lincoln locked front 10 bolt on 33s?

[moturbopar]

I DID A SEARCH! I only found info on welding a 10bolt and running 37s.
Anyone here run a welded 10 bolt with 33 12.50s? I have been thinking about buying a lockright but If I can get away with a welded front, I could save my money up for a dana 60. I will be running 33s for now and will be doing mostly desert crawling. Which parts are most likely to go out? I bring extra stubs and ujoints anyways, I guess I could bring extra axles if need be. Also I have heard that locking the front make the truck harder to turn, if this is the case couldnt I just unlock one hub when driving on tight trails?
Thanks
Shawn

 

[pauly383]

It does make it harder to turn with stock steering . My friend TJ could chime in on this when hes home .

But I specifically remember Jay getting out and unlocking a hub for TJ many times on Raw Deal , just to make it easier to manuever .

Theres a locker up there now , and its a lot easier ( which reminds me I need 2 front lockers )

 

[moturbopar]

Thats what I figured, I just need it to last until next years tax return! I Am really thinking about trying it out, I guess if I dont like it I can always put in my other 10bolt. So what do you think about it breaking with 33s?
Later
Shawn

 

[bajaviking]

I have been running welded front and rear diffs. on my beater 83 Blazer with 35's for about a year now and I have broken the ujoint and stubshafts in one side twice. Both were in pretty extreme conditions so I can't say it surprises me that they broke. Steering can get hard on hard dirt or rocks, I usually leave one hub unlocked and when I get to a difficult obstacle I will get out and lock it in. Traction is awesome and I love to climb stuff in my junk that people can't climb in their nice expensive looking Heeps! If it's only until you can afford to switch to the Dana 60 weld it up and have some fun

In my other Blazer I have a lock right in the front and it does make steering a little easier.

 

[pauly383]

I have 33's , a rear locker , and an open front . No problems thus far . Mostly due to the way we wheel out here . Tj has front locker in his 10 bolt and no broken shafts yet . Some guys like Mikey with the bronze stepside snap front shafts sometimes ... with 37 MTR's . If you have the cash like Rob you can bullet proof the half tons with Superior shafts .

I have been on many different local trails , including getting stuck in the z-turn on Terminator and needing strapped out ( damn open front ) , and , knock on wood , I haven't broken an axle yet .

Just carry shafts with you , complete and ASSEMBLED already for ease and speed of trail fix , you can change joints at home or at camp .

You'll usually break what you don't carry before you break something you do

 

[moturbopar]

Thanks guys, That is the exact info I was looking for!
Pauly I was checking out your links, and saw some of the stuff you guys have gone on! Cant wait to get a little more practice and head out to those places, looks like a blast. The only problem I have now is getting people to go with me now on what I consider easy trails, dont know how I will ever get my freinds to ever do stuff like that. My freind is afraid he will break his little cherokee, and my dad doesnt want to do anything major in his 70 blazer. But of course they dont mind riding with me

 

[Hossbaby50]

I would highly recommend against welding the front. You will hate it. Just wait your turn till you can afford a locker and do it right. Lockrights are cheap and they work pretty well. I ran a trail or two down there in AZ over the last few years and I would not even consider running a welded front there. The turns are to tight and the rocks offer to much traction to make it even possible to turn. Even with crossover it would be a nightmare to turn the front with a welded. Your axleshafts and ujoints would absolutely hate the idea of a welded front axle also.

If you do weld the front make VERY sure that you have reinforced the steering box area of the frame with the weldon kit and the brace. You will be putting a hell of a beating on your steering parts trying to turn against the welded front. The money you save on a front locker will probably be spent on replacing things like steering pumps, axle ujoints, axleshafts, and who knows what else. If you were in the midwest with lots of loose dirt and mud a welded front wouldn't be as big of a deal but AZ dirt and rocks offer alot of traction.

If you want to weld the rear go for it. The front is a totally different story.

Harley

 

[4xcrazy]

Hey, i'm chiming in now,,,,let me just say
DON'T DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it really sucks, very hard to steer, and i also think it also wore out my steering gear box and tie rod ends and drag link ends, because ever since, i have had a VERY sloppy steering issue now.

I am now running one of those Loc-rite's right now and REALLY love that thing, only use the front when absoutely need it, just take it our of 4wd and you are able to steer again.

I would highly advise going with an aftermarket unit, DO NOT WELD UP YOUR FRONT CARRIER.

 

[captaininsano]

I'm running a welded 10b with 39.5 iroks, hydro assist steering. Nothing has broken yet. Carry spares. If I didn't have the hydro assist I'd think twice about it. Turning sucks, but hey, locked up vs open is a no brainer. It's not that bad, the tradeoff for lack of traction is minimal. I would argue you are more prone to breaking something without the locked front. More stress on parts cause you are having to hammer down more often.

 

[Thunder]

I would just run a lockrite in the front they work good. You can pick up 10 bolt lockrites in good enough condition to run up front cheap on ebay.
I am running a front lockrite and 33s. It is easy on parts as long as i dont mash the skinny pedal. Only problem I have is with U joints. But thats pretty common with a locker in the front. They are easy to change.