Ok, so I've read on this forum various things about welding the ol spider gears. Anywhere from its pretty decent to not daily drivable, from it helping strengthening the rear by dividing power to both wheels to it being a deathtrap if it isn't welded properly (read a story on here bout a rear locking up on the highway sending the Camaro into a 180)

So what exactly is the consensus? Is welding the spiders more trouble than its worth? Or is it not that big a deal and the ability to launch (street and strip performance, i know its hard to have an equilibrium of both) make up for nuisances?

Please post up... I'm going on various other forums about this.. Basically I got called stupid because I read a few bad stories and decided to not weld mine. I want to be able to at least prove that there is a legitimate reason why not to weld. Unless I could be swayed to... its possible. Thanks

 

I would not reccomend it. It' not worth your life or someone elses, if it fails. Leave that trick to the dirt track boys.

 

Not something I would ever do. It was done alot in the 60's and 70's when limit slip units was higher and harder to find.

Welding them up will cause rear to act like a full spool. When you go around a turn or curve 1 wheels needs to turn less than other wheel. With a sppol or welded spider gears that can't happen, so you get alot of tire chriping as you take the curve. That also means your binding alot of parts in the rear.

That bind can cause the axles to break.


Limited slip units and lockers are too cheap and easy to get now days to even risk the welded spider gears.

You can get a powertrax locker for around $325, bolts in in just an hour or two, no gear setup needed. The lockwer acts like a spool on the straight, but it has a geared set of plates and spings in it so when you go around a turn the plates unlock and rear turns into an open rear so the wheels can turn at diff speeds around the turn, then locks back on the straights

 

Years ago when I still had a 10 bolt, I had mine welded up. This was for track only. I'd never drive a welded diff on the street. Mine was welded up by a professional welder with some high grade steel welding rods. By the time he was done, you couldn't see the side gears. Chances are I would never have broken the carrier. I was using aftermarket 28 spline axles so those were relatively safe. The weak link is always the tiny ring and pinion.

I only used that diff for about a year or so before upgraded to a 9" with a real spool. I needed the 9" because I also install a transbrake and didn't think the 10 bolt could have taken more than one hit off the transbrake.

 

we welded the spiders in my buddy's monte carlo and the axle flew out of the car going down the track at 100 mph. so i would say dont it's too risky. i've see what happens.

 

I say bad idea. Those gears are heat treated for improved toughness while still retaining a hard, wear-resistant outer shell. If you weld that, it's gonna get hot and mess all that up. It could lock, or it could turn the gears into potato chips. Depends on how wrong you do it..

 

The side/spider gears are all welded together to make an open carrier one big spool. There won't be any more wear on the gears. The axles are still slid in and held in with c-clips and a center pin. There's just no differential action.

You'll hear this as a poor man's spool or a Lincoln locker (Lincoln welders)

If it's poorly welded then yes, it's possible that the welds can break and cause all kinds of damage. As I mentioned in my above post. When mine was done, you couldn't see the gears any more because of all the weld. It just depends on how good the welder is who's doing the job. This isn't something I'd recommend to a backyard welder.

 

Well on the other forums I posted, and most responses here, it seems like its more trouble than its really worth. This car will be driven around alot on the street.

Thanks much for the responses

 

bed idea to do it for just one race the last one of the season and trailered there?

 

You could get a minispool that just ties the axles together with the cross pin. Thats gonna be harsh on the street too - kinda like driving a C4 vette. I've yet to be in a C4 where the locker actually 'unlocks' around a corner...

Or you can get a zexel-torsen locker + 28 spline axles.. Then again, when I had one it barely unlocked too.

ahh well.

-- Joe

 

Or you can get a zexel-torsen locker + 28 spline axles.. Then again, when I had one it barely unlocked too.

ahh well.

-- Joe[/QUOTE]

Really??? I've never heard anyone say that about the Torsens. Most guys that use them say they're smooth as silk. I'm hoping that's true since I got one sitting on the workbench that's going in whenever the factory Auburn finally decides to give up the ghost. I do have personal experience with the Powertrax though. I'd almost say that was worse than welded spiders. At least welded spiders are more predictable, until they break anyways. That Powertrax would lock up halfway through a turn and jerk the whole car sideways a lot of times.

 

With better availability of parts today, welding spiders falls under the "worst idea ever" category. The only thing I would do that in, is a demo derby car.

You need differentiation on the street or you are going to dangerously flex your stock axles (something's gotta give when you negotiate a turn) or get yourself killed in the rain.

 

demo derby/dirt circle track. Other than that, you're deffinitely asking to hurt yourself and/or others on the road. As others have stated, welding the spiders makes the rear act as if it were a spool. The axles and carrier will be placed under a bind during anything except a straightline. When something breaks, it can easily cause major damage and/or an accident. - Not IF, WHEN.