Welded diff

jcwhite1288

New Member
May 13, 2006
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I was talkin to a friend about where to get a good posi for the 8" in my 1966 and he told me that i coud get the spyder gears in my open diff welded together to make a locker.. i was wondering if anyone out there reccomends this, it seems way to simple of a solution for there to be no drawbacks, like the weld breaking or something.
 
It would be a real pain to weld the spider gears in a 8" or 9" ford. I'm guessing your buddy is a chevy guy, or just clueless in general, lol. You could buy a mini-spool for about $40 and swap it in. You'd have to pull the centersection and disassemble the carrier, but its pretty easy really, and you wouldn't have to worry about poor quality welds breaking.
 
Around here that's known as a "Lincoln Locker", as in made with a Lincoln-brand welder. Several budget-class circle-track cars use them to to the fact it's extremely easy to do and practically free. Just weld spiders together and "presto" instant spool! It's not the strongest way of doing things, but if you have a set of gears just for the drags, why not? I wouldn't run them on the street for long unless you like buying tires.
 
I had my 8" welded up, I ended up breaking it due to excessive wheel hop (in fact, that was the last time my '65 ran), but doing it doesn't require any disassembly other than pulling the chunk and throwing it into a parts washer when done to clean out weld bb's and flux. If you're eventually going to upgrade to a 9", I see no reason not to do this, especially if you have a pretty stock engine.

It's old school, but it works. I have a friend with a '67 with a 9" and probably a 275HP 302 with a C4 and it's had a Lincoln Locker with 3.91s for over 15 years and not broken it. You have to be careful with corners and wet surfaces, tires wear faster. But when they break, the third member is typically toast, my caged bearing that supports the end of the pinion broke out of the support of the carrier, but the car still peg legged and I drove it up onto the trailer at the track and drove it a mile home from the shop when we got back to town.
 
It would be a real pain to weld the spider gears in a 8" or 9" ford. I'm guessing your buddy is a chevy guy, or just clueless in general, lol. You could buy a mini-spool for about $40 and swap it in. You'd have to pull the centersection and disassemble the carrier, but its pretty easy really, and you wouldn't have to worry about poor quality welds breaking.

While on this subject I am keeping my 8" till I really need a 9" or find a good deal on one. In the mean time I would like to know where the best place to by a trac lok or something for my 8" is. I am not looking for the best but something reliable and fairly priced. thanks!
 
ehh ive decided against the lincoln locker cuz im gonna have my 8" for a while before upgrading, what i was looking at for my eight inch and what stangcoupe you should check out are these powertrax lockers. they've got two different models, the <a href="http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=PWT%2D92%2D0680%2D2800&N=700+400018+4294908331+4294895172+115&autoview=sku">No-Slip </a> and the <a href="http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=PWT%2D1810%2DLR&N=700+400018+4294908331+4294895172+115&autoview=sku">lock-right</a>. they baisically replace your spyder gears and turn you open diff into sortof a detroit locker. im savin for a no-slip myself... has anyone got one installed? if so how's it drive?
 
ehh ive decided against the lincoln locker cuz im gonna have my 8" for a while before upgrading, what i was looking at for my eight inch and what stangcoupe you should check out are these powertrax lockers. they've got two different models, the <a href="http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=PWT%2D92%2D0680%2D2800&N=700+400018+4294908331+4294895172+115&autoview=sku">No-Slip </a> and the <a href="http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=PWT%2D1810%2DLR&N=700+400018+4294908331+4294895172+115&autoview=sku">lock-right</a>. they baisically replace your spyder gears and turn you open diff into sortof a detroit locker. im savin for a no-slip myself... has anyone got one installed? if so how's it drive?

Wow I like it but what is the ratio? like 3.5 3.7 or how does it work? it says no oil needed. are they talking about not filling the diff with gear oil if you have this item? thanks for showing me!!!
 
Oh never mind it uses the gear oil and it looks like the gearingis whatever I have now( stock 8" 1965- thinkits like 2.8 or something). so i would have to buy a new lower gear anyways! how much does a 3.55 cost for an 8" and where do you suggest getting one? if im wrong about it keeping the same ratio as before pleas tell me. thanks

I actually am planning on keeping the 8" for along time so is this still the better way to go. I plan on doing a little bit of auto cross racing so would it be better for racing to have a normal http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8-Fo...emQQcategoryZ33731QQihZ012QQitemZ220069800516 instead of the no slip or something? The only reason for me to want to go to a 9" would be if i was to get more horsepower than 400 or so but im gonna have about 300. and no plans to go much higher.
 
to my knowledge you can keep the same gearing ratio you have.. i believe you can use any ratio you want, seeing as these lokers dont interact directly with the pinion gear. personally i am gunna go with either 3.50 or 3.55 gearing...

oh also i believe that trac lok on ebay wont work for 8"s rear before 1967 cuz rear ends from 64-66 use a two pin and 67 and above use 4 pin... im not 100% sure its completly incompatible though :\
 
to my knowledge you can keep the same gearing ratio you have.. i believe you can use any ratio you want, seeing as these lokers dont interact directly with the pinion gear. personally i am gunna go with either 3.50 or 3.55 gearing...

So where are you getting your ring and pinion gears from? or do you know of a good place to? I am not finding any for the 8"ers on ebay so i'm wondering where a good priced one is? I too was planning on going with a 3.5 or a little higher.