I’ve had the RCI armor sitting around for at least three years. I had already installed the front and middle skid plates and the gas tank skid, but never got around to the two sections behind the differential, the rear diff pumpkin cover, or the torsion bar skids.
This trip finally motivated me to finish all of it.
I also did my first diff breather relocation kit and moved the breather up near the fuel fill. Installing the torsion bar skids got a little more interesting — once I loosened everything up, the whole vehicle shifted enough that I had to use a come-along to pull the holes back into alignment.
Then, of course, I decided to change all three differential fluids after I had put all the armor on.
The rear was actually fine because the new pumpkin cover has a drain port. The center diff dumped oil all over the top of the skid plate, although most of it found two holes to drain out of — and is still coming out of them. (Wink wink.)
And for the front, I got to remove the skid plate I had just installed so I could actually get to it.
The fluids looked pretty good overall. I’m assuming the front and center had been changed before. The rear was another story — dark, nasty, smelled horrible — so I’m really glad I got that one done.
Anyway, it’s all together now and I’m happy. Armor done, fluids changed, breather relocated. Ready for a fun adventure.
This trip finally motivated me to finish all of it.
I also did my first diff breather relocation kit and moved the breather up near the fuel fill. Installing the torsion bar skids got a little more interesting — once I loosened everything up, the whole vehicle shifted enough that I had to use a come-along to pull the holes back into alignment.
Then, of course, I decided to change all three differential fluids after I had put all the armor on.
The rear was actually fine because the new pumpkin cover has a drain port. The center diff dumped oil all over the top of the skid plate, although most of it found two holes to drain out of — and is still coming out of them. (Wink wink.)
And for the front, I got to remove the skid plate I had just installed so I could actually get to it.
The fluids looked pretty good overall. I’m assuming the front and center had been changed before. The rear was another story — dark, nasty, smelled horrible — so I’m really glad I got that one done.
Anyway, it’s all together now and I’m happy. Armor done, fluids changed, breather relocated. Ready for a fun adventure.