I went to fit the tow bar wiring to the car today and behind the left luggage compartment trim I found what I can only describe as a child’s bodge. I have 3 connectors loose and an earth which looks at one time to have been attached to an earth point. Someone has cut some wires and spliced in others but for what reason I don’t know. They have attached a wire to an earth point by removing the insulation on an earth wire and wrapping the core of the new cable around the core of the earth cable. No solder and no insulation tape. It begs belief!! Any ideas if I’m missing something or are they superfluous?







 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

I’ve now found out that the connectors are for the rear differential control module. So should a 5.0 Supercharged have one of them? 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

The three loose connectors, Yellow, Purple and Black are for the Rear Diff Control Module which I assume are only used if you have the Electronic Locking Rear Diff fitted. The purple connector should be a 15 pin plug with just a pair of can bus wires one in pin 2 and the other in pin 5. The yellow plug should be a 8 pin and the black one 18 pin. As for the extra wires wouldn't have a clue, although when had a tracker fitted that's where they fitted the unit, so may have been something along those lines, but would have hoped for a more professional job than that bodge.

Cheers
Col

Brit Plumber wrote:

I’ve now found out that the connectors are for the rear differential control module. So should a 5.0 Supercharged have one of them?

It is actually possible to retrofit the locking rear diff - a chap on Disco3 did it some time ago as I remember. A bit of wiring required but other than that and the CCF update, it was good to go. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Might work out bit expensive unless you can get used parts, new diff alone would be over 2k + surcharge unless you had old one.

Cheers
Col

I didn't say it would be cheap, just possible. This is LR - their spares are ridiculously overpriced these days when you look at some of the OEM prices for the same item. Sadly, I'm not aware of diffs being available OEM. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Does the Sport really need a locking rear diff? If it did, wouldn't they have fitted it as standard? 2019 5.0 SC SVA (Current)
2012 5.0 SC AB. Sadly written off by a campervan
23 plate Focus ST (Current)
1942 VEP Ford GPW Jeep (Willys) (Current)
1943 Whites M16 Halftrack (Current)
16 plate Eurofighter Typhoon, 2 x Eurojet engines with 20,000lbs thrust each. 1380mph

The reality is that 99% of people, 99% of the time won't need the locking rear diff.

Unless you're going really heavily off road, then no, it doesn't need a locking rear diff. The traction control and clever mapping of Terrain Response is good enough most of the time. If you were doing lots of cross axle work then a the rear diff lock would be useful then too but, again, the standard system is pretty decent anyway.

I merely mentioned it as an aside really. If I was replacing the rear diff then I'd consider fitting the locking version and having the wiring adjusted accordingly. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed