By Mike J. (Mudd) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 06:33 am: Edit

Do I really need one? I know it hangs low and bashes through dirt and could get hung up on rocks but isn't it tough enough? Do people puncture it? so far I think maybee SG? what is your experience? Thanks, Mike

By John on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 06:38 am: Edit

Diff guards are a priority on the front at least. If you dent your axle housing front of the pumpkin, your ring gear will wear a hole thru the housing in about 30 seconds..if its still turning.

By Murray (Cdnrvr) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 07:20 am: Edit

I have the $G and have bounced a few rocks off it - no complaints. Definitely has paid for itself. I want to get the RTE tract and cross rod assembly kit - does anybody know if there is any clearance issues?

Thanks,
Murray

By Bill Bettridge (Billb) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 07:45 am: Edit

Supposedly the front of the axle housing is only about 1/16" thk - so therefore very easy to dent - and as John pointed out - disaster results.

By Discosaurus on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 08:45 am: Edit

A front diff guard is an absolute requirement, no
matter WHERE you off road. As Billb pointed out,
there is almost no material thickness in the
center housing. The result of pushing in this
housing should be obvious if you note that at
least one of the axles already has a 'bump out'
for the ring gear. There is NO clearance inside.

If you go with $G protection (which I have...),
note that they have a tendency to come off. You
should have them welded on permanently (Careful of
that thin housing !!!) or safety wire them so they
drag along underneath WHEN they come off.

keith
discosaurus

By Leslie on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 08:47 am: Edit

I agree... the single most important piece of protection, IMO, is a front diff guard.

Yes, they will dent... Ask my buddy Jeff Alexander... he's wishing that he got the diff-guard before his Bearmach front skidplate... the skidplate has helped, but the diff took a big pop... it's still running, but I'm concerned about the longevity with the dent.

David at the Thatched Roof Garage has some serious diff-guards... the heaviest that I've seen. It fits all of the Rover front diffs. Stout critter.

-L

By Bill Bettridge (Billb) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 09:05 am: Edit

Good point about retaining the diff guards - I've heard that clankety-clank-clank sound of mine banging across the trail more than once! (ie: retained by aircraft cable) - I should just weld the f'ing things on.

By Alex Schubow (Alex) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 09:07 am: Edit

How's it going to fall if if the panhard rod is in the way? IIRC I had to take it off to put the front one on.

Alex

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 09:21 am: Edit

The front one shouldn't come off, but the rear one will. I have a retainer cable on my rear guard, too.
The SG diff guards are good (that's the ones I have), as are most others out there. They are cheap insurance.

By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 09:25 am: Edit

I have the Mantec guard and it's has enough dings and gouges that I'm confident it's earned it's keep.

A pinion guard for the rear seems more and more likely to be added soon....

By gabe on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 09:37 am: Edit

I've got a dent in my front diff, but have not found a reasonably priced diff guard. I hit a rock pretty hard but not hard enough to have any permanent damage. The diff housing has a dent that actually shows where the ring gear sits, but apparently, nothing has been damaged yet. I need to inspect my front gears and will be ripping everything apart soon enough but for now, it seems to have moved the dent back out (I drove slowly for a long time right after this happened) enough to clear it. I've changed lube and have listenned to it while spinning to check if there were any "wearing groans" on the ring gear but I heard none. So far about 9K miles later all is well. Looking for diff guard any Ideas on a Weld-Your-Own? Hell, maybe I'll make some thick ones and peddle them off here???

By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:11 am: Edit

What's "reasonably priced"?

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:23 am: Edit

You can find a front diff guard for less than $100. SG charges $95 for theirs. If you punch a hole in your diff, it will cost you a lot more than $100 to fix. It's cheap insurance. Bite the bullet and get one.

By nadim on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:26 am: Edit

My $G front gard saved my wallet when i rammed into a rock while crossing a river!...the gard was scrated like hell...the rock did not move!
My buddy without the gard rammed into a smaller rock...had to change the WHOLE assembly (case, diff, bla bla bla)...
CHEAP insurance...right on Axel

By Ron on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:35 am: Edit

75 from SG if you mention D-90.com

Ron

By Ron on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:36 am: Edit

43 UKP from MJ lee plus maybe 25UKP to ship to US

Ron

By nadim on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:37 am: Edit

$G are the best for these things in my opinion...

By Eric N (Grnrvr) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:44 am: Edit

My A.B. ones are pretty sturdy.

By Embarassed on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:51 am: Edit

Dumb question. What are you talking about $G? Where to get them?

By gp (Garrett) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 10:57 am: Edit

Safari Gard. here is their page:

www.safarigard.com

By Mike J. (Mudd) on Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - 12:30 pm: Edit

I'll order one (SG) today or tomorrow along with my RT 2" lift springs. Ya hoo another weekend of projects! Thanks again you guys are awsome. MJ

By Horness Spencer (Horness) on Thursday, July 26, 2001 - 01:00 am: Edit

Okay okay, when I get my Disco, first mod is the FRONT DIF GUARD.

Er.. where can I get one in the UK (pref fitted) ??

Any help appreciated

Horness

By Horness Spencer (Horness) on Thursday, July 26, 2001 - 01:17 am: Edit

Checked out www.safarigard.com for the dif guards etc.
(1) Does anyone know of anywhere in the UK that sells them?
(2) I presume I only need one at the front, and one at the back? Am I right?
(3) Are they easy to fit? This would be my first mod to my new Disco.

Any help appreciated.
Horness

By Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) on Thursday, July 26, 2001 - 03:03 am: Edit

You should pick up a copy of Land Rover Monthly, Land Rover World,etc. All the monthly LR rags that you have printed there that we don't get over here.

Lots of UK advertisers for aftermarket product like dif guards, shocks and springs, etc.

By Ron on Thursday, July 26, 2001 - 03:12 am: Edit

Horness,

MJ Lee

mjloffroad.co.uk or something In the UK best stuff going.

ROn

By M on Saturday, July 28, 2001 - 08:04 am: Edit

Is the southdown skid plate that cover the whole
front axle and steering good? Is it worth buying?

Mario