Lincoln locking a front axle...

Lifelong Jeeper

Lifelong Jeeper

Well-Known Member
Location
Murray
I've never driven welded front end vehicle before to know how it acts. let me know your thoughts...

I am just finishing up my ZJ build with 60's and 37's and are going to Moab this weekend. I have a detroit in the rear, but don't have the funds for a front locker at this point. I really don't want to go back to being open and am considering welding my front carrier. I have a 231 and manual hubs so in theory should be able to avoid any binding on the slick rock.

If I do weld it up, do I have to destroy my carrier or can I just weld the spiders so that I can just pull them out if I end up with a lock rite or spartan in the future.

Thanks.
 
I lincoln locked my rear, and blew the gears in moab. I went to a lockrite front and rear and loved them, but even with the ratcheting lockers I would bind up a bit ont he rocks. IMO you will hate getting in and out to lock/unlock a hub all the time. save $300 and get a locker.
 
Do you have hydro assist? With good steering I don't see welded front being an issue off road.


i used to have arbs front and rear.. Now if I ever get it done my buggy has welded front and rear , drive flanges instead of hubs and full hydro
 
Welded it up and leave to drivers side hub unlocked you'll be fine. Drive it around in 3 wheel drive if you need 4 then lock the hub. You will be surprised how much you will actually do in 3 wheel drive.. As for if you will destroy your carrier. Thats a tough one because once you weld up the spiders it's a bit hard to get them back out if they don't move separate of each other.
 
i vote for a spartan up front or lock right the reason being is it will have a little bit of give when turning if your off the throttle and that makes a world of difference both on how hard it is to steer and how hard it is on your drive train. I have wheeled the spartan in front for years and it honestly has been great, ive also welded fronts for customers and tryed it out its extremely hard to turn especially with 37's.
 
alljeep.com sells spartans. Plus they're RME vendors and they do a ton to support the local scene. Great guys (mesha and skippy on RME).
 
I wouldn't do it with out assist .. But on the other hand Id rather fight steering and deal with gettin out to lock and unlock hub rather than have to pull a cable
 
I've been running welded diffs ever since I've been wheelin and never ever had a problem....Trick is,it needs to be done right and not just weld the spider gears.Sure your turning radius will suffer,be a bit harder on drivetrain parts but when it comes to full on,all 4 wheel tire gripping traction its far better than ratcheting box lockers.Either run welded,a spool or a selectable(air,elec or cable).
 
I ran welded spiders in the front for a few years, the only problem I had was a broken frame at the steering box. I blame it on the welded front.........and no hydro assist.
 
I agree with almost everyone on here. I run a linkin locked front diff, but I have hydro assist. I was running it for about 4 months without hydro assist and hated it. If it is going to be a daily driver put a locker up front. I would spend a little more money and get a quality locker ARB or E-locker.
 
have you considered spools?
I run spools in my YJ with dana 60 with hydro assist. tight turning is awful but it's dirt simple. after breaking every hub on the market I've found some cheap drive slugs that are reliable. hard to say what it's like driving on road as this junker has beadlocks and tires that are not balanced but it holds the road well at 55 (top speed).
the worst thing I've ever had was lockrights front and rear. only do that if you like changing lanes without warning haha
 
1st: for cheap, to get you double locked the Lincoln is a quick solution that (if done right) will never break...

2nd: for a replacement when money and time offer a good solution I vote zip locker from AllJeep.com due to its fail safe design and attributes an onboad air system to the rig which we all know is needed more then not. (2 birds with one stone)
sixstringsteve said:
or even better, a zip locker.
Click to expand...


Thinking back to my previous builds I have broken more things in the drivetrain because I was not double locked and needed to rally the rig a bit to get over something... with a welded diff I always felt it helped me drive more meticulously to make the obstacles a bit easier with throttle control and full traction. I have to say I've had some good experienced gear heads help me weld up my diffs and now know the more time you take to prep them and the more things that can be welded to make it a full-spool makes it stronger.
 
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