Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I searched and searched but couldnt find much info on how easy welded diffs can bust? i have a swb mq patrol and am looking at welding up both diffs. $$$$$$ are the limitimg factor here guys.
i realise its mostly about style, but would i have to carry around spare axles and centres if i was to go away more so than open diffs ?


Cheers

If you weld it up properly (there are a few threads on here about the best way to do it) then the diff will be as strong or stronger than an open diff. BUT - you will put a lot more stress on the axles than with an open diff, so the axles will be more likely to break.

Welding the front is not a good idea, as it will be very hard to turn the wheels, and you will probably break a lot of CV's.

g day pongo

I thought about doing the same thing.
I was talked out of it by a number of people on here.

Front
I honestly couldnt think of anything bad, unless,,, you are in really good traction terrain, this would put mega strain on the axles, steering would be really heavy. but you always have the option to unlock the hubs and only lock em in when you need it..

Rear
The rear tyres would grab around every corner and with big tyres (35+) it would put even more on the axles. other then that I cant see many bad issues.
I would rather have locked diffs if i was out somewhere 4x4ing, i am still contemplating it.

casey

from personal experience, a locked rear is very easy to live with on 34" jt2s (almost indistinguishable on-road except during reverse parking) but on 27" roadies... chirpies galore!

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... eding+diff



http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... e&p=566149

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... elded+diff

There is heaps of info...search welded diff and click search for all terms

just bite the bullet and save for an air locker, i considered welding my diffs but as a daily driver i just dont want the hassles/costs said above, its just going to take that little bit longer to save up but will probably save you in the long run with broken cv's and axle's and tyre wear etc etc. Some people i know have said its not that bad dont worry, but it does put extra strain on your gear compared to a manual locker for the simple fact that its locked permamnently, ie. on the road mostly.

WELD IT

weld them both got it love it

just weld it dude

i had a welded rear on my last rig and on road i really didnt even know it was there most of the time, but off road it was just awesome, the only person who didnt like it was my boss, cause the work car park was all grass and when it was raining i used to leave big marks everywhere, he yelled.....i giggled

but unless i miraculously win lotto so i can get twin air-lockers, i'll be weldin both diffs on my currrent truck once i finish buildin it and get it thru rego

just do it, you wont regret it, and anyways if you dont like it, pull it out and put another centre in...simple

Ok . It looks like its a welded diff or 2 to be. i have to do the wiper seals on the front diff soon so i will do it first and then go for a play to see how great it is. I might just consider carring a spare set of axles for the rear just in case it goes bang. But with a SD33t its gunna take a fair bit of punsihment b4 it lets go.
Thankx guys

one of my mates just fills up between two teeth on each axle gear so that he still has some diff action but still locks up when needed.

one of my mates just fills up between two teeth on each axle gear so that he still has some diff action but still locks up when needed.

Zeyphly wrote:one of my mates just fills up between two teeth on each axle gear so that he still has some diff action but still locks up when needed.

i have done this method!
This diff was locked in that stlye( you cant see the weld in the photo cause the gears are spun around). i belive that because that stlye of welded diff allows a small amount of movement within the side gears, this put more force upon the cast diff housing as it will load up suddenly. If the center was welded solid it might not of cracked the housing.

Yeah was thinking of just welding the spiders in the front diff due to the ease of undoing the manual hubs (apparently) , but in the rear i am planning on welding it solid to prevent that sort of thing happening.
Were you in a high traction situation when that happened ? .

Cheers

kc_ksom wrote:Rear
The rear tyres would grab around every corner and with big tyres (35+) it would put even more on the axles. other then that I cant see many bad issues.

You'd get less wind-up with big tyres because wind-up is based on a difference in distance travelled by each wheel on a given journey. For any given difference in distance travelled you get a certain number of degrees of wind-up, but with small tyres you get more degrees than with large tyres because small tyres have a smaller rolling diameter.

Plus, bigger tyres are probably generally flexier.

This is my theory. It doesn't match what you'd first expect but it does seem to match people's practical experience with welded diffs.

Having a mate who welded his rear diff, I would say I'd never do it to a vehicle I owned unless it was a dedicated bush basher.

Jason

Theory appears to work in theory . but bigger tyres mean more contact area which means more stress before a wheel slips. Intresting thought though. My patrol is the second car second to the wifes err.. 4 runner. It has a toymota lsd that actuall works. had it rebuilt and it works even better. shouldda locked it thou.

Cheers

pongo wrote:how easy welded diffs can bust?

I have a 350 chev tearing away at my welded diffs and as yet I havent broken the weld........




But I'm still tryin

the mat ....... the only place a throttle should be !

Kingy

pongo wrote:Yeah was thinking of just welding the spiders in the front diff due to the ease of undoing the manual hubs (apparently) , but in the rear i am planning on welding it solid to prevent that sort of thing happening.
Were you in a high traction situation when that happened ? .

Cheers

I actually don't know how or when it busted. The diff looked fine when i first removed it. It was only when i was bored and decided to take a closer look at the diff, pulled it apart further that i noticed the casting had cracked. Up untill that point it had been functioning fine. That said though i imaging if the diff in that condition was really loaded up than it may have busted in a big way.

There must be something about welding diffs because the Queensland Transport declare it illegal.

I saw a picture of a Mazda with a welded diff that blew and the car went out of control . There was schrapnel everywhere.

OK for the bush, maybe..

On the road, questionable.

RN

i have the rearn welded in the hilux and the only time i notice it is when driving slow around carparks/roundabouts btu it makes no difference int he wet still cant get it to slide or spin if i try

lol batcho its a hilux after all . Anywayz man, is it still stable as at hwy speeds, Thats pretty much all im worried about at this stage.

yeh its no different at speed unless u are pulling some power and stomp on it then u will be fine........update broke 5 of the 12 welds in my rear diff today but all is good(just make sure u get full penetration welds) mine didn't on the first coupl of welds as the spider gears werent hot enough but once the first few welds were in the rest where high penetration welds.
so jsut make sure u have the gears and palte hot before u start welding but dont go to over board and warp the thing.
ps all gears are fine jsut gonan re weld it

Excellent woke batcho. I didnt think of the whole weld penetration issue. i will have to put the gears in the oven before i weld em up. Went out for a play on the weekend and am most keen to get this done.

My brother was defected in his torana for welded diffs. Not because they are "dangerous" or whatever, but he got done for "undue noise". Apparently the little chirps are loud and distracting!!! Yeah right..... what a crock.

mlzook wrote:My brother was defected in his torana for welded diffs.

Was it one of those rare 4WD toranas?

Torana Overlander?