Welding rear end?

[flipside_nv]

I have an 85 toy ext cab with stock 4.10 gears as a daily driver.  I'm going to put 5.29's in there with the 35's I'm running.  Just spoke with a buddy of mine and he said to have the back end welded instead of spending the money on a detroit.  Is this a good idea for the rear end or would it be worth it to spend the cash on a locker?  

[KYOTA]

 If you're thinking of welding it you'd be better off with a spool. A spool is less than half the price of a Detroit, but you're gonna eat tires on a DD

[WHITE_TRASH]

I had the rear of my 84 welded with 39.5" tsl's for a few months.  It wasnt all that bad really.  I did notice a bit of wear on the rear but I attributed that to my hammer down driving style.  I am going to weld both ends of my lil truck soon, I would rather spoo; or weld a diff than waste money on a locker that has SO many bad traits!  I guess Im weird cause I wanna change lanes when I wanna instead of everytime I shift gears bacause of that damned detroit!
WT

[84runner]

If you do a good job preping and welding you will be fine.

[flipside_nv]

I had the rear of my 84 welded with 39.5" tsl's for a few months.  It wasnt all that bad really.  I did notice a bit of wear on the rear but I attributed that to my hammer down driving style.  I am going to weld both ends of my lil truck soon, I would rather spoo; or weld a diff than waste money on a locker that has SO many bad traits!  I guess Im weird cause I wanna change lanes when I wanna instead of everytime I shift gears bacause of that damned detroit!
WT

WT could you explain a little more about having to shift gears because of the detroit.  I've never heard of any problems and definitely want to know of some before I buy it.  Thanks.

[WHITE_TRASH]

Detroits have a 1/4 turn of slop built into them because their design need it to function.  If you are reving it up a bit such as entering the freeway, the slack centers itself.  So when you grab another gear it has basically unlocked because it sees no torque inbetween gears.  Perfect example is say you turn a corner and straighten it out, usually about 30 yards down the street the inside axle will reengauge itself and the vehicle will pull to that side with a loud pop.
Hope that is the info you were needing.
WT

[mr4x42u]

Its not just detroit..Alot of lockers have bad road manners in the way wt describes...The welded diff seems to be alot less of a problem..I have been running welded diffs for a while and never had any problems..I did get a detrot for the front and can turn alot beter now then before with the welded front..Make sure you clean your weld area real good..I used good degreaser and cab clean to get the weld area clean to get good penatration..

[hawaii500_1999]

i have heard this discusion many many times. 

i myself for a daily drive prefer a detroit locker.  (the best thing for the street of course is open, or arb)

i had a welded rear with 35 boggers and it eats up a lot of power on turns from the inside and outside wheels fighting each other and it made the turning radius worse in parking lots.  the full detroit locker i had made a lot of racket and had bad street manners but i prefered it over the welded.

also make sure it is welded properley or buy a spool.  i had my spyders break loose on me going home one night, (not cool)  and no i didn't weld them.

[flipside_nv]

Thanks for the input!!!   

[Hyena]

I ahve a detriot in the rear and i don't even here it.  even when going slow and turning sharp i don't even here it.  Now the front i have a lock right which i will be taking out becasue it sucks, i think the springs are bad in it.  but it rachets like crazy when wheeling.  I have a friend at school that wleded both the front and rear and he likes the rear welded, but he hates the front.  He hasn't even wheeled with the front welded and he already wants to take it out.  hope this helps.

[flipside_nv]

Thanks!  I think I'm going to avoid the weld.  To many mixed feelings on it.  I want to do it right the first time.  I'm either going to go with a spool or just suck it up and do an ARB.  Either way, it's going to be a little while before this DD has any true wheeling modifications done to it.  I'm still trying to get it into decent driving condition.  It already has a 5" lift and a crapy set of 35's on it.  The steering suck and I think that part of that is the tires and the other part is the push pull steering with the over worked stabilizer shock.  First some good shoes and then cossover steering.  Just thought that if the weld was going to work great, then for the money I would get that done.  To big a list and not enough money.  What else is knew?   

[84runner]

You can always weld it up now and if you don't like it change out for the locker or the spool later down the road. All you will have to do is set your back lash again and thats real easy  , because the locker or the full spool will take place of the carrier in which your gonna weld

[TRD_Offrd]

my DD is welded and no complaints yet,hell i even had a set of boggers last me 2 1/2 yrs with it welded and i drive it about 250-300 miles a week

[Rock_Starr]

What  WT and others are discribing tends to be more comon with older detroits verse the new generation. Personally i would not run a welded rear end with any thing other than the plentiful stock 4.10s because when the welded carrier fails (and they will) you will more than likely kill the r&p which would negate the savings of not purchasing a spool.  My two cents.
-RS.

[yotaboy79]

mines been welded for two years, blown up one tranny one bearfeal and one axle shaft and a front cv joint and the welded rear is still going strong, its my daily driver and the only complaint i have is in hard packed snow and ice, it tendes to get a bit squirly going around corners, worse then open diff for that, but other wise i love it   

[rbusatoy]

I have my rear welded.  I am runing 35s with stock 4.10 gears.  I had 5.29s and was destroying them.  Had a detroit in the rear and blow it up when my axal shaft broke.  Had to weld it.  Do drive it on the road often and it is not to bad.  When it is raining it does not handol very well, but other than that it work grate.

[YotaYota]

Just weld the live'n F&^K out of it and never look back, if it blows up then that gives you an excuse to drop 5 bills for a detroit. 

                                                   -Anthony

[Toyinaround]

I'm gonna try welding my front this summer and see if i like it.I'll have to look into something road friendly for the rear because i drive it 1600mi from Michigan to Moab(Blanding) once a year and i wouldn't trust a welded rear that far.

[mobil1syn]

weld it, you dont like then change out the carrier. any locker unless ARB or electric is going to increase tire wear. 5 bills is about 2-3 new tires. call me crazy but sounds like its worht a shot