I need some real traction for a change...

After my reading 5 pages of search threads :flipoff2: , it seems there is a lot of debate around welding to the carrier or not? so what do you guys think? With the clutch packs of a trac lock you can't weld the side gears to the carrier. So my options are

1-weld the spiders to the side gears only
2-weld the side gears to the spiders and the spiders to the case.

My question is will welding to the carrier make the carrier weaker? If not then more weld seems better? If so then will the spiders to the side gears be enough??

Would you think twice about it if you drive to trails (6+ hours)?

Originally posted by troutbum
I need some real traction for a change...

After my reading 5 pages of search threads :flipoff2: , it seems there is a lot of debate around welding to the carrier or not? so what do you guys think? With the clutch packs of a trac lock you can't weld the side gears to the carrier. So my options are

1-weld the spiders to the side gears only
2-weld the side gears to the spiders and the spiders to the case.

My question is will welding to the carrier make the carrier weaker? If not then more weld seems better? If so then will the spiders to the side gears be enough??

Would you think twice about it if you drive to trails (6+ hours)?

I've read most of the posts on welding diffs. I too have not been able to determine if welding the gears to the carrier is a good idea or not. Because I have the 60, with larger spider gears I'm just going to weld the gears together.

But on a 44 I don't know if that is enough, the trash loc adds more doubt, because the carriers have less strength then an open carrier. One of 4x4 rags had an article on welding a TL, out of Chrysler rear end, when they welded the rear they added blocks to bridge from the carrier to the side gears.

What size tires are you running? If 35 and down I'd weld just the spiders, anything above and I'd fill the carrier with rod.

My 2 cents

Joe

Just FWIF- This was actually discussed in one of the 4WD mags a couple of months ago. They welded up a trashlock in a D44 and added a 1"x .5" piece of steel to bridge between the spider gear and the case. They welded that piece in and then welded the spider gears to the side gears. They reported good results.

My tracloc is welded, just weld the gears up, don't worry about the carrier. If the gears are welded solid the carrier turns with everything, so why weld the carrier to the gears.