[elripster]

I would appreciate some oppinions. I use my 89 runner 3.0 for two things: Off roading and hauling the bands gear to gigs that don't require our PA. So, I drive it about 2X a month on the street loaded with gear (about 600+lb.) and once every 6 weeks to off road. Once and a while I get sick of my ultra slow 79 Benz Diesel and just drive it to drive it.

I wish to weld the rear and am wondering what effect having that weight in the back will have? It's not a daily driver and I couldn't care less if it chirps is otherwise a pain in parking lots, etc... I'm only concerned about what damage, aside from tire wear, I might experience if I have to pull some sharp turns to get to the back of some bar/club to unload the gear. I guess what I'm asking is, will the v6 third hold up to the stress?

Thanks,

Frank.

[ 10-15-2001: Message edited by: elripster ]

 

[crash]

All i can see is wearing out axle bearings a bit more rapidly, seen then chew up about every 6 months when there is alot of street use since thats where most of the abuse will come from.

 

[4X4buzzard]

Had my 4cyl. housing welded for almost 3 years. I'm running 35 14.50 boggers with a 300hp V8, so far no problem. Of course its not a daily driver, but I do occasionally drive it to work 30miles both ways. I would suggest finding a welder who knows what they are doing however. The best rod to use is high chromium type. Key thing is to not get the housing too hot, (the bearings & housing may loose hardness) use some water soaked rags to wrap the housing in. Also make sure to fill in both sides of both spider gears & weld the center pin in place.
The thing the other guy said about the wheel bearings, I havent experienced yet, however I still wonder where all that torsional stress ends up. I do see some visible wear on my boggers, however they are quite soft compound. They don't chirp that much only on certain types of pavement, but they do leave nice bogger marks in my driveway. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[crash]

Originally posted by 4x4buzzard:
<STRONG>Had my 4cyl. housing welded for almost 3 years. I'm running 35 14.50 boggers with a 300hp V8, so far no problem. Of course its not a daily driver, but I do occasionally drive it to work 30miles both ways. I would suggest finding a welder who knows what they are doing however. The best rod to use is high chromium type. Key thing is to not get the housing too hot, (the bearings & housing may loose hardness) use some water soaked rags to wrap the housing in. Also make sure to fill in both sides of both spider gears & weld the center pin in place.
The thing the other guy said about the wheel bearings, I havent experienced yet, however I still wonder where all that torsional stress ends up. I do see some visible wear on my boggers, however they are quite soft compound. They don't chirp that much only on certain types of pavement, but they do leave nice bogger marks in my driveway. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

I have welded a # of diffs with my wire feed, but its a VERY hot 220, and if you do it right you can make it hold up, but i suggest stick if its accessable, but also know a few guys who did it with a 110 welder and they are still holding up.. Also know a couple guys who have not seen any failures with the axle bearings, but they are not the best for torsional loads, and love them bogga marks, will hit he arb once in a while just to admire the marks on the driveway, and piss the wife off also..

<IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[VT_Toy]

Last winter I was driving on a large frozen ditch when the ice broke. I was able to drag the rear of my truck onto the road, but then my cheap come-along broke. By this time my left side tires had come off the bead from all the dragging (I had 7" wide, rusty rims, didn't have a good seal.)

So, while I was trying to get my come-along to release the chain that I had strung across the road <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> my left rear flat tire froze to the ground. I "gave it one last shot" by putting the truck in reverse and slipping the clutch to break the tire free.

CRUNCH, CLANG CLANG CLANG

I took 3 teeth off the pinion and 5 off the ring gear. The welds held fine.

That's the only time I've ever left my truck. I walked 12 miles home in 0 degrees, got my car, came back and got all my tools and gear, then had a friend pull me out the next day. I limped my truck home on back roads, it still barely drove! Toyota power!

The rear gears are weakest in reverse, and I really hit it hard, so I wouldn't worry about it. It was also a 4 cyl diff.

The guy who does my welding pre-heats the gears with a torch so the weld gets good penetration, then welds up the spider gears to each other with a 200+ amp MIG. Then he lets them cool SLOWLY.

 

[Bones]

Originally posted by elripster:
<STRONG>I drive it about 2X a month

It's not a daily driver and I couldn't care less if it chirps is otherwise a pain in parking lots, etc...</STRONG>

So is it a DD or not? Try it and find out? For as little as you wheel it, get a lock rite or detroit, your tires will thank you.

 

[elripster]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to weld it. While I don't drive it that often, I see that as a reason to weld and not spend the dough on the lockrite/detroit. The tires may wear quicker, but that's a long time when my low mileage is taken into account.

Frank.