Out with the old

We're at Tony's and the Rover's in the shop and up on the hoist.
Moments later the rear differential is out and disemboweled. This Rover is a bit of a Frankenstein, the rear differential is out of a 1982 military Land Rover, it's seriously robust and there was good reason. The early military Land Rovers had regular Land Rover rear ends and they're prone do failure under heavy use. The British military suggested Rover find a solution and quick. That solution was to use an American Dana 60 rear end, massive by Rover standards but a godsend for anyone using their Rover
to work, as I do. One of the added benefits of having a Dana 60 rear end in the truck is availability of aftermarket goodies, like the ARB air locking differential I had installed some years ago. This locker has been both a blessing and a curse, I installed it in an era where I off roaded the truck pretty hard, and while a locker can get you out of some sticky situations it can, like any
performance enhancement, get you in more trouble. I don't off road anymore,....
Another curse from having the locker installed was the shop that did the work.
The poor thing howled and leaked from day one. the use I've put it through these last few years didn't justify the immense cost of rebuilding it but my upcoming road trip does. So with new ring and pinion gears, bearings, seals and a new drive flange on order we're going to get this rear end in top shape.While the truck was on the hoist, we changed out the front differential as well, much simpler as a Rover differential is housed in a "pumpkin" with all the gear set up done as a self contained unit. It's common to replace a Rover diff in a mud puddle on the trail in well under an hour. I had brought a good spare with me.  I murdered the old differential trying to tow a loaded dump truck out of a ditch. The rear tires slipped and all the gear crunching torque of my big V6 motor did, well, just that.