tekazgtr1984 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 For a daily driver, isn't welding a diff together a bad idea? I'm pretty much sold on air lockers but the price is what's keeping me exploring options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) For a daily driver, isn't welding a diff together a bad idea? it's a very bad idea. but if you have manual hubs and thus the ability to disengage your front drive axle for pavement driving, then it shouldn't be an issue. we have no snow/ice here so i never have to use 4WD on pavement. you snowbound geeks may not want this mod. Edited February 27, 2009 by alexrex20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavefromOZ Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Ok all, I just got off the phone with 4WD Systems, the front Lokka for the R50 is $649, they don't do one for the back end, would cost $20 to have it delivered to anywhere in Oz so not sure about delivery to the US. These prices are in Oz dollars, so you'd be looking at approx USD$430 + delivery to where ever you are. The WD21 is to be released later this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new4x4r Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 once again I'm confused as s@%t hahaha, in my mind it sounds like a good idear. Daily driven=unlock hubs... Trails and mud=Lock the hubs... no problem? The only thing I can think of is when I AM doing trails with the hubs locked, hard corners will be rough on my CVs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laxman0324 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 That and the fact that in the winter people like me tend to leave the hubs locked when there is a threat of snow, which would be horrible to do on dry pavement with a welded front... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 once again I'm confused as s@%t hahaha, in my mind it sounds like a good idear. Daily driven=unlock hubs... Trails and mud=Lock the hubs... no problem? The only thing I can think of is when I AM doing trails with the hubs locked, hard corners will be rough on my CVs no harder than a "true" locker. if the diff is locked, the diff is locked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Ok all, I just got off the phone with 4WD Systems, the front Lokka for the R50 is $649, they don't do one for the back end, would cost $20 to have it delivered to anywhere in Oz so not sure about delivery to the US. These prices are in Oz dollars, so you'd be looking at approx USD$430 + delivery to where ever you are. The WD21 is to be released later this year. thanks for the info Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I drove the Impulse for at least a year after it was welded and it wasn't as bad as everyone tends to make it out to be. One tire chirps and skips a bit on tight turns, that's it. I never had tire wear problems from it either, but keep in mind it was a RWD 2600 lb car with skinny low-profile tires and no extra weight in the rear. Welding the rear on a heavy 4x4 DD that's used on the road is just abuse...no real reason to do so in that situation unless the vehicle's a beater and you don't care about it. For welding the front as long as you have manual hubs I don't see it being a big problem. Lock a single hub and that wheel will be the one that spins in 4WD. Lock both and in extreme situations, you can go up mountains and molehills alike when off-road. It all depends on what you do with your vehicle. They're FINALLY going to make a front locker for WD21's?? Jeez, about time. I'd like to point out that a rear Lock-Right is between $275-350 USD...the front locker's likely to be even smaller in size. Why the hell can't they make a price-competitive unit for the front diff? Argh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekazgtr1984 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 it's a very bad idea. but if you have manual hubs and thus the inability to disengage your front drive axle for pavement driving, then it shouldn't be an issue. we have no snow/ice here so i never have to use 4WD on pavement. you snowbound geeks may not want this mod. Oh, I would rather air lockers even if I weren't a 'snowbound geek'. Air lockers might be more expensive but I think in the end it's worth it compared to a permanently altered diff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavefromOZ Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 They're FINALLY going to make a front locker for WD21's?? Jeez, about time. I'd like to point out that a rear Lock-Right is between $275-350 USD...the front locker's likely to be even smaller in size. Why the hell can't they make a price-competitive unit for the front diff? Argh. Yeah mate, I spoke to Dave at 4WD Systems this morning, I will give them another call in about a month to see if I can find out when they will be releasing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 That and the fact that in the winter people like me tend to leave the hubs locked when there is a threat of snow, which would be horrible to do on dry pavement with a welded front... yeah but i think one of these automatic ones wouldn't be an issue as much as a redneck locker. no harder than a "true" locker. if the diff is locked, the diff is locked. but an arb you release the air and lokka or others like it will kind of unlock in the corners. so yeah, difference.. welded ones never come apart unless you fubar Yeah mate, I spoke to Dave at 4WD Systems this morning, I will give them another call in about a month to see if I can find out when they will