This week-end i got stuck and a member of my fan club/cheer leading squad pointed out that my "front wheel(s) ain't spinnin'" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> The picture explains why. My ring and pinion seem to be okay (thanks Zuk) but my spider gear assembly as you can see is not. The picture only shows one section there are several teeth missing all the way around.

Does anyone know if I could get away with just a clean out of all the shrapnel(?) and weld these to make a lincoln/miller locker. I have a locker in the rear and I have been contemplating a spool/weld of the front anyway and would love to go cheap.

Yes, you can weld that and it'll be fine, though I wouldn't recommend that with IFS.

-Scerb

You can look at it this way: when you break a weld your screwed, when you break a spool.....well never heard of a spool to break.

With 4.10 gears i would weld, but for 5.29s I would spend the 200 and put a real spool in. It brings a whole new techinque to wheeling, using the front locker to slide the front end side ways or prevent from sliding sideways also.

I went to Zuks' web site and looked up a couple of spool installs looks pretty staight forward. Zuk just set up this 3rd a little over a year ago with new gears and setup. If I add a locker/ spool etc will have to to reshim or can i just drop in the locker/spool and reassemble?

Yes you have to re-shim and check your backlash if you put a spool in. Personally I would take the third out even if you are going to weld it for 2 reasons.
1. Welding generates alot of heat,especially with how much you have to weld the spider gears, and if you do it in the carrier it is very likly to warp the bearings, carrier, etc.
2. You need to clean all the particals and debri out of the housing and make sure the bearings are still good. I cant remenber on IFS if the bearings are fully sealed or only partially sealed too.

PM Zuk and see what he says to be 100% just so you dont have to tear it apart again and replace more stuff than necessary.

They are an open tapered bearing.



If I were you, I would think long and hard about doing either if it was mine. Especially on IFS, personally I would not put a welded, spooled, or non-selectable locker in the front of anything unless it had full hydro steering or at the least ram assist. But that is my opinion

Just pick up an auto locker and be done with it.

After some research I am thinking more along the lines of some type of limited slip now. I was thinking spool or weld due to cost and time, but the limited slips seem to be pretty reasonable and more drivable, especially on tight trails.

I agree to stay away from the lincoln locker....your steering will be ugly....CV's might break more readily and you could mess up the 529 gears if the welds break loose with chunks sloshing around.
The TT in the front sounds good. I also might have a spare open just like yours...case and all for just barely more than the shipping costs. If you can take the carrier bearings off without destroying them then you might get lucky and the BL might be in the reasonable range. It's best to measure it before and after with a dial indicator, of course.
By the way, I never figured the spiders would do that.

That would be a good idea also.
That involves removing the case///remove the ring gear/clean the broken spiders out/install "lockrite"/put all back together.