done this personally but plenty of people have.... then all you need is your sliders. and good recovery points. brandon johnson 89 classic | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 162 Registered: 02-2003 |
thanks brandon! We should really try to get together. Are you in VTSX? Speaking of recovery points, I decided I needed a realy beefy front tow point so I bought one of these tow hooks ... https://www.expeditionexchange.com/curt/indexmain.htm I guess I figured I could bolt it to my frame or something. Anyway, the bolts are way to short to go through my frame, no problem I thought, I'll just get some longer Grade 8 bolts. Then I started wondering... is it even safe to drill through my frame for this thing? So I emailed John Lee at EE and he didn't recommend drilling the frame. What should I do with it? Is this something I could weld on? Any ideas? Thanks | ||
| trey burns (T_burns) New Member Username: T_burns Post Number: 13 Registered: 02-2004 |
I would weld it to the frame. Trey & Melissa Burns 1989 white Range Rover "Redneck Rover" |
