Welding spider gears in dana 70
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G
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·Don't do it if you drive on the street at all.
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What about the price tag to replace whatever breaks on it? As long as it is NEVER run on blacktop it is acceptable...
If you still want to drive it on the street, then find a limited slip from a junkyard.
If you still want to drive it on the street, then find a limited slip from a junkyard.
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I concur with the previous statements, I have a welded dana 44 front , and soon to have a welded chrysler 8 3/4 rear, I only run em off road, but even loading the Cage on the trailer on the street I can tell welded axles have no place there, I run my rig on rock mostly and for high traction off road, welded diff is great, but i also break axle shafts every so often too
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I have both of my dana 60's welded. I even drive it around the block on the road when testing stuff. I have had no probs. But that sucker will go anywhere on the trails. So far all I have broke is a dana 60 hub, no axles yet 
the truck will only be seeing daily driving for another couple of months. the 70 is so stought that i think it can handle the load, especially considering there is almost no weight in the back.i got some hook-ups at a driveline shop and can probably get some used axles and carrier if need be. i m sick of this open crap and i m just not sold on posi. i m sure i d burn a posi out in no time. i had a buddy i used to wheel with back in Cali who welded the rear of his Bronco II. that was his daily driver and weed go out on weekends and beat the crap out of our trucks. over 6 months and it held up. if the toothpick axles under that could take it, i sure as hell hope a Dana 70 can do just as well. if not, i ll just give up and move on to Rockwells. there s a little spot near here in Cedar Park, TX were you can get front and rear for $1200.
Auction Plus Military Vehicles
owner: Lynn Schoening
205 Crystal Falls Pkwy. East
Leander, TX 78641
512-259-5393
Auction Plus Military Vehicles
owner: Lynn Schoening
205 Crystal Falls Pkwy. East
Leander, TX 78641
512-259-5393
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9,993 Posts
The lighter the vehicle, the easier it is to run welded diffs. DM breaks axle shafts because he wheels it hard, on rocks.
With a heavy vehicle such as an RC or 4x4 pickup, welding differentials has a more profound effect. Because of more weight, it is easier to get the tires in a position that they can't spin or slip, and that is when you will break something.
Even a detroit locker has some amount of flex inside the axle, but a welded diff has absolutely none.
Limited slips are a good choice for a weekend warrior/daily driver.
Lockers are not very good on the road, but they are still useable. Just try and find one used, and you should not have to spend that much money. If you are looking at spending a grand for rockwells, just get a locker...
With a heavy vehicle such as an RC or 4x4 pickup, welding differentials has a more profound effect. Because of more weight, it is easier to get the tires in a position that they can't spin or slip, and that is when you will break something.
Even a detroit locker has some amount of flex inside the axle, but a welded diff has absolutely none.
Limited slips are a good choice for a weekend warrior/daily driver.
Lockers are not very good on the road, but they are still useable. Just try and find one used, and you should not have to spend that much money. If you are looking at spending a grand for rockwells, just get a locker...
Doesnt welding the diff effectively turn it into a spool? I don't understand how you could use that on the road at all, because the tires can't turn at different rates, and that would either a) drag the outer tire, or b) snap an axle... Open diffs suck... Theres no doubt about it. Lockers are bad in the snow. Either get a posi or an ARB air locker... It has a compressed air line going to it,. With the switch off, it's an open diff. Flip it on, and it locks the spider gears to the carrier. It's pretty spendy, about $650, but when you think of what you'll be spending on axle shafts, and what a standard locker costs, it's not that much more.
Just my $.02
Matt {peace}
Just my $.02
Matt {peace}
ya know, i d love an ARB but they re about $800 for a dana 70 and then there is the cost of the air compressor. and yes, welding the gears does turn it into a spool. there are quite a few brag right ******** driving around with welded gears, it s not good on tire life, but i don t think they care when they re passing you on the trail.
8564 mentioned that detroits have flex, i ve never heard that. all i know is a locked dif is a locked dif is a locked dif.
i m actually more worried about blowing out my drive shaft joints/caps. that s actually the weekest point on most of these Chrysler products. i think the engineers may have done that as a fail safe. i guess it s a little easier to bolt on a new strap or pop in a u-joint than to rebuild an axle on the trail.
don t you think so, Dodgeman?
