lincoln locker or not

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I say weld it

About 12 years ago I welded my 40's stock rear 3rd. I like the simplicity, cost and ease of return to stock open. Ive had the 40 for over 20 years now.

A wise Canadian told me about welding the spider gears at 16 points (4 per the 4 spiders gears) in the low points of the gears teeth next to where the spider gears mesh to stop them from rolling onto each other instead of welding gears together completely. I welded the spiders gears together in 2 different diffs one gear to housing like Woody and the other just gear to gear and neither held up for me. Both cracked the welds and dropped metal chunks ending the 3rds short life. I did the welding with a MIG welder hot.

The spider gears can come back out and replaced with unwelded spider gears to go back to an open diff.

I went with the welded diff after dealing with the backlash (gears rocking back and forth) a LockRight adds to the already high gear backlash the stock Toyota tranfercase and trans gave. Rock Crawling with the welded diff was smoother than the LockRight less bucking from the gears. Also welded because the LockRight only made it 2 years till it started to slip harshly with loud banging. That was back when the LockRight just came out in the 90s and I didnt have the $ for a Detroit Locker and mostly desert trucks used a spool back then.

I still cant see how the Detroit works well in the front however I have heard from a few that think its the best setup in the front. The ARB has worked well in the front of my 40.

I would like to try the 12 bolt mini spool but havent needed to since the lincoln locker works so well.

...I did here some noise from my diff the other day 40 around the property maybe after 10 years I should take a look. Not bad for a stock diff running 38 in swampers near 110:1 final drive and endless runs over the Rubicon.

had to add a pic of the old 40 he doesnt get out much these days
FJ40M4 small.webp
 
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one thing I did wish someone told me about a full time locked diff is if entering a turn and cut the throttle off sharp with say a V8 at high RPMs the rear end will break traction and come around faster than the General Lee in Hazard County on a dirt road. Just be aware in the rain or a dirt road at speed.
 

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