axle and locker questions

[jasonvess]

Well I have another toy a 76 fiberglass cj5 mud truck, currently running 38.5 super swampers on chevy frame with a 450hp drivetrain. This is only ran in the mud and at tough truck competitions so my questions are

Will welding front and rear ends hold up? or should I weld the rear and get a locker for the front?

What axle is a 1975 1/2 ton front axle from a blazer, is it a dana 44?

I know 1/2 ton axles are prone to failure, but this thing has won events for almost 5 years with it's previous owner and has never broken any drivetrain parts, and there is a ton of fabricating on them i don't want to repeat.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Axleshafts will likely last longer behind 450hp with a welded diff over a locker. A lot of power to a 1/2T axle will likely snap a shaft when an auto locker locks up suddenly. The welded axle is always locked, power is always split and no sudden shear force of a lockup.

 

[laneiac]

or put a spool in each axle.

 

[currupt4130]

spool

 

[88Wrangles]

Ya, I would go with a spool as well. They are really cheap and you don't have to worry about your weld cracking. I would not put a locker in it for the reason Bounty gave. Plus, that would just be one more weak spot. A spool is very simple, causing it to be very strong.

Yes, I'm pretty sure a '75 1/2 ton Blazer had a Dana 44 up front.

 

[Junkpile]

A 75 1/2ton should have a 12 bolt rear and a D44 front, I believe.

My first choice would be to spool(or mini-spool) the rear and Lock-right the front, but not with that much power and tire. I'd probably just weld the front in this case, and plan on several upgrades when it breaks. With that standard cut, the front R&P gears can't handle that much tire/power if you're going to be deep mudding. The already weak D44 carrier will have some trouble trying to handle that much tire/power, and those 1/2ton shafts definitely won't handle that much tire/power when locked. Same for those steering Ujoints.
Those D44s can sometimes surprise you depending on what you're doing with it though, that's why I'd try welding it first. If it works, you're done......if not, you had to swap those parts out anyway.

 

[jps4jeep]

Yes D44, or you could have the Mysterious 10 bolt front end that for some reason found it's way out of a 6 cyl camaro and into the front of some 1/2 ton trucks. But you most likely have the D44 the 10 bolt was found in the 4x4 chevy's with the straigh 6

 

[TwistedCU]

I MOVED!!!

I don't see the point on spending money on spools if you know a competent welder. If it is done right it would be the cheapest most effective way to do it.

I say weld 'em up.

 

[Junkpile]

I don't see the point on spending money on spools if you know a competent welder.

That's true to an extent, but it has it's limits. We're talking about a built V8 pushing 38s with a 12 bolt. A mini-spool for a truck style 12 bolt is like $90. Even with the factory carrier, a mini-spool is soooo much stronger than a bead of weld laid across two gears that have been weakened from the uneven localized heat of welding. Welding would probably be fine, but I'd worry about it so much that I would rather just go ahead and spend the money.

 

[jasonvess]

i am just going to weld them for now and when they break i will put some 3/4 ton axles under it

thanks for all the advice