pros and cons of welding front diff

CONS: tons more stress on parts. lots harder to drive. cant turn as tight.

PROS: cheap, climb everything till something brakes, and its cheap. one wheels still pulls if you break an axle, and its cheap
 
I'd say no. Plus, it's kind of a pain to replace once you've welded everything. I'd just fork over some cash for a locker of some sort or a limited slip.
 
I wouldn't weld a front axle that doesn't have manual hubs. It would be a pain to drive locked in all the time. With manual hubs, you can unlock them, or just one, and steering and/or driving on the street or tight trails is cake in 2wd. Plus a lockrite/aussie/lunchbox is only $250 for a Dana 30. Had lockrite's in the front and rear of my XJ and loved them. Never had any issues. But my ZJ on 60's is welded front and rear.

Now I would say to go for it if you want to weld just the rear, then throw a lunchbox up front. It's not so bad driving a welded rear on the street and not even noticeable in the trails.
 
I've had both. My preference is a lock right in the front with a 2-low option in the transfer case.
 
I have a lockright in the front of mine. I don't know that it ratchets enough to justify not welding it. and a limited slip would not be worth the time never knowing if it was going to lock or unlock at a given time.

mini spool cheep and eazy to remove. you will hate how it steers but that's just a reason to go hydro assist. or only lock one hub(its what I do in the snow or not crazy mud)
 
If your on 33" tires and you like the skinny pedal I would leave the front open,but if you dont mind wheeling with a bit of restraint and carrying spare axle shafts the dana 30 will last awhile.when I started beating on mine pretty good I broke a couple axle shafts and a 4.56 ring and pinion
 
Oh and ill tell you from wheeling a rig with a selectable locker(arb) in the front and spooled rear I would never want to drive a rig with a spool in the front and no way to disengage it even unlocking a hub would be a pita.
With the front locked up solid some time the rig wont hardly turn no matter what you try I can tell almost immediately if I try to turn and I left my locker engaged
 
I had my D30 " worn out", welded. Only then did understand what was meant by, "you can't steer it"! Didn't break it, but I'm not a Beater. On trail with some slippage, you can steer it. Hit a dry hard area, you'll be unlocking a hub to turn it! Come of the Trail, & hit a road bed,you'll be stuck in the middle of the road, unlocking hubs, to get it to turn! Please Don't weld it!
 
zombhntr said:
Oh and ill tell you from wheeling a rig with a selectable locker(arb) in the front and spooled rear I would never want to drive a rig with a spool in the front and no way to disengage it even unlocking a hub would be a pita.
With the front locked up solid some time the rig wont hardly turn no matter what you try I can tell almost immediately if I try to turn and I left my locker engaged
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I have the opposite opinion. arb rear spool front. I turn much tighter with the rear open than when i did with a spool in the back. The locked rear pushes you around more than you think. yes it does make it harder to steer but steering upgrades can overcome this.


Also i have run my front spool on the pavement around URE and Harlan i really didnt notice it. I wouldnt want to do it all the time but for the short time that i did it wasnt bad.
 
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