owenst7
1/2 ton status
When it snows here, my girlfriend drives my pickup and I drive the K5. I don't think the welded rear is all that noticeable truthfully. It's definitely there in parking lots and right hand turns at stop lights, but the truck is still more nimble than my ext. cab shortbed. I also drive the K5 on the highway to all the trails I run. It really isn't that bad, and I would definitely have trouble spending money on a locker for the rear (not saying I wouldn't, it just is a low priority). I haven't noticed any abnormal wear on the rear tires, but then again this truck doesn't do many pavement miles.
I would say that I would run a welded rear on a DD if I was running something like TSLs anyways. I have several friends that DD their wheelers and have welded the rears and are happy, but they also run Boggers and TSLs, no anti-sway, etc. If you are mindful that the back end wants to scrub the tires and avoid gassing it through corners, I don't think it's going to kill your tires all that much.
In case you don't already know, you can pull the actuator out of your G80 and it will function just like an open carrier. I would also recommend just welding the spiders and side gears to the carrier itself if you're going to weld it. I didn't trust the three pins to all that shear force when I welded mine (I have a G80 in mine). I am also running 40"s in the rocks though (hopefully a new set of 44"s next week though!).
I would say that I would run a welded rear on a DD if I was running something like TSLs anyways. I have several friends that DD their wheelers and have welded the rears and are happy, but they also run Boggers and TSLs, no anti-sway, etc. If you are mindful that the back end wants to scrub the tires and avoid gassing it through corners, I don't think it's going to kill your tires all that much.
In case you don't already know, you can pull the actuator out of your G80 and it will function just like an open carrier. I would also recommend just welding the spiders and side gears to the carrier itself if you're going to weld it. I didn't trust the three pins to all that shear force when I welded mine (I have a G80 in mine). I am also running 40"s in the rocks though (hopefully a new set of 44"s next week though!).
