welding rear diff question

[okanagansubman]

when you guys weld you rear diff and you take out one axle for road driving when you pop it in four it will be 3wd? im not very mechanicaly inclined. sorry if its a dumb question.

[Uberoo]

yes,but you stick an axle back in when you want 4wd

[okanagansubman]

sweet. thanks thats what i thought. just trying to get things straight in my head. i dont have my car handy.

[tailgatewagon]

carful running it in 3wd after the diff is welded it makes the car handle differnt on any slick serface. just take it easy till you get how it will act figured out...

[chazmataz]

even when you put the axle back in and shift it into 4wd you still in actuality only have 3wd, your left front won't do anything because the front diff is still open. but having the rearend welded is still better for offroading then not.

[GeneralDisorder]

I drove in the ice storm we had a couple years ago with my 3WD - really knarly on the ice. The rear end wants to walk out to whichever side has the axle still in. Weird feeling.

 

GD

[okanagansubman]

thanks for all the input. why does the front left not work with the open diff in the front and welded in the back?

[chazmataz]

Why do you want to weld the rearend???? the leftside doesn't work whether the rear is welded or not.

 

the front works the same as the rear in stock form, one wheel is the driver and the other tags along sort a speak. you weld the the rear up so both sides are connected so you have drive to both wheels in the rear. to get to a true 4wd you need to have a limited slip diff. in the front too (future mod. once i hear of a good thats dependable and affordable). that would be awesome.

 

my experience with a welded rearend: try turning a corner in deep snow, it always wants to go straight , same as in the mud but not quite as noticable because you are slipping around anyway, then once you get it to turn it does it all of a sudden. fun stuff, but for climbing, definately helps having it welded.

 

EDIT: ok, let me try and clear this up. if anybody else has a different opion or explanation please type in but this is how i learned how they work and my interpretation.

 

open diff. has four spider gears in the diff. that are designed to allow one wheel from one side to turn at a different speed then the other when turning a corner, so one wheel turns more revolution then the other on the same axle to make for a smooth turn, one wheel power the other free wheels. open diff.

 

ok so, a limited slip diff. has both wheels having power but there is a clutch pack in the diff. that allows for a limited amount of slippage (no punt intended) between the two axles when turning so that its a smooth turn. limited slip diff.

 

now a welded diff. is just that you take an open diff. and weld the spider gears together so that both wheels will get the same (egual) amount of power with no slippage, the same as a locker, but this doesn't allow for a smooth turning radius because both wheels are trying to turn at the same rate. so you are dragging one wheel around the corner, this is hard on tire and the drive train thats the reason behind take the one axle out for street driving. so with one rear axle out and the rear diff. welded you still only have 2wd when shifted in 4wd.

[okanagansubman]

thanks. ive decided im going to weld up my rear diff when i get home. sounds fun and it seems the pros outweigh the cons.

 

Why do you want to weld the rearend???? the leftside doesn't work whether the rear is welded or not.

 

the front works the same as the rear in stock form, one wheel is the driver and the other tags along sort a speak. you weld the the rear up so both sides are connected so you have drive to both wheels in the rear. to get to a true 4wd you need to have a limited slip diff. in the front too (future mod. once i hear of a good thats dependable and affordable). that would be awesome.

 

my experience with a welded rearend: try turning a corner in deep snow, it always wants to go straight , same as in the mud but not quite as noticable because you are slipping around anyway, then once you get it to turn it does it all of a sudden. fun stuff, but for climbing, definately helps having it welded.

[chazmataz]

just to let you know i edited my post while you we're reading my original post, sorry.

[ballitch]

yes you got it right. and as far as a front limited slip for our cars.....WJM proved to us that ANY limited slip front diff for the wrx or imprezas will bolt right up to our front diffs. they run about $450 or so....not cheap, but it is an option.

 

 

~Josh~

[chazmataz]

yes you got it right. and as far as a front limited slip for our cars.....WJM proved to us that ANY limited slip front diff for the wrx or imprezas will bolt right up to our front diffs. they run about $450 or so....not cheap, but it is an option.

 

 

~Josh~

 

thanks.

 

yep, not cheap but some day down the road i will have one in my lifted wagon to go with my welded rear, then it will be even more awesome offroading.

[pheonix165]

make sure you change your diff-fluid to something that's meant for a posi-trac or something like that. as mentioned before a welded diff makes for higher stress and the fluid inside a standard diff is actually less slippery then that made for a welded or other type of fixed rear-end.

[okanagansubman]

thanks for the tip. ill keep that in mind.

[chazmataz]

yes, a welded diff. does make for higher stress on all the drive train when in 4wd with both axles in on high traction surfaces and on the rear drivetrain when in 2wd unless one of the axles has been taken out. but a welded diff. doesn't need any special fluid or additives like a limited slip needs to allow the clutch discs to slip, all a welded diff. needs is regular gear oil like what is in there for an open diff.

[okanagansubman]

oh

 

welded diff. don't need any special fluid or additives like a limited slip needs to allow the clutch discs to slip, all a welded diff. needs is regular gear oil like what is in there for an open diff.