8564 mentioned that detroits have flex, i ve never heard that. all i know is a locked dif is a locked dif is a locked dif.
i m actually more worried about blowing out my drive shaft joints/caps. that s actually the weekest point on most of these Chrysler products. i think the engineers may have done that as a fail safe. i guess it s a little easier to bolt on a new strap or pop in a u-joint than to rebuild an axle on the trail.
don t you think so, Dodgeman?
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With a detroit both wheels are "locked" together, but there is still a certain amount of give in the locker itself. The locker is prone to snapping axle shafts, but certainly not to the point of a welded diff.
ARB's are the bomb, wish I had one
ARB's are the bomb, wish I had one
Yeah, I forgot the D70 is more expensive.. It's $650 for the 9.25 and D60. You do'nt need to use THEIR compressor though. Any compressed air source will work. You can use a $10 tireflater from WalMart, you'd just need to plumb in a checkvalve and release valve. You could even use a CO2 tank from a paintball gun. A 20oz tank goes for less than $30 on ebay, costs about $5 to fill, and will give you 100-150 activations per fill. Also, if you are planning on anything that uses onboard air, like air horns or air bag suspension, it can be tied into that system as well...
Like I said, When you consider what a normal locker costs, the ARB isn't much more than that, and it gives you control over when it locks up. Regular lockers tend to lock up in the snow or ice unexpectedly, creating a dangerous situation.
Matt {peace}
Like I said, When you consider what a normal locker costs, the ARB isn't much more than that, and it gives you control over when it locks up. Regular lockers tend to lock up in the snow or ice unexpectedly, creating a dangerous situation.
Matt {peace}
yea, lockers on ice produce negative traction- when one wheel looses traction the other joins it and it s donut city from there.
i used to work at Austin Drive Train, they can probably hook me up with a used carrier.
i ll try to find a posi just cause it s a split house. gut it out and weld the side gears in place, throw my ring on it and chuck it back in and pray the pattern isn t too far off, i don t feel like having to replace the crush sleave just to regain a decent pattern.
i ll tell you guys what, the dana 70 may not be too popular because of the lost clearance, but it takes what ever you can throw at it. i replaced the pinion seal and was out of loc-tite for the pinion nut. i drove on it while the nut was backing itself off for about a week. every time i slowed down to a light it sounded like there was a fleet of cops behind me, my poor gears were screaming!!! i got eveything tightened back up and she still chugs along without a care in the world.
once i get a Dana 60 for the front, i have all intent of putting an ARB in it, i was thinking a lot about the rear too but some times you re stuck having to cut a couple of corners. i get Peterson's Off Road and i often see burly rock climbers that run welded 70s and welded Rockwells. once you get that taste for locked difs, there just isn t any going back.
i used to work at Austin Drive Train, they can probably hook me up with a used carrier.
i ll try to find a posi just cause it s a split house. gut it out and weld the side gears in place, throw my ring on it and chuck it back in and pray the pattern isn t too far off, i don t feel like having to replace the crush sleave just to regain a decent pattern.
i ll tell you guys what, the dana 70 may not be too popular because of the lost clearance, but it takes what ever you can throw at it. i replaced the pinion seal and was out of loc-tite for the pinion nut. i drove on it while the nut was backing itself off for about a week. every time i slowed down to a light it sounded like there was a fleet of cops behind me, my poor gears were screaming!!! i got eveything tightened back up and she still chugs along without a care in the world.
once i get a Dana 60 for the front, i have all intent of putting an ARB in it, i was thinking a lot about the rear too but some times you re stuck having to cut a couple of corners. i get Peterson's Off Road and i often see burly rock climbers that run welded 70s and welded Rockwells. once you get that taste for locked difs, there just isn t any going back.
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I have been running a welded rear 60 for about 6 months. Guess what....it is my DD. I drive it every day. I have yet to break a axle shaft. The only time it is aggrivating is when making tight corners, and even then it isn't that bad. Once at speed you can't even tell it is welded. On the highway it drives just as it did before the rear was welded.
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