be releasing them. please, definitely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fukinitupagain Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Ok all, I just got off the phone with 4WD Systems, the front Lokka for the R50 is $649, they don't do one for the back end, would cost $20 to have it delivered to anywhere in Oz so not sure about delivery to the US. These prices are in Oz dollars, so you'd be looking at approx USD$430 + delivery to where ever you are. The ARB is like what $800+ US for the front?... if the shipping isn't too bad, this aint a bad option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 The ARB is like what $800+ US for the front?... if the shipping isn't too bad, this aint a bad option. + all the other stuff you need. i think you're looking at close to U$1500 by the time it's all said and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fukinitupagain Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 + all the other stuff you need. i think you're looking at close to U$1500 by the time it's all said and done. They don't offer a rear locker though, right? Cause I'd rather have a rear air locker 1st. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 ARB makes front and rear air lockers for R50s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fukinitupagain Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 ARB makes front and rear air lockers for R50s Yes but as mentioned before, they are expensive as f*ck & if another company offered front/rear lockers for half the price & just as good of a product then... I can't justify spending more money on front & rear lockers for a vehicle that isn't worth the cost of the lockers. If I earned more money & this was not my DD & more of a trail rig then I'd go for the extra goodies but as it is I can't justify spend $1000+ for front ARB air lockers & another $1000-1200 for rear ARB air lockers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Yes but as mentioned before, they are expensive as f*ck & if another company offered front/rear lockers for half the price & just as good of a product then... I can't justify spending more money on front & rear lockers for a vehicle that isn't worth the cost of the lockers. If I earned more money & this was not my DD & more of a trail rig then I'd go for the extra goodies but as it is I can't justify spend $1000+ for front ARB air lockers & another $1000-1200 for rear ARB air lockers. in that case, our only option for rear is ARB. for the front it's ARB or Lokka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fukinitupagain Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 in that case, our only option for rear is ARB. for the front it's ARB or Lokka. You'd think that about the rear but I am actually playing around with removing my rear axle for an old locked Bronco axle... a few mods here & there but its do-able. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 You'd think that about the rear but I am actually playing around with removing my rear axle for an old locked Bronco axle... a few mods here & there but its do-able. well of course, if you're swapping axles then your options are infinite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavefromOZ Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 They don't offer a rear locker though, right? Cause I'd rather have a rear air locker 1st. They definitely dont offer a rear for the 50 yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 i think they'd sell like hot cakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 For welding the front as long as you have manual hubs I don't see it being a big problem. Lock a single hub and that wheel will be the one that spins in 4WD. Lock both and in extreme situations, you can go up mountains and molehills alike when off-road. It all depends on what you do with your vehicle. I think that is a brilliant point....after swapping my 4.36's out for what I thought was 4.63's turns out my front gears were not 4.6 so I am patiently waiting on a new set to come from "Ben Wood" auto dismantler from ebay. Which by the way the front gears were $135 shipped!!! This is a serious thought for my rig---I will never take the Warn"s off so I could easily enjoy the locked up front in this manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fukinitupagain Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 They definitely dont offer a rear for the 50 yet Dave, go poke 'em with a stick until they make one for us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitemedoughboy.com Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 They definitely dont offer a rear for the 50 yet just weld the spiders up, you dont need a selectable in the rear. and once you drive one on the trail you'll never go back. and they're really not as bad on the street as all the ney sayers make them out to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexrex20 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 just weld the spiders up, you dont need a selectable in the rear. and once you drive one on the trail you'll never go back. and they're really not as bad on the street as all the ney sayers make them out to be. have you ever had a DD with a welded rear? how badly did it eat up the tires? ever break any axles? i would think the 33-spline axles could hold up to a little bit of binding, considering what they go through on the trails. i could be locked front and rear for <$50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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