I recently sold the SLOYOTA.

And, after putting in over 50,000 miles of driving with a full spool, I'll stand by my original post 100%. Some of you seem to miss part of it...

 

I’m kind of in the middle on the welding of the spiders..Stock Yota ring, pinion, and spiders are heat treated..I have heard of people welding them and doing fine but also here of more people breaking down because of breaking welds that where done on top of oil, also welding to a heat treated metal doesn’t sound like a good idea I would think it would weaken the section you welded to? Just my pinion

 

I went through 2 welded rears that also had the side gears welded to the side covers (sorry not a technical term). I now have a set that has just the spiders welded to the the side gears and have been driving on that for over a year. (not a daily driver, more of a weekender and wheeler).

On another note, I had a samurai with a mini spool in the rear and I welded the front. I used to lock the passenger hub only and it helped the steering (off road only) and then lock in the driver side when I needed it. Once your rear is spooled or locked you can run in 4lo and not even lock in your front hubs for a cheap 2lo for most trails out there. And then you can tell all your buddies "I haven't even put it in 4 wheel drive yet" and really make them mad!

 

what if you drive 50% pavement, 25% gravel, and the rest off road. Should you weld your gear together or will it realy eat up tires on pavement quickly, maybe a locker?.

 

It will eat up tires pretty quick on a daily driver. I have noticed the outer lugs on my swampers having some wear on the back tires (where the welded rear is). When you go around corners you chirp one tire which definitly causes increased wear.

 

"people kinda dont know what to think when they see a yota on 39s drift around a turn or u-way" ya that put a big ole grin on my face.

k so what is the cheapest route? i run open front and rear and constantly get stuck do to 1 tire fire. i also run used mud terrains with like no tread i right now have 5 different 31x10.50's on my yota with minimal tread, like 8/32 of an inch or something but not bald and they all have real good side wall grip knobby things sticking out the side of the tire witch is all my off road traction any ways.

so is a spool cheaper than a lunch box locker? will a luch box have any tire ware factor at all? cuz if it does ill just go with a spool anyways and deal with the tire replacement. i am broke as a joke but love to have fun so ya i drive a yota. if a lunch box is alot cheaper then i will prolly go with it but i would deff prefer a spool for the fun factor. yes its DD but i drive like a bat outta hell on and off road so i want to be sliding sideways thru the intersections

also i have a personal mechanic so labor isnt much of a factor but just to get an idea whats easier lunch box or spool or is it the same process?

oh and this is for the rear only dont got money for the front just have to deal with open.

but just for kicks if i had the money i would run a lunch box up front. becuase as far as i know if the hubs arent locked in i will be completley open up front and most importantly if i have only one side locked in only that side will grab and not the other not locked in side so i will have a good offroad turning radius and 3wd. just lock in the front disengaged hub as needed on the trail, for 4 wheel drive.

correct me if im wrong plz becuase as of my knowledge thats how a lunch box works up front.

so my dream set up would be lunch box up front and spool in the rear.
but ill prolly end up with just a lunch box or a spool in the rear witch ever is cheaper in parts and labor.

 

I think a spool would cost less than a lunch box locker (no moving parts, just a big hunk of steel), but they are a little harder to find. Install costs more with a spool, since you need to setup the gears again. You can always "lincoln lock" the differential (i.e. weld it), costs next to nothing and is basically a spool.

 

but just for kicks if i had the money i would run a lunch box up front. becuase as far as i know if the hubs arent locked in i will be completley open up front and most importantly if i have only one side locked in only that side will grab and not the other not locked in side so i will have a good offroad turning radius and 3wd. just lock in the front disengaged hub as needed on the trail, for 4 wheel drive.

correct me if im wrong plz becuase as of my knowledge thats how a lunch box works up front.

yes i know i am quoting my self but i made my mind up on the rest! im going to weld the rear end of my yota when i get my 86 iroc-z going! so i can save the tires a lil more! but my camaro has posi and it hooks up real nice so ill be eating tires anyways......but they are cheaper to replace on the camaro than the 4Runner!

 

Yes, w/ unlocked hubs up front, it makes no difference what you have in the front diff, open, LSD, locker, spool or no diff at all. Why? The hubs are free wheeling when unlocked. And yes, you can use 3-wheel drive, although the steering will be a little funky, as when the locked wheel is on the inside of the turn, it'll tend to cause understeer and when on the outside of the turn, it'll tend to oversteer a little.

 

sweet means just more fun! and thanks for clarifying that up for me! any one ever not have a lunch box locker work when they really needed it to work?

 

awsome thread!!! helped me out alot. i think im either going to put a aussie or lockright locker in the rear and a spool up front. is a aussie any better than a lockright or are they both about the same? i could put the locker and spool in, just really dont want to fool with it what do you think a local shop would charge me to put in 5.29 gears lockers and a spool? thanks

 

I agree but i'm a poor college studend. The weld only cost me a tube of sealer to install the 3rd, much better than buying a locker.

 

any one ever have a lunch box locker not work when they really needed it to work?
just wondering cuz i get in alot of sticky situations and i hate 1 tire fire!

what brands of "lunch box" lockers are out there?
the only ones i have come across and have heard good things about are the lock rites!

what makes a lunch box locker not a tru locker?
or would u have the same problems with a detroit locker, that u would with a lock rite?

oh and this is going up front on stock IFS! im welding the rear so i can spend money up front!

 

Lunch box locker refers to one that just replaces the stock spider gears. A "full locker" replaces the entire differential carrier, that is you remove the ring gear from your open diff and bolt it to the locker and then install that into the 3rd.

 

hey i welded me rear about 3 months ago and love every minute of it, hands down. im from washington, where do you wheel?????

 

Has anyone had issues with stock axles on a spooled rear end with bigger tires? Seems like the spool would put more stress on the axles. Would like to know BEFORE I find out the hard way!

 

I can't comment on welding the diff on the trucks bc I have been reluctant to do so. I have however welded the diff on my supra, the stock diff had a true trac lsd but the 4.30s had to go since gas is worth more than gold.. I took the 3.73 open diff from my '82 parts car and welded the sh!@ out of it and I love the fact that I can go on crapy roads with it and not have too many traction issues; and its great for lighting the tires up. Also I havent had any issues as far as cornering or anything of the sort. And it is very predictable. Now the down side to having a welded diff is that it has played hell on my driveline when turning sharply or at low speeds (parking lots mainly) I get a lot of chatter and other nonsense. So I havent done this to my truck yet for that reason, its mainly a daily, but it would be nice to have it when hunting or wheeling... That just my opinion and obsevations, take from it what you will. I'm out.

 

I have an Aussie locker and I miss my lincoln locker! (welded 3rd). my detroit and aussie both chatter, slop, unlock and lock around corners, buck, etc... my welded rear end was smooth. a little tire chirp but that was it. when I stop DDing my 4runner I am probably going to weld it up.

 

i know welding the rear wears your tires when turning due to them chirpping, my question is how much faster they will wear.

such as say open rear gets 2yrs out of a set of tires what would a welded get 1.5?1?.5?

on a side not i rotate my tires every 3k miles

 

you might try reading the original post