[618]

I was wondering how solid and reliable welding your rear diff is compared to a locker...? I know it's kinda cheapo, but I think my wife will kill me if I spend any more cash on the sami. I was tossin' around the idea of just weldin' my rear, as I can pick up another sami axle for about a hundred bucks from the pick-u-pull. Any comments on this line of thinkin? I know there's likely a lot goin' on in that diff that I don't know about, and I would like all the info I could get before I do it. Thanks!

Pillard
'87 Sami, 5.5" SpOA, 33" Pro-Comps, Snorkel, 8k winch, 23" buggy-leafs, etc, etc.

 

[252]

With all the people welding their diffs I'd think there would be enough of a market for Auburn Gear to make one of there $100
mini-spools for the Samurai.

rollerskate
(That's what I was told my Samurai resembles)/wwwthreads_images/icons/mad.gif

 

[Guest]

I ran with a welded diff for about a year and loved it. The only thing I didn't like was the accelerated tire wear, since my Samurai is also my daily driver. That proved to be a deceptively expensive alternative to an automatic locker. But I have nothing but good things to say about about how nicely it drove on the highway and off-road. If my Samurai wasn't a daily driver, I'd still have the welded diff. I loved it.

But don't even think of welding the front diff. Your Samurai will not turn!

-- Geoff Beasley

 

[631]

I have talked to a few people that have some beefy sammys and they all said the same thing if its welded right you wont have any problems. dont weld it with a little 110 volt mig welder!!! they have been to moab clayton colorado and never had a problem mines at the weld shop right now

Mark
90 samurai F.I jx interior
96 sportage 4x4 wifes grocery getter.
"Life is short play hard"

 

[Guest]

I thought about welding the rear of mine, and have heard good things about it, but I ended up filling my rear diff with aluminum. Works great and didn't heat the gears up near as much.

96 Powerstroke
86 Samurai 4"lift, Weber, P/S
86 Samurai Rockcrawler, 1.6 FI, P/S, cage, 5.12 R+P, 4.1-1 tcase, SPOA M/L,+++++

 

[631]

explain filling the rearend with aluminum i never heard of it before

Mark
90 samurai
96 sportage 4x4 wifes grocery getter.
"Life is short play hard"

 

[Guest]

it will eat your tires alot more than a locker but it is kick a$$ on the trails. yea it does plenty of chirping in the corners but if you jack the air pressure up[on the street] it is no big deal. i have broke one rear axle since i did it to mine but i was asking for it. i say go for it,i have put about 15k on mine since i did it but my tires show a whole lot more wear than that. later mike

88.5ht,two87s,88.5 spoa,33X12.50,5.12 f&r,rock cage,4.16 T case

 

[618]

Yeah, I would like a little clarification on that, too...

Pillard
'87 Sami, 5.5" SpOA, 33" Pro-Comps, Snorkel, 8k winch, 23" buggy-leafs, etc, etc.

 

[618]

Weling the front diff...why wouldn't it turn? You do mean it won't steer worth a darn, right?

Pillard
'87 Sami, 5.5" SpOA, 33" Pro-Comps, Snorkel, 8k winch, 23" buggy-leafs, etc, etc.

 

[Guest]

take my word for it don't weld the front diff. i did it to mine it is great if you just want to go straight. went to clayton with mine welded and it was 17 deg. and i was sweating my a$$ off it doesn't turn for $hit. ten point turn arounds on the trail in a zuk is pretty bad and it push the front like he11. just save your money for the front and get a locker later mike

88.5ht,two87s,88.5 spoa,33X12.50,5.12 f&r,rock cage,4.16 T case

 

[Guest]

Mine is welded in the rear, kicks ass offroad. Not too bad on the road either. Mine is not a daily driver though..

1986 Samurai
Locked rear
4:1 trasfer case
SPOA
Missing links
Breeze Crossover Steering
Spidertrax Panhard Rod
More mods on the way just waiting for the lottery board to call

 

[618]

And you don't have this problem with, sayyyy, a lockright in the front diff?

Pillard
'87 Sami, 5.5" SpOA, 33" Pro-Comps, Snorkel, 8k winch, 23" buggy-leafs, etc, etc.

 

[Guest]

So what;s with the aluminum In the diff's?

SPEED KILLS BUT YA GET THERE FASTER

KTM 500

 

[436]

I had my rear welded by a professional welder, it holds up good, and is amazing off-road. Not bad at all on the street, and ive never broken anything yet

87 samurai, 33" mud tyres, rear locker, baby rock lobster, fast back bestop top, custom bumpers, gator guard 2 interior, expander shackles, rear springs up front, soon cj's in rear, lawn edging flares

 

[Guest]

Aluminum Diff

I heard about it through here.

I took a standard rear diff, tacked the crosspins in heated it up with a hot plate, Melted aluminum from a ford v6 cyl head till it's runny then poured it into the carrier from the ring gear side it it was full.

Since this was the first I removed the side plate from the carrier to look, and wow it filled every nook and crannie. The guy I heard it from said he run this setup for two years. I've had it in for 3 months, but have been through helldorado, prichett, spike, devils escalator in Moab and quite a few trails here in Colorado.
Works great.

96 Powerstroke
86 Samurai 4"lift, Weber, P/S
86 Samurai Rockcrawler, 1.6 FI, P/S, cage, 5.12 R+P, 4.1-1 tcase, SPOA M/L,+++++