SaS Dana44 Crazy bad vibrations at 1+mph in 4wd

[Andy in Pa]

Spool vs welded spiders is totally up to ones experience. I have wheeled both, and broken parts on both axles, but never the welded diff/spool. I personally feel that a welded diff is potentially weaker, assuming the welder did not take carrier flex into consideration when welding, and the tensile strength of the metal being affected by the heat of the weld. But like I said neither ever failed at the diff for me through some knarly slimy east coast wheeling.

 

[csp]

I am confident enough in my skills and experience that I trust my welds.

Let me preface that I'm not trying to be disagreeable. :fear: This is purely in the interest of discussion.

Most of the time it's not a problem with the welds. It's the materials you're welding and the how they react in the heat affected zone that causes failures in a welded diff. The most competent weldor in the world can't change the materials being welded.

Personally, I'll never have another spool or welded diff. My 14bolt has a Detroit in it now and the front axle has an ARB. Cheap is just cheap IMO and I don't have any problem throwing money at proven parts.

 

[IBallEngineer]

Go head and reread my last post. Look for the phrase "if built right" and "harder than a lot of people". I know there are guys on here with bad ass rigs, that use them. I will go ahead and stand by my opinion and you can stand by yours. I will personally never buy a spool. I am confident enough in my skills and experience that I trust my welds. If you want to have your own opinion and buy a spool, go right ahead. Doesn't make either of us a bad person. I believe because of my experience that a welded diff is more than sufficient for anything I will ever do. And yes I wheel hard. Now let's go ahead and be friends, let by bygones be.

P.S. it's good to see another on here that likes to wheel CJs. As much as I love my 4R there is something special about an old built CJ

About 12 years ago I built a CJ5 for my best friend to get him wheeling with me, he sold it a couple of years ago to buy an LJ, just not much room in the old '5. Anyway, it was orange, and the kids called it the Pumpkin. Well 2 months ago we were in Johnson Valley and the kids were riding quads when they came screaming in to camp, we saw the pumpkin!, yeah, good times...

For the records the kids are all in high school now, and THEY drive!
:car:

 

[thardy]

I'm the outcast in my family. We have always been jeep people, but I bought my runner 14 years ago, and always loved the extra leg room. I'm a big guy and the cj definitely is not the most comfortable. The one we still have is orange!!