Welded Diffs and Lockers

[rickf]

Yup, when it knocks your camera down that is a Detroit locker slip/lock.

 

[Mercunimog404]

Likely it will push straight unless enough speed is had to transfer weight from the inside, to the ouside. The longer the wheelbase with heavier front axle, the less push will be occur.
One of the best analogies for a welded diff would be riding an old honda atc three wheeler. It had a straight axle, no differential action and was very short wb. If you just sat straight up in the seat and turned the front wheel, it would just push straight. You had to transfer from the inside wheel so it could loose traction in order to get it to turn. Later londer wheel base atvs came about and had better turning manners.

The detroit lockers to those new to them, can be very nerve racking at first. They have very bad street manners and are noisy and unpredictable in their action. Once a turn is made and the outside ratchet disengages from the carrier part, it does not always just click back in when going straight. It can stay disengaged for a bit and engage when accelerating. This is when, until you have some time with them, it can scare you as the engagement will be vary abrupt, with a loud clank and the vehicle, depending on the weight of it, will shift slightly to the opposing side of that that was disengaged.

Like this rig, you can hear the noise I mention. I have one in my 3/4 ton 2wd pu and one in my Steiger tractor. The pickup scares people on the sidewalk when it clanks into posi. The tractor works awesome on the soil, and sucks bad down the road and in the farm yard.

A "posi" is a limited slip. A locker is a locker.

 

[Excuse Me]

A "posi" is a limited slip. A locker is a locker.

Agreed fully.
We can get as technical as we wish. But even the term "locker" is a general term. "Posi" is an even broader term from way back when I wuz in skule.

 

[Moto2four]

I should have been clearer with my question.

If I want the added benefit of a locked front axle, but cant justify the $1000 for a locker, could I weld the front diff and run a desplined drive flange on road?

 

[doghead]

Technically yes, but your ability to actually turn(navigate) will be severely limited.

You need to be able to engage or disengage it on command, to be drivable.

 

[rickf]

I would think that a welded diff in the front of a deuce, when engaged off road would be undrivable. It would not steer. This is not a 2,000 lb. Jeep you are talking about here. And I already know what your next question will be, "well what if I only engage one side?" That would be fine until you hit hard pack, or better yet you are spinning the tires to get out and that one tire grabs. Instant turn! Do NOT have your thumbs on the inside of the wheel!!! If you really insist on welded diffs then put them in the rear and buy lots of tires.

 

[Moto2four]

I would think that a welded diff in the front of a deuce, when engaged off road would be undrivable. It would not steer. This is not a 2,000 lb. Jeep you are talking about here. And I already know what your next question will be, "well what if I only engage one side?" That would be fine until you hit hard pack, or better yet you are spinning the tires to get out and that one tire grabs. Instant turn! Do NOT have your thumbs on the inside of the wheel!!! If you really insist on welded diffs then put them in the rear and buy lots of tires.

If the front axle was disengaged, and a desplined drive flange was installed on one side, I do not see how this would happen.

BUT, ive been wrong before...

 

[rickf]

If the front axle is disengaged then what good is it doing you when you are stuck in the mud? I would much rather have an open differential driving both wheels in the mud and snow than I would have only one wheel available and have to deal with all the other associated issues.

 

[Excuse Me]

If the front axle was disengaged, and a desplined drive flange was installed on one side, I do not see how this would happen.

BUT, ive been wrong before...

As long as the front axle is disengaged, you should be able to drive the vehicle equipped this way. But when you engaged the front, even off road on slippery surfaces, You will positively drive the one splined wheel. Because the tire is not directly over the steering pivot line, any traction on the tire will tend to pull that tire forward and do so against the drivers attempts at keeping it straight. And, when hitting the brakes, it will jerk the wheel out of your hands to the opposite side.

So then what if you were to put the other splined cap on for off road? Once again, that offset from the steering pivot line, often referred to as the king pin, will work against you. When the steering axle is fixed across the multi axle frame and you turn a circle, the inside tires must be able to rotate slower and/or the outside faster. You already know this I'm sure. But with a welded diff, there is no possible way for either to accomplish that. The inside can not rotate slower nor can the outside rotate faster. All of this will feed back thru the steering to you, the driver. Even if you have the power to hold the wheel turned to one direction, because the tires can not rotate at different speeds, they tend to over ride each other pushing the vehicle straight. And at this point with both spline caps installed, even with the transfer case disengaged, the welded diff will not allow and differential action.
Think of a skid steer loader.

More than likely you will just break something. Lincoln lockers, or welded differentials was meant for straight line racing. Nothing more. Trailer the vehicle to the race, collect your winnings and trophy and trailer it home. The heavy weight pulling pickups unlock one hub to get the pickup lined up to the sled, they then engage it so all 4 wheels are positively locked together and pull as they will. Then unlock the one hub so they can make it back to the pits. If they dont unlock that hub with all that weight up front, it just wont turn, it will stall the thing out trying to push the front end.

 

[Moto2four]

Best reply so far. Thanks for actually reading my question and explaining, not just jumping on the bandwagon of welded diffs are bad. Looks like Detroit lockers are in my future.