welded rear dif problem

[Shadow]

before i go spending so of our hard earned money on a locker for the zuk, i'd like to find out if anyone has some suggestions for me...

for the last few years i ran a "bobbit locker" (lead) with a set of 32x9.5 swampers and had no problems. last summer i changed my tires to a set of 33x13.5 claws and then i blew 2 rear difs that same summer.

what happens is the side gear cracks in half all the way around. not side to side but all the way around. basically its half its thickness when its done...one half spins on the axle shaft and the other end is still in the welded dif..then it removes the spline from my axles...it has happened on both sides, so its got nothing to do with one side being longer than the other...the one time it blew i was just putting along a grassy area along a powerline so i don't think its abuse related (well not completely)

could it be traction??? could the claws be just that width makes then grip a bit better than the swampers??? does anyone else have the same problem with a welded rear end????

so here are my chooses....reweld and pray i don't blow another rear end.....purchase a spoil from trail tough and be solid all the time but have some wear on my tires or purchase a locker & save some tire but spend more money....

what do the people think???
:bang:

[Mudslug]

Mini spool in the ass....cheap and easy...

[TheSarg]

hmmmm quite the dillemma, i was planning on locking my rear too, but i went open all weekend and did fairly well, and watched 2 locked rears blow a pinion gear, if i was to go locked rear i would spend the cash on a locker, no spool or weld, just my $0.02

[Superzuk]

Al, Weld it. Either way I think the stress on it will be the same. I think the only way around it is to get a different rear end. Think about it, Whether it's welded or spooled, the stress on the side gears remains the same. (in my opinion)
Maybe try to fit a tracker rear end into your sammy, it might be a bit more durable....
personally, I think ideally a locker is nice, but for a lot of people, it means less money for other things that are necessary, like gas, oil, etc...

[gordZuki]

canadian tire ... lockrite locker for sammy ... 279

[Mudslug]

What?!? Is that the cost of an arc welder there??

[gordZuki]

279 for lockrite locker mudslug

[drtysuzuk]

i put a spool in my sami, works great offroad but brutal with boggers on pavement! spend the dough on a locker:bang:

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by drtysuzuk
i put a spool in my sami, works great offroad but brutal with boggers on pavement! spend the dough on a locker:bang:


Id have to agree. My welded diffs have had great success but the fukn tire wear sucks, even if you flat tow and dont use it as a daily. For a trailered zook , if you have a freind who is "Stick Welder Supreme" get him to stick weld it but I like the locker thing personally. :D

[jimny1000]

Sorry couldn't make it to NL4x4 challenge or Suzican.:(

I am not here to bash Lockright, but after they got brought by Richmond Gears, we have seen a lot more defects, not many Suzuki ones, but mostly other models. Most of them looked like they are having some hardening problems since the teeths got chewed away....even on trucks that is running small tires.

There are two types for the Samurai, one gives you the side couplers and the other uses stock Suzuki sidegears as a coupler. I personally have used the one without the couplers since they are quieter.
When I had my SJ410 axles, I brought a Lockright and had problems with it. It lasted about 3 hours of road driving and 1/2 hour on the trail. I am running 30" tires and the 1000cc motor and I even shimmed the sidegears properly to make sure they mesh correctly. When I took the Lockright out, it was in tiny little bits and pieces. I know that was from the smaller SJ410 axles...that is why I am running the SJ413 axles now. I am running a Detroit EZ locker now. Works the same as a Lockright and it has been in the rear for over one year and seen lots of abuse. I was running that last year at the NL4x4 as well as Swampswimmer and last time when I saw you at Lingham Lake.
The price difference isn't much comparing to a Lockright.
On the other hand, the other model of the Lockright which gives you the side couplers may be more durable??

People love to run LSDs here in Japan. They lockup almost 100% under acceleration and have normal handling onroad. They provide a bit of cushion on sudden impact loads as well.
My friend (he is actually the producer of the LSD) had his for over 3 years under hard useage and still works like new. He told me that the trick is to change the LSD oil every 5000kms.

ARBs are nice, but the cost.....

[lil beast]

i dont know if its just mine but ive had my locker in for about 6yrs and have had absolutly no probs with it. ive gone through 2 sets of gears (ring and pinion) and i am still using the same side gears from day one...and yes i do take it off road :beer:

[jimny1000]

Yeah, because you got the old batch of lockers when they are still made by Powertrax. The problem came after when Powertrax was sold to Richmond Gears.
I am just mentioning because I have seen too many returns from customers.

[Shadow]

jimny1000..hey bud how's it going???? when you coming back to this side of the world?? i was talking to shawn at suzican and he said you were still over in japan.....

