Noticed a piece of broken steel cable dangling by my rear differential. Appears to have been a cable attaching a bracket just below the differential to the frame.
No idea what it used to do, or what it is.
The whole bracket that it's attached to I can't find in the Rave at all.
Any ideas?
Any idea how long the cable should be? It will be easy to replace (give or take getting the bolts off). If it needs replacing… again, no idea what it's purpose was.

Seems a tiny cable for the size of everything around it, not surprised it snapped.

Bonus points for identifying the bracket and two round things in the second photo!

 

the strap is not important to the weight. that counterweight is just there as a damper, of sorts, to minimize vibration effects.
I say effects, because you may not notice its absence, but it is, theoretically, supposed to remove the vibrations that cause unwanted/premature wear to bushings and junk.
the strap is so it doesn't "bonk" you in the head......I guess

 

Ah. Land Rover solution to everything: Just add weight.

 

oh, and I think they are actually referred to as anti vibration counter weights....................but don't quote me on that, I could have made that name up, as I assessed them myself.

 

yep, vibrating driveline = "let's just weight it down. gravity will stop that.............................................. ...............right?"

 

Do you think I need to replace that cable? I really can't see it doing much.

 

Well..... if you want to avoid that bonk on the head.

 

^ that...that thing has to weigh near 50#. That strap comes in handy when you are removing/replacing the diff....but your call. No harm either way....well "no harm" till the bonk

 

Incidentally, it's not just weight, but the composition of the rubber, and its distance from the source of the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness). It's called a "tuned mass" and dampens the specific unwanted vibration frequency. I believe the steel cable is there to prevent you from dropping the piece on the road after getting it ripped off on debris. However, it might be there for grounding purposes, to prevent interference in the radio.

 

X1 hormonics counterweight with a restraint cable. As Dusty says, stops it hitting your 'swede' if you have to remove it or bouncing down the highway and killing someone if it breaks loose/falls off (unlikely).