masterblazer
Registered Member
i know the obvious advantages of having a locked front end but work on a budget. what would it hurt to weld the front gears solid? as long as the lockouts were unlocked on blacktop would it be fine???
CK5
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10 bolt front end
- Thread starter masterblazer
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resurrected_jimmy
1/2 ton status
its gonna be nearly impossible to steer without hydro-assist and the likelihood of breaking shafts is very high
No more stress or chance of breaking shafts then paying hundreds of $$ for a locker. Steering is harder and the turning radius is increased on the trail, but I wouldn't call it "impossible".
10-bolts are pretty cheap and easy to find, so I would say weld it and try it out. If you don't like it you can just find another open carrier in the junkyard for cheap and slap it in.
10-bolts are pretty cheap and easy to find, so I would say weld it and try it out. If you don't like it you can just find another open carrier in the junkyard for cheap and slap it in.
Not true IMO, the "slop" that's designed into mechanical lockers takes a lot of stress off of everything when you turn. One bit of proof is that Longfield warranties its stuff if you use a mechanical locker but won't with a spool.
Akjimmy907
1/2 ton status
Hey
I drove a Welded 10 bolt font end around and wheeled it, it was a little harder to steer when the hubs were locked and thats about it. To say its "Impossible" is ridiculous. If its that hard for you then go to the gym a little more often
I drove a Welded 10 bolt font end around and wheeled it, it was a little harder to steer when the hubs were locked and thats about it. To say its "Impossible" is ridiculous. If its that hard for you then go to the gym a little more often
Akjimmy907
1/2 ton status
One part is correct........breakage will soon be on your horizon if you wheel hard or even moderetly. The welded 10 held on my blazer with 38's for 2 years. The guy before me welded it and he wheeled it also. no idea how, but I swapped in my 60 up front and now the same welded 10 bolt is under another truck and still alive and well.
resurrected_jimmy
1/2 ton status
I drove a Welded 10 bolt font end around and wheeled it, it was a little harder to steer when the hubs were locked and thats about it. To say its "Impossible" is ridiculous. If its that hard for you then go to the gym a little more often
I will assume you were responding to my post. Guess everyone with hydro-assist should go to the gym more
Well, a broken lunch box locker is essentially a spool. A buddy broke his passenger side hub and that broke the pins in the locker at Harlan a couple weekends ago.
After replacing the hub, he wheeled the rest of the weekend with the front locked up like a spool. He had a huge difference in turning radius and had to fight it all the time where as normally he can drive with just one hand. After seeing that, I'll never consider a front spool for anything I'm going to drive any amount.
After replacing the hub, he wheeled the rest of the weekend with the front locked up like a spool. He had a huge difference in turning radius and had to fight it all the time where as normally he can drive with just one hand. After seeing that, I'll never consider a front spool for anything I'm going to drive any amount.
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
I welded up a carrier once, it's not so much "harder" to steer, it looses more of the radius when the hubs are locked. For a gradual radius turning road, it took more than double steering wheel turning to make the same turn when hubs are unlocked. I also had turning radius issues while on the trails too, couldn't get the wheels lined up accurately without backing up and moving around a bit.
I went with a Loc-rite in it, it still acts similar when on trails, but being that i can simply put the t-case selector in 2wd, release the drive tension, it unlocks the lockright and lets the hubs spin freely so i can ture, kind of a half-assed selectable. Just learn to use the 4wd when absolutely needed
I went with a Loc-rite in it, it still acts similar when on trails, but being that i can simply put the t-case selector in 2wd, release the drive tension, it unlocks the lockright and lets the hubs spin freely so i can ture, kind of a half-assed selectable. Just learn to use the 4wd when absolutely needed
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Weld that sucker!! I am welded with 37's but I do have hydro assist with high steer and crossover. Definitely hurts the turning radius with both locked, but I often wheel with just the long shaft locked until I really need both. I also have upgraded shafts. I bought the axle this way so can't really tell you anything about stock shafts or running with push pull steering.
I leave this one as a difference of opinions.
From my experience "slop" = "shock loads" into the shafts. Just like a loose bolt is more prone to break than a tight one.
I will say that I prefer a mechanical locker in the front and run a Lock-right because it does make turning easier, and simply sliding the t-case lever into 2wd gets rid of any affects of a locker without worrying about unlocking the hubs.
