Hardbody Diff, to weld or not to weld?

[StephenG]

Yeah, I know its a truck not a drift car. I'm usually the last person to do something that would sacrifice daily function for more "spirited driving" but I'm fed up with wheel hop during right turns.

Sway bars and stiffer shocks are only going to make the weight transfer more extreme and take even more traction away from the drive wheel, so I don't see any other option except an LSD rear end or welding the diff. Obviously one of these is much cheaper than the other.

My only concern is I hear from some folks that this is going to make the truck too difficult to drive. I understand what its going to do to the truck, but I figure slid-ey and predictable are better for my goals than wheel hop and the unpredictable traction thats giving me.

Has anyone done this? Any advice?

[longtooth]

Air locker

[StephenG]

Ill admit, I didn't look into a locker much, mainly due to the fact i have a 2wd h190. Since I have virtually no experience with lockers, my quick google-research seems to indicate my only option with the h190 would be a detroit locker, which I would expect to be less predicable when sliding in turns than a welded diff. Am I wrong? If I'm going to do a swap, and I'm going to lose my tall gears, I would rather swap in a real LSD personally.

[Rev_D21]

If you don't like wheel hopping now just wait till you weld your diff. It'll render the truck almost un-driveable on public streets.

[longtooth]

A buddy of mine had his diff weilded in his nova. He could not drive in the rain because the car would spin out on turns and wreck. Even at 15 mph.

[StephenG]

Well, I trust you guys here alot more than the other forum I'm asking this on and you guys are in consensus its a bad idea. I guess the only option I have is swapping an LSD, a new rear suspension or strapping a couple hundred pounds of ballast in the back. Thanks for the input. Two of those will eat my MR2 budget and one of those is free, so I guess I have my choice made.

[longtooth]

With the air locker you can switch it on when you want the rear locked. That way you can still drive in the street with no problems.

[StephenG]

With the air locker you can switch it on when you want the rear locked. That way you can still drive in the street with no problems.

Yeah, that would be a great solution, the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, I cannot find anyone that makes one for the H190. I would have to swap an R200 or H233, neither of which come with gears near tall enough. The joys of a 4 banger 2wd lol.

[Desert Rat]

They put C200s in some later 2001-04 2wd Frontiers that'd have 3.7ish gears.

[dsljnky]

i had a welded rear in my samurai. i went from turning on a dime (open diff) to 'give me 40 acres and ill turn this rig around' (welded)

then welded the front, you can just forget about turning then if front hubs are both locked (i know that not your case here but thought id throw it out there)

[noface]

a detroit locker is your best bet if you can get one to fit the diff.

A Detroit locker is always "locked" until it see's "differential" between the two wheels at low load, and unlocks to become open and allow you to turn.

Stand on it in a turn, and it'll act just like a spool.

I have a lot experience with welded diffs and Detroits... rock crawlers.

Don't do it on a vehicle driven on the street.

[PEZi]

i'm probably about the only person who's gonna be in support of a welded diff..... so its a moot point i think.... but i say do it

just be careful when to weather conditions and realize that things are much different