Welding the spiders on d44 ??

dirtracer81_2 · Jan 16, 2009

Im building a mud truck its never going to see asphault. It has a d44 up front and I am kinda thinking about welding the front. My buddy said it would be fine but if I had to turn I could just unlock one side.
This has me kinda iffy because a locker is so dag on expensive.
What do yall guys think??

86ford · Jan 16, 2009

dirtracer81_2 said:
Im building a mud truck its never going to see asphault. It has a d44 up front and I am kinda thinking about welding the front. My buddy said it would be fine but if I had to turn I could just unlock one side.
This has me kinda iffy because a locker is so dag on expensive.
What do yall guys think??

with the steering at full lock you have the possibility of breaking shafts BUT the gains are worth the risks. lots of people including myself run spools or welded axles. just be careful with the throttle when you are steering and expect some wheel hop.

86

JohnnyU · Jan 16, 2009

Do it right, buy a real locker. I never suggest welding the front differential. Rears are a different story, but it just creates too much stress on the shafts and joints up front. A 60 or Rockwell maybe, but not a 44.

small ranger · Jan 16, 2009

Try a minispool. They are cheap.

JohnnyU · Jan 16, 2009

small ranger said:
Try a minispool. They are cheap.

Might as well weld it, same effect, much cheaper. I still wouldn't do either.

If you want to lock the front, buy a locker; at least a Lock-Right or other lunch box type locker. They're on eBay all the time.

dirtracer81_2 · Jan 16, 2009

I was thinking about that pretty hard lately wouldnt a mini spool be the same as welded? I think the ms would be stronger in my book but if im going to have to worry about breaking axles. ??
Lockers I wonder about to because when a wheel slips they are supposed to lock and that would create some wheel hop.

dirtracer81_2 · Jan 16, 2009

Another thing just came to me!
Is a rear limited slip diff interchangable with the front?
I have heard no and yes im not sure about that.

JohnnyU · Jan 16, 2009

The mini spool still relies on the cross pin to transfer torque through the differential carrier, whereas welding the spider and side gears does not. Once welded, the gears help to stiffen the carrier and the torque is transferred through the entire carrier with little or no load being transmitted through the pin.

A lunchbox locker would transfer torque through the pin, but the fact that it unlocks help prevent binding unlike with the mini spool.

UrbanRedneckKid · Jan 17, 2009

dirtracer81_2 said:
Another thing just came to me!
Is a rear limited slip diff interchangable with the front?
I have heard no and yes im not sure about that.

Yes, if they are the same diff, 44r-44f, 8.8r-8.8f, and so on. But they must also have the same number of splines in the side gears.

As for welding the diff, if it'll only see sloppy conditions, go for it. If not don't even think about it unless you have alot of extra money to constantly replace axles, wheel joints , and hubs.

After I welded my D35 I've broken 8 wheel joints, snapped 6 axles, and grenaded 4 sets of Warn hubs. Though the 44 hubs are stronger the axles are weaker, think about it...

A really tight L/S or or a selectable locker is a much wiser option, IMO. I have a Dana Powr-Lok for my D44, which is getting cro-mo axles and Warn premium hubs.

dirtracer81_2 · Jan 17, 2009

Ok, better thing to do in the longrun is buy a locker if your breaking alot of stuff. My dad has a jeep grand cherokee that hes junking and it may have a d44 in the rear. Ill go up there and check it out today its possibly a limited slip.

JohnnyU · Jan 17, 2009

I wouldn't go that far... If you're worried about parts breakage, I would leave it open, the locker will still break parts just as well as any of the other methods, just under different conditions and scenarios.

Welding the spiders on d44 ??

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