DIFFLOCK.com - Diff-Mag 20

ISSUE 20

Editor's Comment . . .

When you spend all summer attending various shows and exhibitions like we have you can never fail to be impressed by the huge range of truly innovative products there are out there. Most of which were developed by real 4x4 enthusiasts who developed their stuff the hard way - by trial and error in the field. We would recommend that everyone support these companies as far as possible, they are making all our lives easier in some way and are probably helping to increase the enjoyment you get from your 4x4.

Another group of unsung heroes are the Club representatives who seem to spend all their spare time organising events and club activities for the benefit of others, they all give their time for free and I doubt whether they are truly appreciated by everyone who benefits from their hard work. A great example is the South London and Surry Land Rover Club who organise the annual London to Brighton Run. There are a lot of 'professional' event organisers out there that could learn a great deal from these guys, they run a tight ship, the events go off without a hitch and everyone enjoys themselves.

Contrast that to some events that are organised simply as a way of taking your money off you. One day these outfits will come unstuck as people get used to going to very well organised events that they can take the whole family without having to hand over half a week's wages just to get in, only to find themselves looking round endless stalls selling fudge, garden furniture, shoe polish and double glazing!

I'm not going to name names here but the guilty parties know who they are!

Well now I've got all that off my chest I'm pleased to say that we've got a lot of very useful stuff for you this month, our Tools and Equipment guides are an indispensable tool in themselves, we're going to cover everything from spanners to welders over the coming months, telling you what to look for, what everything does and, more importantly, how to use them properly. We are also currently building these into a downloadable library that you can save onto your PC and print or save for future reference.

Before long you'll realise that life could be a lot easier if only you bought the right tools rather than using that lump hammer and adjustable wrench for every single job you tackle on your 4x4, carrying a limited onboard tool kit for emergency purposes is one thing but when this becomes your 'main' toolkit for home and workshop use you know you're just asking for trouble

Next month we'll be expanding the Welding guides as well as talking about air compressors and some other more essential equipment.

Keep Off Roading!

Best Regards
Simon Ward-Hastelow
simon@difflock.com

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FEATURES . . .
	LONDON TO BRIGHTON # 4 There are some events in the 4x4 calendar that have become "must attend" events. The London to Brighton Land Rover Run has become just that. This is just the fourth Run but already it's so well established and so well organised that you'd think it had been going for much, much longer. MORE > >
	ROLL OVER PREVENTION Having rolled a vehicle back in my early days working in Upcountry Uganda, again, I learnt the hard way about the dangers of unsealed roads. Since that time I’ve treated this potentially, very dangerous road surface with the utmost respect.. MORE > >
	GLOBAL OVERLAND - PART FIVE - TIBET 2 people, 2 years, 26 countries and a Defender called Snortie This month sees the start of one of the most ambitious overland expeditions a couple could ever undertake. Leaving the rat race behind Tanya and Jason set of for a trip that will take them 2 years to drive from Australia to the UK and everywhere in between MORE > >

VEHICLES . . .
	FIAT CAMPAGNOLA Introduced in 1951, the Campagnola followed the design of the original 'Willy's' Jeep in using a front mounted engine, four wheel drive and an open bodywork. It was powered by a 1901cc petrol engine wih 53bhp. The version produced for the military was known as the AR51. In 1953 a diesel engine, still of 1901cc but now with 40bhp, was added to the range MORE > >

OFF ROAD . . .

COMPLETE GUIDE TO OFF-ROADING - Part THREE
Which 4x4? - The Previous article explained some of the fundamental principles of how a four wheeled vehicle manages to provide drive to each wheel (most of the time) and is still able to go round corners. Before we embark on the vast subject of preparing and getting the best out of your vehicle, it is worth considering what type of off-road vehicle could best suit your needs. MORE > >

TOOLS & WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT . . .
	LIFTING & JACKING - PART ONE - The design, capacity and condition of your lifting and support equipment Lifting and supporting a 4x4 safely requires not just a jack to provide the lifting force but also axle stands, wheel chocks and spreader plates (for soft or uncertain ground conditions).The first piece of equipment most of us will buy for lifting our vehicle will be a Jack. Jacks come in a variety of shapes and sizes ranging from simple ‘scissor’ jacks to hydraulic trolley jacks. MORE > >
	LIFTING & JACKING - PART TWO - The ground surface and location When you lift and support a vehicle it is important that it doesn’t move or it may roll off your jack/axle stand. For this reason, you should never lift a vehicle on any sort of slope because it is simply too risky. If you don’t have a level place at home then either get busy with the spade and concrete mixer to make one (concrete should be a strong mix and at least 100mm thick laid onto a bed of around 200m of hardcore or preferably Type 2 Fill with all topsoil previously removed) or do the work on flat ground elsewhere. MORE > >
	SOCKET SETS A decent quality socket set really is one of the absolute essentials of any vehicle mechanic’s tool kit. Socket sets allow the rapid removal and replacement of fasteners such as nuts, bolts and Torx fittings, often in places too tight for ordinary spanners or where the fastener has seized and a spanner simply slips off. MORE > >
	WELDING - Part ONE - Introduction to Welding If you are looking for a quick, cheap and simple method of repairing or fabricating steel and aluminium sheet or section, then you could be forgiven for rushing out and buying yourself a DIY welder from your local tool stockist. Sadly, for many who have they have found out the hard way that there is a lot more to welders and welding than meets the eye. MORE > >
	WELDING - Part TWO - Arc Welders Arc welders are the simplest form of electric welder and are suitable for welding steel and cast iron, and despite their reputation for being hard to master and difficult to use on thin sheet they are very effective, reliable and have the lowest operating costs . MORE > >
	DISPOSABLE NITRILE GLOVES In years past not many of us worried about protecting ourselves from harmful chemicals unless the effects were instant and very painful. Long-term exposure to seemingly ‘harmless’ substances such as used oils, solvents and fuels was commonplace in garages and homes throughout the land. MORE > >

SERVICING & MAINTENANCE . . .

BACK TO BASICS - PART ONE - PREPARATION
Welcome to a new series of articles that we hope will introduce or simply refresh the basics of 4x4 maintenance for everyone. As the series progresses, and with your help and feedback, we hope to cover many other topics including off road or expedition preparation. We have called the series Back to Basics because we are starting with the everyday essentials that cannot be avoided BUT will save you money! MORE > >

NEW PRODUCTS . . .
	FIRESTYLE ALLOYS There's no doubt that a set of alloys on your 4x4 make it look the business, they are easier to look after, will not rust or get tatty as quick as steel wheels can do and if you're looking to sell your Land Rover then a neat set of wheels and tyres is always a BIG draw for the potential purchasers. Nene Valley Off Road have developed their own Land Rover Style alloy wheels that can be fitted to even the earliest 90s and 110s that have drum brakes, ALL 200 and 300 series Discoverys and Classic Range Rovers. MORE > >
	MARSHLAND HEAVY DUTY BUMPER A while back we reviewed the Modular Recovery Device from Marshland Offroad. This superly innovative product gave every Land Rover owner the ability to add extra recovery points to their vehicle with no modifications required. Well now Marshland have incorporated that Modular concept into a range of Heavy Duty bumpers. These Bumpers are a straight replacement of your original bumper but with the added convenience of being pre-drilled to take a whole host of additional recovery points and equipment mounts. MORE > >

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