i want to add a locker in the rear but funds are limited. any advice on welding the rear end? good or bad idea?

 

Bad idea if your going to street drive it much. A "Lincoln" locker could possibly break on the street leaving you with front wheel drive to head home. My goal right now is to find a locker as well though I dont know which one to go with yet. I plan on using Ebay and Craigslist to find one cheap. I missed out on a 75 dollar deal the other day....bummer.

 

thanks for the advice. guess i'll jus save up for rhe locker.

 

If its done right its a good cheap way to lock it. If you are looking to save money, may I suggest a mini spool.

 

Daily driver - I would not weld it OR spool it.
Trail rig only - Weld away!

 

daily driver do not weld or spool. itll kill your tires, and your springs, and body, and so on,. has lasting effects.

ask me how i know.


actually, dont. just assume i do...haha

 

The only time I would recommend a welded diff. is if it will be used off road only. Even then, it will only last a certain amount of time and it will break on you. Welding those carrier parts together softens the metal.

 

I have 3 cherokee's. My 87 has a factory d44 that has an aussie locker in it. It is a dd and I love it, unless there is Ice on the ground. going around a long corner where you have to maintain the gas or speed up= scary.

My 91 has an 8.25 with welded spiders(a.k.a. lincoln locker)not a dd but I do drive it quite often around town in nice weather. I have had this rearend like this for over 3 years and more offroad trips than I can count. From Utah to the sand dunes in little sahara o.k to trails in M.N. And I go places I should not go Where only the big boys dare and it works amazing. In 3 years I have not broke anything. But highway speeds and a d/d=not so good.
My 96 has a arb air locker. I am not real impresed with it. It seems weak and I dont trust it. It hasent failed me yet, but for some reason I just dont trust it. I dont like how it operaits with the air system. And its way too damn expensive. I will be going to a mechanicle OX locker soon. I am going to give that a try mainly because its one of the last ones left for me to try.

My opinion is to get an aussie locker. They are cheep and you get used to them pretty quick. I dont even realize I have it in any more. Just give your self time to get used to it. And the middle of winter is'nt the time.

 

mine is only a trail rig but i welded the fronts and rears! and it does great be going good for about 3months of wheelin the **** out of it at least twice a week! its a lil tuff to steer but not to bad! but i would never suggest it on a dd!

 

i really want to get a locker and can you guys with lockers tell me front or rear what works best for you.

 

rear, definatly rear.

 

I had the front locked on my Zuk. I loved it.

 

Both...

 

I have NEVER had an issue with a properly welded differential. I drove one fo my old rigs TO and FROM tellico, ( remember I am in ohio 8 hours away) down the instate at 80+ MPH and NC's mountain roads at 50-60mpg, beat on it 3 days and drove it home. I daily drove that rig for 6months with the welded difs and beat on it almost every weekend. After I destroyed that rig I swapped the rear axle into my next one and daily drive it aswell. Granted I was running bias ply swampers aswell so they scooted alot better than a radial does.

 

you arent going to experience the negative effects of a spool on the highway or just long drives...its around town over time.

i drove a spooled rig daily for 7-8 months and, the jeep would creak, lean when i parked it...chirp everywhere around turns..it wore my tires down..it was just a basic pain in the ***...it kept a load on the drivetrain when you park it.

i see no reason to weld a diff if u have the means to get an autolocker...UNLESS its an offroad/weekend toy...i just wont do it to my DD....again.