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Replacement Front Diff Guard


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My Ex-Mod 90 has what looks like a Southdown front steering guard fitted (and very nice it is too)

The army also fitted a massive axle/diff guard at the front, which is bolted on to the four bolts that hold the radius arms on and is jackable. This is like a huge plate that effectively lowers the ground clearance for the whole axle.

The problem has always been when off roading behind other solihul products with diff on same side. My motor has to flatten its way thru as the whole of the front axle guard lowers the clearance to almost that of the diff...

SO she is coming off, and I want to get a good diff & steering guard. See that QT do one, so thought I would ask about getting a combined unit or a diff guard and a steering protector separately...

Any suggestions....?

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My Ex-Mod 90 has what looks like a Southdown front steering guard fitted (and very nice it is too)

The army also fitted a massive axle/diff guard at the front, which is bolted on to the four bolts that hold the radius arms on and is jackable. This is like a huge plate that effectively lowers the ground clearance for the whole axle.

The problem has always been when off roading behind other solihul products with diff on same side. My motor has to flatten its way thru as the whole of the front axle guard lowers the clearance to almost that of the diff...

SO she is coming off, and I want to get a good diff & steering guard. See that QT do one, so thought I would ask about getting a combined unit or a diff guard and a steering protector separately...

Any suggestions....?

I'm using QT diff guards front and rear. The track rod and steering rod reinforced with sumo bars and my steering guard is a matt lee design. To date I've had no problems with any of this lot (touch wood) despite a few heavy knocks

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the southdown front guard issue has been disucssed here a few time.

personnally I run a full length southdown axle guard on the grounds that it protects the whole axle and drag link and when you hit something hard it will take the knoeck. the bad bits are reduced ground clearence and the fact that in boggy conditions the large plate acts like a suction with the mud. At least you can drag the vehicle through on the winch knowing its not going to get caught on rocks etc between the steering arm and axle etc.

Having said that i like it and until i can find something reasonable that will protect the rear steering arm and the diff i will wait out.

I run a QT on the rear (as it came with the truck) although having seen TJ101s QT guard bend and allow the front diff to become dented i am having second thoughts.

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I have a QT front diff guard fitted.

We had a hard landing comming out of the Central Kalihari Game reserve last year.

I checked the steering guard for damage but found none.

Two weeks later when servicing I found the track rod to be bent.

It was another four weeks before we found a workshop that would put the Defender over a pit and straighten the track rod.

When we came to straighten the track rod we found that it had been bent by the diff guard.Yep it needed bending down either side of the diff.

I'm seriously thinking of going Southdown as it looks like it will ptotect the track rod.

Another bonus with the Southdown.

You should only need to jack once in the middle and not at each side.

I eat rat poison

mike

I can cause trouble in an empty house !!

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Having seen the southdown axle guard in action on a couple of vehicles, and those owners then getting rid of it in favour of a QT guard, I'll stick with my QT guard.

TJ101 could bend anything :P:lol:

Mike are you sure the QT guard was the cause of bending? Or was it a case of the QT guard restrained the track rod from bending too far and hence the track rod bent around the QT guard. With a track rod retainer/protector on the bottom of the diff nose it stops the track rod being bent in to a banana shape along it's full length. Without the QT guard the track rod may have been bent to the extent that the vehicle wasn't driveable. There can't have been too much bending if it wasn't imediately noticeable to you.

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Mark really we don't know.

I and I would think you,would think that when the diff nose was belted up the track rod would follow.

This wasn't the case.The rod bent directly under the diff nose where it went through the diff guard.How I haven't a clue.

The track rod was actually straight under the diff nose and bent at either side.

One of those things I think.

The whole thing was my fault only.

I was going to fast in deep sand to keep momentum in third gear when I should have been in third low range.

I eat rat poison

mike

I can cause trouble in an empty house !!

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Guest diesel_jim

I run southdown on my rovers, and swear by 'em.

sometimes swear at them for getting me stuck, but i figure i'd rather have to winch a bit than crawl on my back removing and straightening track rods etc.

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I used to have a QT front dif guard until I hit a rock on the AFC last year. This severely bent the QT gaurd back onto the crown wheel. End result was EP90 on the floor and a knackered diff guard and diff pan. During the repairs I also noticed that the QT guard was rubbing the diff pan. It had left a bright area on the diff pan. Over time this would have rusted, been rubbed clean, rusted etc. End result would have been a hole in my opinion. I supose it depends on what your doing, but I would now automaticaly change out the standard LR diff pan for a fully welded on replacement - stronger and will not give you a future rusting problem. I have now gone for a home made solution:

Front Axle - Home made thing which completely replaces the LR diff pan. Consists of a 10mm thick x 50mm wide band of steel bent around a handy pipe. This is welded on to the casing to cover the crown wheel. The remainder is made from 6mm steel plate bent to shape. See end result below:

MVC-005L.jpg

The effectiveness of the job was proven at the Ironman when a hidden boulder in the heather was driven into. End result was the rock disintigrated and the paint was scratched on the diff pan. Not checked if the axle is still straight though...

Then moved on to the rear and this time used a Pipe cap as it makes the job so much quicker (didn't think of that for the front). See below. The cap is 9 - 10mm thick, i.e. indestructable.

MVC-010L.jpg

Adrian

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If I had the fabrication skills/facilities/time to do a replacement diff pan I'd probably go that route, or possibly strengthen what's there, like this.....

axle.jpg

sorry about the poor quality pic.

But as i haven't I use QT guards.

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Something like this Mark ?

Aye something very like. Can be as strong as a pipe cap, but with better angles for deflecting over obsticles and no lip at the bottom to get caught up on. The protection could also be extended under the bottom of the axle case too.

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TJ101 could bend anything :P:lol:

Very Funny Mark !!,, ok, i bent a QT in wales, not had a chance to look at it yet, will get some pics, but so far, planning on replaceing it with another QT ?, as so far been happy with them

I am also thinking of welding in one of the HD pans as well, but the pipe end has me thinking :unsure:

Have tied a clamp type on the previous defender's, did lose one, and hit another, to the point that it split the pan/diff weld, l

On the Bobtail, she had one of the plough ones underneath, good protection, but hit most things and a so&so to winch / tow backwards, in soft stuff or rocks, could only go forwards, if at all possable !! do not think i will be going down that route again

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Very Funny Mark !!,, ok, i bent a QT in wales, not had a chance to look at it yet, will get some pics, but so far, planning on replaceing it with another QT ?, as so far been happy with them

Were you guys spotting each other coming down LFH? ;)

From the pics it didn't look like you were :P

Cheers

Steve

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FYI, Frogs Island 4x4 do a combined QT style (ie wrap arround band style gaurd) that bolts together with a track rod gaurd (square tube type thing, I've used one for 3 years and works well). At the moment I'm using a bolt on type diff gaurd front and rear which is welded in place with a couple of small stiches for security. It works well but they are mud traps. I'm probably going to do pipe cap pans when I take the diffs out for pegging.

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  • 2 years later...

yes it is a Southdown one i would say from the picture and correct they angle up at the front and back, excellent protection from rocks/stones etc for the diff and the drag link. i rate them highly but if your into deep mud driving then you will find it acts as a bit of a suction plate. if your greenlaning and playdays then more than upto it. saves on upgrading drap links too.

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