Lincoln Locker

I've about got my "free" 68 CJ-5 running the way I want it. One of my Landcruiser buddies and I went riding the other day and of course he had lockers and was able to go places that I couldn't.

I've only got about $1200 in my Jeep to date (including new brakes all the way around, a new carb, a set of newer/used wheels and tires and all the other stuff that you just have to do to a vehicle that's been setting up for a while). Bottom line is, I hate to put a whole bunch of money into locking the rear end, but I want it locked.

Can ya'll talk me out of welding it or should I go ahead and do it :? . I do have an extra rear end...

As far as use of the Jeep, I mainly just ride it around the farm, through the swamp, along the river banks, up hills, anywhere that looks exciting. Not much highway use, but I will end up driving it hunting and maybe through town occassionally. I don't have doors or working wipers, so I won't be driving in the rain...

Can ya'll recomend a good locker for cheap, or should I weld?

Thanks,

NitroSteel.

 

i would not ever weld. it is one of those things that i just cant see why someone would ever do it.

 

welded sevaral rears and front i would highly recomend it, its cheap and works very well. seeing thats its only going to be a trail rig ( mostly ) then it will be fine, and as far driving thru the rain its not going to slide all over the place like most peaple say, i drove my 57 with 34'' tires all summer long welded thru the rain and i had no problem.

bottom line is if you never drove a welded rear then dont knock it to try it, dont like it put the other axle in but trust me you will like the cheap traction and when you spank your buddy with the landcruser cause he spent big bucks on his rig with lockers and yours was free, then whos got the last laugh, jason.

 

Trail rig, then go for it, no problems, however, if its a daily driver, I would recommend buying a locker. I tried the lincoln locker on my daily driver and it was pretty rough, tore up tires etc. Squealed when turning. But for a trail rig, I'd do it.

 

rather than ruin a good dif, why not ask if someone here has one already welded laying around. try it out and switch back if'n ya don't like it. $.02

 

Weld it up. Just make sure that you remove the carrier, note shims, and clean the !!@## out of it with brake cleaner before you weld the spider gears in place.

 

Yep, weld it. May as well weld the shifters in first and 4 wheel low. That way you dont have to worry about anything.

 

I would weld the front end, but leave the rear open. Effectively giving 3 wheel drive . The good part about just welding the front is you can simply unlock the front hubs for normal driving on pavement without tearing anything up , but leave the rear differential drivable on pavement. I have done this to several work/hunting rigs to make them more effective as 4 wheel drive goes, but keep drivability. Also these old jeep dont have the srtongest axles from the factory, so locking the rear and driving on pavement is a recipe for disaster.. My humble opinion

 

I'm getting mixed reviews about welding the rear. What are my options as far as lockers go? What brand, who to get it from, cost?

What do the rest of ya'll think about welding the front end only?

 

Aussie locker in general is about $35 cheper than the Lock-rite. I have one in my front, it was less than $250 including shipping. If I was going to weld a differential it would be the front not the rear, they have terrible road manners in my opinion, they jerk the axle and tires terribly on the road, at least with the front welded you can unlock the hubs and not have it effect your driving on the road.

 

I don't have locking hubs on the front axle, so I guess I need to add those...

I honestly like not having them, because I never have to worry about them being locked or getting out in the mud to lock them when I need them.

What type should I add, who should I get them from, what should I expect to pay?

Thanks again,

NitroSteel

 

Look for them on the for sale board here or on ebay. It will make driving much easier on the street.

 

I could'nt agree more, as a matter of fact I was planning on doing that to my 67 cj 5 and in the rear I am going with lock right. it retails around 300.

 

if you have the U-joint style front shafts then you have to phase the U-joints before you weld, in other words before you weld it clock them bolth up then tack them, remove carrier and weld.

if you dont put them in phase they will bind just like when you build a drive shaft and have the U-joints out of phase the shaft will turn but bind, the U-joint's will fight each other and not work properly.
i learned the hard way when i did my YJ front 44, i just welded it and did not phase them and it would not turn for sh*t, but i pulled the shafts out and got them very close to being phased and it worked great.

i like the welded front idea but if your just in the woods why not bolth, it still turns as long as the fronts done wright and you will love the traction, jason.

 

http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10606&highlight=bronco+gears

 

My $.02 worth.
If you want to stay cheap leave it alone.
Dont weld it either way.
Yes I've driven with a welded diff. Dont like it.
Have fun and just drive it. I wheeled for many years with no locker at all. Heck I had a blast. Now I run rear lockers.
Buy a Aussie or Lok Right for the rear.
In most off roading a rear helps the most.
I'm sure some will disagree and thats fine.
Look at this way, on a steep climb where is the most weight and hence the most traction?
The rear tires.

 

I just bought a Dana 44 carrier with limited slip it cost 249 with new barrings we put Dane 44 high pinion in the back of my son cj7.
we took a front end and made it wider for the back we are running the hub and disk brakes.

Jerry

 

What front end should be under the front end of my stock 68-69 CJ-5?

I am looking into getting some locking hubs.

Thank ya'll

NitroSteel