QT Rear Diff Skid Plate

At the expense of just under half-an-inch of running ground clearance, the QT rear differential skid plate provides a 1/4-inch steel approach ramp and bash plate for the vulnerable rear differential on a Discovery. The leading edge is well thought out and bolts solidly to factory-provided holes (the same ones that hold the vibration dampener in place). I’ve whacked the skid a few times now with no trouble, but I can’t say I’m too fond of the way the trailing edge is secured. I have even heard stories of the skid being ripped off on the trail. That said, given the simplicity and low cost of this solution I am very happy with it and plan to add a matching unit up front.

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I’ve Got Wood

Birch, that is.

I finally got started on the rear storage/sleeping platform this afternoon, and have the most difficult panel – the bottom – about 90% finished.

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WindowSOX

I have to thank Jon at OAUSA for pointing me in the right direction when we were discussing the pros and cons of using the vehicle as a tent at camp one evening. My most-wished-for feature on the Disco-tent was screens for the windows, that way I can sleep with the windows down when it’s nice out and remain bug free.

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The Mule

This began with an exhausting Craigslist search for what I thought would be the ideal platform for long term camping and hauling a canoe: an old Datsun truck-bed trailer. The last long trip we took saw 500 pounds of water sitting in the back of the Disco with all the other gear, and even with the OME heavy duty springs it was not fun to drive. We ended up supplying water for most of the group for the first few days just so we could get the weight down. After finally tracking one down that didn’t disappear on me before I could reach the seller, we made the 8-hour drive down to Tuscon only to realize that the Datsun-bed would be way too big for what I had in mind (the constant question was “Would I have been ok towing this on the Navajo trip?”). Fortunately, we found this little guy sitting right next to the Datsun, and he only wanted $300:

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Communications

Given the limited space, low dash, and stadium-style seating in the Discovery, the best solution for mounting additional displays and controls turned out to be a custom dash pod. This position on the dash allows for easy viewing on the road, no obstruction of the road from the driver’s seat, and minimal permanent changes to the vehicle.

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