[Orionn]

I searched and found this post about welding the dif of the ZukiLincoln Locker

half way down one posts talks about welding the spider with two welds 180* apart.

Has anyone done this? I need to lock the rear, but have zero funds right now. this seems to be a viable choice, as it still allows for some action of the dif in corners.

This Zuki is Off road only, but I flat tow it to the trails. So I dont want to weld solid if I can help it, and I have not found any spools available for it, and lockers right now are out of my price range.

anyone got any input here?

thanks

 

[Rockrat]

Its called a fozzy locker do a search for fozzy locker youll get alot of info. I think the guys in Canada started doing that. cause of an issue with them having lockers on the street. and certain laws or something like that.

 

[billj]

Mine´s like this, as is (was?) Mudlite´s.........

I went for this idea since I kinda liked the idea of having a little "play" in the diff, rather than being totally solid. What I´ve got is around 3/4 of a tire rotation relative to the other before it locks up. However, I´ve found in practice very little benefit from this feature. The issue is that the spiders are not self-centering. In other words, if you make two consecutive left turns for example, you reach the end of the relative play and it acts just like a spool from there.

Some people have commented on their concern of having the spiders "slam" into the welds and break. I´ve not had this happen, as the relative rotational speed of the carrier is slow enough to barely make the contact noticeable. Just make sure that the two welds are very well done and are of the same size. I welded the tooth valleys completly shut to the outer profile and then belt sanded them smooth.

If I had to do it over, I´d prolly just weld it all fixed 100% and be done with it. Since I have locking hubs on my rear axle anyways, I make it a practice to drive on asphalt with the rear free wheeling. That way, there´s no stress on the axles and also minimal tire wear.

EDIT: I welded on the SIDE gears, not the spiders........

HTH.

 

[Orionn]

Thanks.......

I just got done reading MORE search topics on the "Fozzy" lockers.

I think that I will weld the side gears rather than the spiders, after I pull the diff, I will run it through a few preliminary rotations using a chunk of wood dowl to 'weld' the valley of the teeth on the sides. then I will look at how it wants to load the carier.
Not having a full floater rear, hence no lockouts, I do want a bit of rotation for towing. if it save the tires even a little it will help till I can afford a trailer, let alone something better than the stock axles.

thanks for the fast info on it. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[Orionn]

As an added note:

Asian Auto Parts offers a Mini Spool, scroll down a bit to see it.

I am going to call about this, and see if it 'HAS' to be installed by him or not. but I am still looking at doing the welded Fozzy locker, cash reasons and all.

thx

 

[High5]

i have sevral friends who wheel zuks and they have tried the "fozzy" way in the past and they always end up breaking. they sometimes will last for a while but eventually they fail. then again they could not keep any of the axle parts on the zuks alive so most have switched to d44's.

 

[Orionn]

Thanks High5;

I understand the breakage problems, and in light of that, this is a cheap, temporary fix untill I can get my 'new' axles purchased and installed. if it last the summer, untill next fall when I tear into it for its transformation, great, if not, well I'll cross that bridge when the time comes.

thanks again for the heads up

 

[Alfred]

billj,

in your sig it says a 71 ford mil. spec cj5 ....



could this be by any chance a Ford U-50????? .... if so, i have a '81 long model (cj6 body)

very nice, indeed!!!

alfred
chile

 

[godzuki]

i run the spider gears welded on the original zook axel .no problems then i welded them on the highbred that i built with 5.12gears .sold them and hes still running them.now i welded the spiders in the land cruiser axels with 5.29s and no problem.but my brother might of broke one loose last weekend not for shure? if you just weld the spiders you can always take them out later and put a spool or locker in the carrier if you weld up everything you have to get another carrierjust my.02

 

[deepmud]

Keep in mind Mud Lite's partially welded spiders are on a Dana 44, and Billj is running Dana 30's and runs mud pretty much exclusively(not so tough on things in mud). I have heard many(ok at least 3) folks with E-Z lockers say they'd just as soon have a welded diff and skip the banging of the locker - I have never minded my locker, but I think of lincoln in the back as soon as I ram assist the front -then the E-Z locker I have would be managable up front. But my .02 (you have almost a nickel now!)say go with the welded rear for the money saving option - I am confident it should be more reliable - you end up with less parts moving that way than the partly welded diff.
deemud

 

[MuddMachine]

Ive had 100% success stick welding gears. Lots of zook's and some bigger stuff as well, I also find a fully welded diff smooth. No clangin or bangin. Put the stick to it and be done with it.

 

[ShadowZuk]

My friend Jonny Blaze welded both front and rear diffs. He had lockers before and said he would never go back. The steering isn't that much different than having a locker up front. When you are locked in 4wd your front is pretty much spooled when it has torque on it. I welded both of my diffs and love it. The only advantage for having a locker up front is being able to put it in 2 wheel low and being able to steer it.. So just have good p/s..

Hope this helps.

 

[kd7srj]

so it seems to be like 50/50 on the success rate of the welded diffs i have had my rear welded professionally 3 times the first time the diff wasnt welded enough and the 2nd time the stock rear carrier with sidekick front 5.12's shattered the carrier and the third time worked the best hybrid rear and didnt break but since the side gears are fixed to the carrier and not "floating" when welded properly they tend to rub against the splines when rotating and after a while you have worn and eventually twisted the end of your axles smooth namely the short axle first since there isnt as much length to give in to a tortioning effect when the rear binds when you make a u turn but then again I have been told i could break an anvil with an egg you decide..

 

[jones]

My front has been welded solid for 2 years without breaking. Yet.

On a side note is it OK to flat tow a rig with a welded rear? I thought I read somewhere it was not.

 

[Orionn]

but then again I have been told i could break an anvil with an egg you decide..

Your stayin' away from my Anvil!! thier hard to find nowdays! :flipoff2:

Thanks for all the input, I have just realized that the Diff is ALOT different than I was expecting!!!

can I pull the thing apart and NOT have to re-setup the gears on it? I thought that I read that it would be fine as long as it goes back togeather the same way.

Oh man, this is way new territory for me here!!

All your input has been great, now if ya can help me on this last one, I'll be on my way to the welder!!

 

[ShadowZuk]

Mine always flat towed fine with a welded diff

 

[zookbrat]

I 've welded a lot of diffs. My sj410 baby size even holds up running 33s. It broke with a lockrite - and I am out $250 cause richmond does not want to honor warranties. Dana 27 on my cj was welded and worked on arizona rocks and texas mud - broke lockout hub in texas. I have a narrowed sidekick rear ( welded too ) ready to go in if sj ever breaks. And yes - you can flat tow it.

 

[billj]

Yes, you can weld the diff without having to do a complete R/P setup. Just mark everything before loosening any bolts and put it all back together EXACTLY as is was.........

 

[Orionn]

Thanks for all the Tech input on Welded Diffs. I will taking it apart tonight. I need to post a few pix of the short side wheel bearing from the last run (september '02). It :nuke: then :barf: about 25-20 miles from home. It was not prety what I found last night. I cant belive that it made it as far as it did.

I see new axles in the near future.

thanks again

 

[zukzilla4x4]

it will never beat a locker i had mine the same way cause i was to cheep to put a locker in it well i blew the carrier and axil housing right out of it so it may last for a while but will never beat the real thing... lol