....i originally had a detroit e-z locker when i first got started...it came with the side gears in it but i sold it...i wanted to put it up front but then i found out about the side gear thing (yea i was a newbie then) and couldn't use it up front...it never gave me any major problems mechanically..probably the only thing i didn't like about it was a bit of a jerking action (lock, unlock) in the drive train as i did "u" turns in front of my house (i park on the street :{ )....the twisting feel i got during accelertion reminded me of my V8 vega (some people don't like that feeling) as the back right side would sort of squat...

i'm presently trying to buy back that same locker that i sold (detroit) as the guy never used it and its still sitting in the box..the guy sold his zuk so he has no use for it...unfortunatly this guy is being a bit stubborn and i'd like to be prepared to finish rebuilding the rear dif when i get healthier to do so...since this guy is taking his time i'll probably have to come up with plan b.. plan b is why i started this thread..just seeing what everyone thinks..i just don't want to be healthy and then wait a month for parts when i can be doing that now....

shadow

[jimny1000]

Hey, Al,
Nice to hear from you! No, I am still here in Japan and not sure exactly when I will be back....don't worry, you will see me on the trails once I get back.
Hope you feeling better and stay healthy.

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by Shadow

the guy sold his zuk so he has no use for it...unfortunatly this guy is being a bit stubborn

Hey Al, sounds like the guy needs to be familiarized with the "pillow case" :ev: :ev: :ev:

[off_your_rocker]

well how i see it you blow up diffs with the locker and you blow up diffs welded, so either save your self some cash and weld it or stop playing around and get some real axles.in my sammi i broke 4 rear axles in my tracker rear end before i got toyota diffs. it was welded and i liked the go pedal alot. but hey its your money:beer:

[MuddMachine]

How big a tire are we talking ? I kinda see it as a waste to add several pounds of axle to run a 33. If we're gonna do an axle swap to run a 35 or bigger, cool, otherwise it's more weight and less clearance at the diff. :bang:

[Shadow]

off_your_rocker i've only blown the rear end with it being welded...it never broke with the locker in it....

after reading about fullloads problem (blown pinion) it makes me wonder....they say his blown pinion was do to his bent rear end..my rear housing was bent also (found out after season)..could my problem be the same as his ? a bent housing putting undo pressure inside the the 3rd member thus breaking the side gears??:bang:

[Fullload]

well i am in the middle of putting another sammy axle in my truck. I wanna see if that was the definate problem. The other thing that concerns me is that calabogie was the second time that i have been out with the 4.16 t-case. That may also be the cause of my troubles. The first time that i ran the 4.16 case was at ardbeg and had a wonerful weekend and never scratched nothin. But maybe bent it there. If i was certain that it was the case i would go to the tracker rear end to save my time but yet again i am unsure. I will put in the sammy housing and see what happens. If i keep grenading stuff then i will go bigger and you have your answer on if it was the housing causing un due stress or if it is our case. then i have no choice but to up grade to toys and then i have to go 35's Bwhahahahahahhahahaha

[gordZuki]

if u go 35's i'll take your 31's

[Fullload]

Ok so now you are #7 in line for my tires. there are 6 other people in front of you.:ale:

[off_your_rocker]

that could be the problem with your locker breaking. if the housing was bent it would put alot of un needed pressure on the side gears causing it to break like that. i've never actualy looked at the bobit rear locker but i have read about it on your web site but could it also be the lead?

[Larry]

Hi All
My First post here ~one of the guys on Off-Road .com where I usuely hang out found this forum and posted a link.
I have recentely installed 4/10 toy axcles on my 87 Tin Top and went wheeling last Sat. My Stock Zuk axcles I had were Locked and I sold them to a budy who out did me with his mostely gone At tires. I run 32 11/50 swampers. OUCH!!!!
I need my lockers back!! have heared diferent stories on welding the diff. front and back. I run both on and off Street.
Need stories on how well that has worked for you!!!
Also what to weld to what? Also what Lockers do you recomd for my Toy axcles If I go that rout!!!! Thanks!!!!:ale:
( Will check this next Fri as I'm gon all week on my weekely run to El Paso)

[Depot]

hey larr, welcome aboard :)

i also run toy axels with 410's in em with a welded rear end. Lemme be the first to tell yah from my own personal experience.. dont weld ur toy carriers... they are not as meaty as the zuk ones... I blew up a perfectly nice set of 529's cause the welded carrier was warped to rat shit (shane). even after getting a pro to weld up some other carries i had with the warning about how easily they warp, they still warped.. one wasnt too bad so i used it for my 410 but no way would i try in on 529's or anything smaller for sure.... a few of my buds here who have recently chaged to toy axels have opted for a full spool - 300 smakers canadian from "on all 4's" or somethign like that, not sure of the place personally. thats definatly gonna be my route for my next rig. dont know nutin about locklers or arb's for toy cept they cost much more :)

I personally prefer to keep the front open, used to have mine welded too... everythign got real boring real fast.. I'd have to find super hard shit to play on where none of my friends could go, jsut watch.. got dry real fast - not to mention steering was a nightmare even with powersteering... if anything, I'd go with an arb or even electric up front but i have no experience with either to give u an honest opinion.

hope this helps

gl

Depot

[AkDale]

Originally posted by Larry
Hi All
! have heared diferent stories on welding the diff. front and back. I run both on and off Street.
Need stories on how well that has worked for you!!!
Also what to weld to what?
Hi Larry,
I have been running my Samurai Lincoln Locker in the rear for more than a year now. I have not broken anything, and I am turning 33x15 Boggers.

I welded my side gears (Both of them) to the carrier, and left the spider gears in the diff, just for a little more support for the side gears.
AkDale