Welding diff... vote yes or no and why?

Troopernc

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Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Location
Old Fort
My 86 Trooper got stuck on a muddy bank recently and I realized it is not posi or limited slip. Never thought to check that. Lockers are a little more cha ching than I want to throw at my old Isuzu so I am looking seriously at welding the differential. It is not my DD, but is still a backup vehicle so it needs to be street worthy still, and I intend to get larger tires - but probably not too big right now because I am not doing a lift.

Basically, please share with me your experiences with welded differentials, whether you advise it or not, or whatever your thougths are on them. Also if anyone on here has ever done a Trooper any help would be appreciated!!

EDIT: I said 86, it's actually 96.
 
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It will bark tires and scare moms with little children in a parking lot. You might notice some conning of the front tires if you put enough street miles on it. It can be fun in the rain (and probably snow...I never tried it)
Edit; I've only welded the rear, I would do it again on a trail rig that sees a little street. With that said, I think a welded front would suck, I would not do it.
 
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If money is an issue, weld it, it work. That being said, it kills turning radius. I'm welded front and rear and it barks tires on the street and is super sketchy to drive in the rain. Off road it does was it's supposed to do but I do have to make plenty of 3 point turns (even after shortening my wheelbase 9") and I could imagine it would be tough to turn without full hydro or hydro assist (I have full hydro).

I would like to do a detroit rear and ARB front but at $1600 that's an assload of money.
 
I was going to have my friend weld my samurai rear end this weekend. But found a mini spool for 60 bucks instead. My main concern with welding a rear diff is slag splatter on the ring and pinion. What can you do to minimize splatter in your gears?
 
ProbablyBroke said:
I was going to have my friend weld my samurai rear end this weekend. But found a mini spool for 60 bucks instead. My main concern with welding a rear diff is slag splatter on the ring and pinion. What can you do to minimize splatter in your gears?
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Put a thin layer of bearing grease on the exposed gears. When done, clean it off.
 
Thanks guys! I have a few more things to do with the old trooper that are less technical know how needed so I may keep looking for a limited slip rear before I go 'Lincoln locker' on it ( buddy of mine told me they are called that lol ). Keep any advice coming!

How big tires Cana factory rear end handle with a solid diff?

Also, I may hit a junkyard and look for vehicles with lockers or that would have LSD rears.
 
ProbablyBroke said:
I was going to have my friend weld my samurai rear end this weekend. But found a mini spool for 60 bucks instead. My main concern with welding a rear diff is slag splatter on the ring and pinion. What can you do to minimize splatter in your gears?
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Just buy a couple cans of anti-spatter and use it liberally between welds. It's not flammable like grease and a quick squirt with some brake parts cleaner (mostly to clean up spatter and dust after welding) and it will come right off and wash away.
 
Bunch of brake cleaner before hand and alot of ponded residue equals a feller we now call Burn Unit. Keep that in mind. Also you don't just weld everything to everything else.
 
Troopers have a drop out third just like a toyota so there pretty easy to weld up we did a buddies samurai are harder beacuse they have a case around the side gears troopers rear end is biger then a yota and hold up well the front will be where your problem is
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
Bunch of brake cleaner before hand and alot of ponded residue equals a feller we now call Burn Unit. Keep that in mind. Also you don't just weld everything to everything else.
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And while we're on the subject, make sure it's non-chlorinated brake cleaner if you're going to use it before/during welding. I'm not sure if you can still buy chlorinated brake cleaner, but you never know what someone has kicking around in the garage that they bought a case of years ago.
Your life and health may depend on it, and hopefully anyone who uses a welder knows this by now. Google "brake cleaner welding" or similar for more info.
 
Weld the rear, the correct way. And don't mess with the front, unless you have locking hubs (I have no idea about troopers)
 
I've welded every axle I've had in my zj and k5 off-road rigs and it's been great the fronts are sketchy in the road but let's be serious the shit we put our rigs in is always sketchy!! Turning radius sucks too Weldin fronts get a locker in front weld a few gears together in rear no more stuck!
 
Fabrik8 said:
And while we're on the subject, make sure it's non-chlorinated brake cleaner if you're going to use it before/during welding. I'm not sure if you can still buy chlorinated brake cleaner, but you never know what someone has kicking around in the garage that they bought a case of years ago.
Your life and health may depend on it, and hopefully anyone who uses a welder knows this by now. Google "brake cleaner welding" or similar for more info.
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rockcity said:
And if it's the chlorinated version, he'll be suffering from a heavy dose of mustard gas
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Mac5005 said:
They still sell chlorinated everywhere. Just make sure you buy non chlorinated for that reason.
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My most recent class for cutting and oxy fuel (must take before everything else) covers safety. Everyone of them even though it was in plain language in the text book gave me looks like you gotta be kidding me. Seems after all of the safety just like in the actual welding you get the attitude: everybody welds, it is not so hard, cant be dangerous or hazardous long term, and surely its not rocket science to put in a quality pass.............I got a friend who used to chop and piece cars for a local yard in Taylorsville when he was younger and stubborn to advice. Ask him why he had to quit a job making near 20 an hour, 4 weeks paid vacation plus major holidays and only drove 10 minutes to work. Over exposure and long term damage to his lungs from burning paint, adhesives and everything else in cars. He has chronic breathing and lung damage he has to deal with daily. His doctor simply said: change professions or end up on a ventilator.
 
77GreenMachine said:
Weld the rear, the correct way. And don't mess with the front, unless you have locking hubs (I have no idea about troopers)
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Yeah I have auto locking hubs up front, so I think if I welded it I would have to add manual locking hubs (? no clue actually ? o_O ) All I really want for now is to lock the rear diff, by the time I figure out if that was smart or not I will most likely blow up the motor or roll the truck honestly. Also thinking about a couple inch body lift to squeeze in a little bigger tires, cut off the fender flares and so on.

Something I am wondering about is the IFS on my trooper. What is the result of independant front suspension and a welded rear? Is that going to be a headache I am not thinking about or will it work ok?

Thanks again! :D
 
IFS front won't matter if the rear is welded. Having the rear welded up will make a big difference for you and you will be happy. Welding the front on a vehicle that you drive in the street even just a little bit would be bad. It will bind even when turning just a little. The rear will too but it's manageable.
 
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