ok ive welded the back, used it and loved it. i had a detroit in the front of my 44. i now have a 60 coming, and i want to do this the cheapest way possible. will i break much easier with the welded diff. i dont think my detroit offered much stress reduction in the front. look im not worried about tuning. im not worried about anything but axle breakage.

will it be a big step from a detrit in the front????

pat

you may say that youre not worried about turning, but trust me you will be if you do this! that is unless you have hydro steering... :D

it will suck ass. With my front ARB engaged its the same as a spool and i can barely turn in the mud, i cant even imagine on rocks!!:eek:

Go for it. It is better than open ;) And, if you don't like it, you can replace it with a Detroit or anything else. In fact, I'm going to weld my 60 (unless I can dig up a Power Lock at the local yard) and go with it :D :D :D

I've asked this before and got alot of:rainbow: responses, and a couple of actual knowledgable replies. The concensous is to not drive onroad in 4wd(why would you) strengthen your arms(no problem) and it shouldn't be any more stess than an engaged arb or a locker under throttle. I am planning on a spool for my front and wouldn't want a welded diff in the front(not that there is anything wrong with that) but for the extra insurance that a weld won't break.

I switched from a welded 44 to a 60 last summer and I welded it. It's cheap, simple and foolproof. Maybe if you were driving on solid rock it would be hard to turn and hard on parts, but no more than a locker. I drove with the 44 welded for 10 yrs or so.

:D weld it, weld it, weld it! get that lazy tire going.;)

its alot harder on front axle shafts and u-joints. its also a B@ITCH to turn. i would say only if you really think you can live with it, and you have a really good power steering system.

I wouldn't do it, but I only have a little bit (33 years) of 4X4 experience. Trying to turn a locked ARB on anything but ice is impossible. Hydro steering will just break something, either a knuckle U-joint or a stub axle. Don't drive on the road in 4WD? Must live in southern Calif., then! I frequently use 4WD on the pavement (Alaska).
I have a front Lockright in my M37. It's fine as long as the power steering is working. A Detroit will be fine, too.
Don't want to break anything? I've seen welded diffs break 3 times in one trip.
Charlie

Err...Ice is the one thing it won't turn on...The wheels will turn, but not the vehicle... :)

If you plan on wheeling on any sort of high traction surface like slickrock, you're gonna regret welding it. Its bad enough with a locker that at least be a little forgiving. If you do weld it, twin stick t-case is the best next mod.

two words : vaccum switch
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http://www.gulfcoastrovers.com/all/switch/Dsc00212.jpg
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And people say vaccum disconnects are junk:D I'll be welding my 30 up probably next week. We'll see how soon everything blows up!

One of my buds w/a EB has been running a D44 w/38's for about 2 years welded front w/warn axles:rainbow:

He's only broken one u-joint and is goint to CTM's:D

I say go for it, you can always go to a mech locker:rainbow:

I always have my ARB on when wheelin and dont have any probs

this would be the same thing, if it get hard unlock a hub:rainbow:

at least you wont be one of those guys who is always going in and out of your ARB(pet peeve)

just my .02 so if you dont agree :flipoff2:

Originally posted by landuseorc
If you plan on wheeling on any sort of high traction surface like slickrock, you're gonna regret welding it. Its bad enough with a locker that at least be a little forgiving. If you do weld it, twin stick t-case is the best next mod.

Actually a twin-stick won't make much difference.
It's the fact that both tires are locked together and cannot rotate at different speeds while turning that causes the hard turning and bind, but with power strg. it should not be a problem for most people.
Being able to disconnect the front from driving might help on slippery surfaces, because the front end won't try to plow thru the turns as much, but I'm not sure about that.

like i said i am not worried about steering. i will have full hydro, and before when i had 39.5 tsl on my bronco and sagina (sp) pump, i never once had a problem steering until i ripped the box off the frame. that was with a detroit, and at 5 psi. not a problem steering will be fine im sure. a detroit under some acceleration, will be just like a spool. im just worried about breaking axles again. i want to go cheep so i can get my rig running again. if i dont like it ill throw a detroit in. just dont want to break 60s like i did 44s. oh did i mention i will have a big block now :)
pat

Like XJEric said unless its a d30 w/ some type of axle disco I wouldnt do it... Or carry a second wench to run out and lock/unlock a hub... I welded someone else's d30 and I rode in it locked in and it SUCKED! Wasnt tolerable except when necessary. He later installed a posi lock (already had it just no reason to install) and it worked like a charm!

look im talking about a complete trailer rig, only cement it will see is geting on the trailer. and it wont have a dana 30 ill tell you that, i think its a little beyond needing a possi

I thought it was clear that in my post I was referring to a more dual purpose rig for people who dont trailer their rigs around. It was only my opinion and nothing more. Sorry it was a bit off topic of the thread. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by broncoboy
i think its a little beyond needing a possi

Not posi as in positraction. Its a nifty cable type device that locks and unlocks one side of the axle on YJ's and TJ's. But of course you are beyond that :rolleyes:

Not TJs, just YJs and XJs. They make them for the Dodge's with the disco too. I would just assume fab one though, it isn't too hard with a drill and some cable. The tricky part is finding the elusive return spring.

I knew that and also on the dana 60's that come out of the 1 tons but I was trying to make a point.