ok i have a xj that i only do rock crawling and trails it never hit the highway or gos over 30 mile an hour. if i weld my spiders will that work for my rock crawling some people say it is hard to turn but so is a locker when it is engaged i would think welding them would be just like driving around with you locker engaged all the time. does anyone agree or is the some other reason i should not do this?

 

go for it, people do it all the time on trail only rigs

 

do it. You be fine

 

Why can't it be done on the road? As long as the hubs aren't engaged it won't be locked?

 

d30s don't have hubs, unless you buy pricey kit.

 

So it's stay full time locked even in 2wd? What are my options as far as other axles (I don't want to waste money on an air locker because the axle won't hold up to the power and tires).

 

You would be joining the shafts together, making it a single shaft. both tires will turn at the same time whereas with an open front, one spins faster then the other while you turn. The front tires will only turn while driving in 2wd, they will not be at drive, until you engage 4wd. I have a D44 from a 78 bronco. It is welded. They have hubs. I turn them on free, only the wheels move and not the axle shafts. I turn them to locked, both are turning.

 

Is the D44 from the bronco wider? And what did you need to do to run that? I'm not doing it anytime soon but I'd like to know for the future.

 

yes. 3 inches per side. I did lots of fabrication lol. I have 112 hours into it. But that's because I took my time to do it perfect. I cut the old radius arms and welded some 1-3/4 tubing to them. Used 1/4 wall for strength and boxed everything in where they met to the radius arm for added strength. Made my own coil buckets, drag link, trac bar, etc. lol

 

Being locked up front sucks for most everything but climbing. Just my opinion but I think it has gotten me stuck more times than not.

 

saw a vid on youtube just the other day of an xj attempting to climb a steped rock face. it couldnt do it. then, in same vid, they attack it again with the same xj, only now, the gears are welded. and yea, it gets right up it w/ minimal issue. deff works for the dedicated trail rig!!

 

Just be prepeared the d30 are the strongest
replace your universals when you do it

 

Try a lunchbox up front, when you need it its there, but it unlocks when turning around a corner.

http://www.aussielocker.com/index.ph...-xd-13027.html

Welding is tricky, it needs to be done right.
but hey its your rig
Oh and X2 on beefing up your U-joints and welding the caps

 

well i guess i don't need to weld it got a locker from craigs for 150
as far as welding i am pretty sure i can do it and make it hold been welding for a living for 25 years certified to weld about anything that can be welded
thanks guys for your input. i know this will make a big difference in my climbing all my buddies have lockers and they crawl stuff all the tiime that i can't just because i lack a wheel.

 

Dude your locker never got you stuck. Your locker will get you out of situations where you would have gotten stuck when unlocked, but you are getting yourself stuck with the locker, either by going where your rig can't go or by staying on the gas too much instead of backing out or sawing, or whatever else would help in your terrain. Stuck is lack of traction, no locker is giving you less traction than you had before...