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how to weld up a lincoln locker


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well just my 2 cents and what i've talked to welders about. there's always a chance of it breaking. i've ran one for years now. and my original one is in Zapars rig right now. so they can last just fine if you do it PROPERLY. where you want to weld is where it is similar metals. beings the fact the spider gears and the alignment shaft in the center are all tool steel. that is what you weld. you will be making it much weaker if you weld to the open carrier housing!! you would be welding cast and tool steel together... not a strong combination!! at all.

 

 

I'd suggest using a mig welder so that you have less splatter and no slag to try to clean out.

 

What you'll need:

 

mig welder with a fairly strong wire.

oxy/accetelyne tank

brake cleaner

Open rear differential

 

 

1st, remove and open the diff. drain all the oil out and spray down the whole inside with brake cleaner to remove as much oil residue as possible. let the cleaner evaporate.

 

2nd,

set up you oxy/accetelyne torch with a good flame. you'll be using this to preheat the gears.

 

3rd,

place torch inside onto the spider gears and center shaft. try to put as little heat on the ring and pinion gears (if you are not removing the open carrier and R&P's.) heat the gears up till you believe it is sufficent. (don't melt them...)

 

4th,

take your mig gun and put a good tack weld on all 4 corners where the gears meet. on side 1. then repeat on side 2.

 

5th,

put full welds on the 8 total areas (side 1 and 2). where the gears mesh. then what i've had done to all the lincoln lockers i have had made. is to weld the center shaft to the gears. that way the gears will not break and seperate. they are one big piece in the center.

 

NOTE:

BETWEEN EACH SIDE AND BETWEEN WELDING THE CENTER IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE SURE THE GEARS ARE STAYING PREHEATED. SO THROWING IN THE TORCH HERE AND THERE WHEN THERE'S PAUSES IN YOU WELDING IS NOT A BAD IDEA. JUST DON'T OVER DO!!

 

6th,

keep the cover off and let it air cool. don't put anything on it to make it cool quicker. cause you'll make it brittle and easier to break. let it set over night (if possible, but do not fill when warm or hot with oil) then fill with oil. and you are ready to use it.

 

it's suggested to remove one axle while driving on the street. do to the extra strain on the axles and the rest of the rear drivetrain. this is an excellent modification for OFFROAD rigs. it will help gain a lot more traction than a limited slip ever will.

 

HOW TO REMOVE THE AXLE:

 

To remove the axle on a EA81 car. remove lower shock bolt. lift up the rear of the car till the tire is off. punch roll pin out. and wiggle the axle around till you get it off. usually one side or the other will come off easiest. as soon as you find which side. stick with that side to remove. it's also a good idea to put a light lubricant on each time to make sure it removes easier.

 

it's the same idea and the same way as any other rig to weld up the open differential.

 

i drew up some pictures but it won't let me upload anything as an attachment. i'll try to find a way to upload them. if you need them please contact me.

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  • 1 year later...

Don't be stingy with the welding rod either. Lay lots of bead and melt those gears together. I had a rear end in a truck break wussie welds twice, but the third time, we used 4 rods each side with bolts melted in for added wedging on the gears. It hasn't broken yet.

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TIG it if you can, NO slag or spatter...

 

I've heard to weld the gears together, and then weld the gears to the case for added strength... I've never heard of preheading the gears though..

Problem with MIG welds is they are very hard welds, and so can be brittle in comparison to a relatively flexible TIG or gas weld..

And it's only a Lincoln Locker if you use a LINCOLN welder :lol:

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  • 8 years later...

Ive always just filled in between 2 teeth top and bottom in the same plase so they hit at the same time when turnd 180* back and forth so that you can still turn a corner with out as much wheel hop and ive only ever had a stick wellder to use

 

 

I ttried that years ago with a Subaru and it left us stranded  when it broke

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Ive always just filled in between 2 teeth top and bottom in the same plase so they hit at the same time when turnd 180* back and forth so that you can still turn a corner with out as much wheel hop and ive only ever had a stick wellder to use

 

I ttried that years ago with a Subaru and it left us stranded  when it broke

 

welding it like that is alot of shock load to deal with,the little diffs in our cars can't handle that sort of abuse.Just weld it solid and don't weld the gears to the carrier.Then just take corners fast to unload a tire and make it easier to slip.

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  • 1 month later...

I am hesitant to run my welded diff on the highway. I pull an axle when going street. 

 

Your smart.

 

I do the same.  And I believe that's why I've never broken a stub axle, or axle shaft.  (have exploded the CV cup)

 

Everyone that I know that runs their welded on the street has broken multiple stub axles in the diff, and some have sheared axle shafts and I can only think that's from the constant stress and torque of being welded on the pavement.

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  • 1 year later...

They mean you need to pull one of the rear axles out when driving on pavement. If you don't it will bind up the outside tire around corners causing the tire to chirp and can break an axle. I welded mine up and can tell you that it binds even on the slightest of turns. When you corner in a car all of your wheels are rotating at a different speeds, that's why differentials are normally open unless they have a lsd or some other locking device. It's not hard to pull an axle. Most people say to pull the passenger side, jack the car up (I do it under the rear diff) and pop the roll pins out of each side of the axle and remove it. You can either reinstall the pins every time you put it back on or put small nuts and bolts through the holes or I've heard of people using baling wire, just to keep the axle in place. Not that it will fall out anyways unless you do some hard core flexing.

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