Lincoln locker

LVRockCrawler

LVRockCrawler

New member
anyone out there running a stock front axle with welded diff? using the split axle shaft (with either the vac. or cable to engage) to make it streetable... ? thinking about doing that as i have a ltd. slip in the rear and dont want to sink $$ in the axles as i'm looking for a new set to build but want an interim fix for the open dif in front... any feedback would be appreciated... thx!
 

split axle wont last. they are very weak. Welding it wont be worth it. Just get a one piece axle and install a lunch box locker like powertrac or detroit ez locker. They dont lock until the axle is pushed by the driveshaft. Had one in the front of my tj and drove it on the street all the time. No problems at all.
 
yea... the whole idea was not putting any $$ in it as i'm swapping eventually - i have a friend that can weld up the spiders for free - i guess i'll just keep it as is for now thx for the replies and any other ideas will help...!
 

You diffently want to put a one piece axle on it first. Those things have broken with limited slips in them. If I am not mistaken, you can get a axle shaft from a dana 30 that is one piece and install it. I dont know for sure which one fits, but maybe a cherokee or tj if the spline counts end the length are the same. I saw someone that had the lunchbox lockers for around $299. I think it was 4wheelparts but not for sure. All you have to do is remove your spider gears and install the locker. Dont even have to remove the carrier. You will never know its there until you put in 4 wheel drive. That is the cheapest I could think of that wont effect your on road driving.
 
I ran a lincoln locker in my d30 for years with no trouble. I ran a manual vacuum switch from a Wagoneer to control the vacuum disconnect on the front axle. This would disconnect the pass. side axleshaft for street use or for the tightest turns on the trail.

I haven't seen many vacuum disco axles break at the disconnect, it's NOT the weak part of the d30.
 
The shafts dont break themselves. The sleeve gernades under load. All of the force is sent through that little sleeve that is only about 2" wide. I have seen them gernade bad under moderate loads. But my buddy had 38" thornbirds on a stock running gear in his yj and never broke. But stock gears with a 4 cylinder and a 5 speed probably helped.
 

okay.. cuz i have a cable disco that i made from a post here (with the bike brake cable, spring. and lawnmower control - ghetto but works!) so i'll have my friend break out his welder and buy some rods... thanks Bounty...! thx for the input also jtj -but i'm running 33's and just do moderate wheeling - nothing extreme since its my daily driver... i just wanted some reassurance b/4 i did it!
 
I think you'll like it, and it's fine for moderate wheelin. I ran up to 33" swampers and even ran one rock comp. (stock class) with no problems. I don't think I was easy on it either.

Also ran a lincoln locker in the rear d35, never a problem. Definitely easier on the axleshafts than an auto locker.
 

He can't swap in TJ shafts, the disco is necessary to lock the front with a Lincoln Locker. The disco setup is stronger than a d30's ujoints so no problems there. As long as it is cable controlled or you know how to troubleshoot the vacuum system, all is good.
 
Bounty__Hunter said:
He can't swap in TJ shafts, the disco is necessary to lock the front with a Lincoln Locker. The disco setup is stronger than a d30's ujoints so no problems there. As long as it is cable controlled or you know how to troubleshoot the vacuum system, all is good.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree about the u joints. I have seen many discos break before u joints on a 30. Most of the time the discos dont engage all of the way, and if they do they can get stuck and you will be dragging the front end. The 2 piece 30 was experimental. That is why the cjs had them and then they went back to the tj. I broke my ring and pinion before breaking my u joints on my 30. I still think the sleeve is the weak point of the 30 on a yj.
 
Any time I've ever seen a d30 break it was at the u-joint. There's quite a few guys that run welded 30's with the two piece shaft in our club and they hold up just fine as long as you don't get completely stupid on the trails.
 

There is always exceptions to every rule. I have seen people break dana 60 with a 6cyl on 35" tires. I have also seen people with v8 and a amc 20 and never break a flange. It all comes down to the driver and luck. But there is a reason people swap those axles and the factory wont even use them anymore. All it takes is for that one time that it breaks at the wrong time and you cause more damage or even roll from the loss of traction. I build things to eliminate the weak points as much as possible with in a budget. I will never discourage anyone from trying something for themselves, but I learn from other people mistakes. And I have seen alot of mistakes come into my shop.
 
90% of the carnage I've seen on D30 front ends and even D44's for that matter is from improper gearing and/or not knowing when to let off the throttle. It usually goes something like this: increased throttle to compensate for poor gearing gets tire spinning, spinning front tire lifts, spinning front tire comes back down to earth and finds sudden traction, steering joint and/or yoke ears go "kaboom!"
Everybody has been there starting out. I think you have the right idea of not spending any money on that axle. Lincoln lock it and run it...carry spares if you can. Save the money for a real axle upgrade.
If you need to gear down consider doing it in the transfer case instead of those axles.
 
jtjwrangler said:
The 2 piece 30 was experimental.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't call a 9 year run in the YJ 'experimental', nor would the disco's use in the Wagoneer and full-size Dodge trucks, to name a few.

Sure a lot of it is luck, but about the same amount as everybody jumps on a bandwagon about a supposed weak part.

I never had a strength issue with my disco d30, as far as the disco is concerned, and my current disco d44 is serving me just fine with the spool.
 

I run a d30 welded with a possi lock and have not had any problems on 35s or the 40s I run right now. Granted not playing in the rocks only mud and trails.


Steve
 
I ran TJ shafts in a welded 30, so I would not go so far as to say you can't. Wasn't the best for tire wear, but with (at the time) 2 mile commute it was tolerable.

The weakest part of a D30 is everything inbetween the two rotors. no matter how hard you try to polish a turd, still end up with a turd.... That being said, I do wheel with people that have 35-37" tires on locked 30's so anything is possible i guess.
 
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