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Searched, couldn't find it, 12B welding how to?

shane74

shane74

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I am going to weld up the spiders on my open 12b for a run to see how I like it. I have 2 other spare sets of axles and spiders, and I don't do rocks much, so I'm not too worried about breakage. I just need to know the weld pattern. If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it. Thx.
 
Pull the cover, empty all the lube and clean out the housing with brake cleaner... Then rotate the assembly to one of the open "windows" where you can see the spiders. Fill in the areas in the four corners where the teeth mesh... Fill it in as deep as you can and as much as you can. (spider to spider) Then rotate the diff again to the next side and repeat...

Once you weld them, I dont think you'll be able to remove them unless you torch them out or break the welds.

Some weld just the spiders together and some weld the spidars together AND weld the spidars to the carrier.

HTH
 
Thanks! That makes sense to me!

I think I came up with a way to weld them and still be able to remove them. I'll snap pics when I have it all done.

Thanks for the help!
 
shane74 said:
Thanks! That makes sense to me!

I think I came up with a way to weld them and still be able to remove them. I'll snap pics when I have it all done.

Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...


Anytime. I actually did the drawing a while back and still had it on my computer so I posted it.... :D It's been a while since I had welded mine so I am a bit fuzzy on if they'll be removeable or not.

Definately post pics when you're done! :) Are you using a mig or stick?
 
When I welded my roommates Toyota rear diff I welded the spiders together and the spiders to the carrier, its never coming out, except as one whole piece! :) Many harsh trail rides on it, hasn't complained yet. Great cheap mod for a trail rig, kinda sucks on the street though, especially on wet/icy conditions.
 
Shane74, sorry to dig this up but did you ever weld the spiders in your 12 bolt? Did they live after you welded them? Thanks, Kevin
 
Im not Shane but I have been running welded spiders in my 12 bolt with 35" tires on my beater trail rig and so far I haven't had any problems. I welded my spiders solid to the carrier, if you only weld the spiders I don't think it will hold together very long.
 
I am running a 12 bolt that is in it's 2nd rig that has only the spiders welded. No problems yet. The weekend after it was welded, I had it on a watefall trail. Had the whole k5 bouncing off the ground front and rear. Has held up great! *knock on wood*. That rig had 35x15.50x15 TSL's. The newer rig has 35x12.50's...
 
Baja/Emmet, when you welded your spiders, did you weld the spiders to the side gears as well as to the carrier? A friend of mine tried welded the spiders in his 9", and they lasted about a week and then broke apart. It didn't break at the welds, but the gear itself broke apart 90 degrees from the weld. He said that when he welded it he had the gears glowing red, which probably took all the hardness out of the gears. If you just tack them and not heat them up a lot, will it be OK? Thanks guys, Kevin
 
Kevin,
Yes, I welded them. I only had 1 run on them before I took the rig down for an axle swap/rebuild. It was the best "free" mod I ever made to the truck IMO. But, it's not a DD, so street manners weren't a concern for me.

If you want to try it, but not be stuck with it if you don't like it, weld up the spider gears themselves and don't weld them to the carrier. That way, you can pull them out if you don't like the road manners.

Oh yeah, I was running 36x12.50x15 TSL's and it wasn't an issue.
 
I have a welded 12 bolt and it has been great just make sure ya weld the spiders to the carrier I did with a tig and have had no probs as of yet
 
No, I did not weld my spiders to the carrier. At the time we decided not too. It hasn't given my any problems yet. But if I were to do it again, I would weld them to the carrier for added insurance.
 
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