Land Rover updates - new gear

In the URE!5 Rover expedition post I mentioned a QT differential guard. Well, the truck is clean now and you can get a better idea of what it does. I did a lot of research on different options for this protection, and I choose this guard for a couple of reasons.

It wraps around the entire diff instead of just one side like the RTE weld on guard. This guard has a "slider" from the front to back which helps the axle slide over debris like rocks and roots. It is bolt-on, so I don't need to weld-on anything. The high temperatures from welding effects the gear oil, resulting in draining it and replacing it. Just a bunch of extra expense and steps for no actual benefit. The QT is anodized, so no rust. All it requires is to remove the harmonic balancer, slide the guard over it, then bolt it on. Then at the top of the prop shaft drive flange, just remove two bolts and slide the top plate in, then bolt it back on. Finally, one last bolt to connect the main guard and the top plate. Then tighten everything down.

From the website " QT rockslider diff guards for the rear axle provide protection to the prop shaft drive flange. They give a smooth ramp to prevent snagging on rocks and tree stumps at the front of the axle and wrap around the rear of the diff pan to give the same level of protection as the front diff guard. All guards are electroplated for corrosion"

Great piece of mind!










I took back the hand-held CB and replaced it with a traditional "boxed" CB with similar features and NOAA weather band. I had a ton of options to mount it, but I choose next to my right leg on the console tunnel. It is easy to access and to read the display screen. I wanted it to be out-of-the-way and not too noticeable. It is hard wired directly to the battery, so there is no interference from other electronics.








I had to rewire my work lamp. There was a short somewhere and I kept blowing fuses. So, I removed all the wiring and started over. The lamp is also connected directly to the battery. In this case, the direct connect allows me to use the light without turning the ignition or having the truck on. This works well for camping and in the middle of the night looking for a bathroom spot.

I fabricated a little switch panel on the dash so the work lamp switch integrated well, keeping it looking stock. The last picture is just some grip tape I put on the rungs of the roof rack ladder. It was difficult to keep muddy and wet feat from slipping...so some grip tape did the trick...