What do you think (Q)

[SportZ2]

I have a chance to get a R200 posi rearend (3.90). It is said to have 60,000lbs test welding done to the spider gears, new bearings and seals. He is asking $200.00. This is not an LSD so I'm aware that there will be some hopping/chatter on a tight turn (but I would love it for the strip). The car is not going to be a daily driver, but I will keep my stock R200 for trips. Do you think this is worth it? Push me one way or the other please.

[ww]

Fully welded diff... Hmmm...

 

It'll be great for the drag strip and pretty bad for everything else including road course, auto-x or street.

 

I wouldn't even drive it to the track, but trailer only.

 

That is cheap, but I'd hold out and keep looking for an '87 to '89 300ZX turbo LSD.

[Jolane]

I am not sure what the 60,000 lbs test welding means, but if you are interested in an R200 (3.90), I can give you a few suggestions.

1. I have 2 of these that I will not be using in very good condition. I can part with one very cheap. ( I am right down the road in Alb, west side...)

2. I can point you to where you can go pull your own for a little more than I want for mine.

Just trying to help you out. To me, $200 seems like a lot for one of these, especially if it is a just a welded R200...

Joshua

[fl327]

I say hold off on that welded stuff. A good LSD diff is worth what people are asking for them the second you turn the wheel and floor it.

[JMortensen]

I know a couple guys who drove spools in the back of their 4x4's on the street. It's not so bad until you get in the rain or snow or ice. Then you're pretty much screwed. Lots of road racers use welded diffs or spools. I've known a couple people who have tried a welded diff for autox, and they've all gone back to LSD. You can't beat it for drag racing.

 

If it is a fair weather car that just gets driven to the track and back, I say go for it. As far as keeping the stocker for long trips, I can't imagine that you'd want to change that out too many times. It's a big PITA. Not so bad if you have a ZX, but I hate pulling the diff in my Z. I'd sooner pay the extra $$$ for an LSD at that point.

[Guest Magnum Rockwilder]

I've driven a couple cas with welded diffs, and I have a firm opinion:

 

DON'T DO IT.

 

...and this is coming from a true hardcore hotrodder who thinks mufflers are for pussies.

 

Welded diffs are shitty for the street. Every time you back out of a parking spot one of the tires will repeatedly chirp... same for 90 degree turns. It will wear out your tires and rear end bushings/mounts, and if those welds make it through a week of tight turns I'd be surprised. I've had the welds break in a tight turn with sticky tires, and next thing you know I had a fist-sized hole in my diff housing from a chunk of metal getting kicked through it by the ring gear.

[datsunlover]

Yah I have some 4x4 friends and they all want LSD's. Lockers work well off-road, but one of these guys I know has snaped TWO axles so far just from trying to turn with the locker engaged. And yes, a locker/welded diff SUCKS in the rain/snow.

[SportZ2]

Thanks for the push, I was leaning this way and just wanted to make sure.

[Z-TARD]

The 60,000 psi weld probably means it was welded with 6011 weld rod or something similar. The first two numbers in most steel alloy weld rods/wires denote its tensile strength in psi. If the weld is large enough, you'd definitely snap an axle before the weld ever breaks, but I don't think driving with a welded diff would be a good idea if you ever plan on turning at all, especially if you have stickiy tires. Hope this helps,

 

Mike

[JMortensen]

Yah I have some 4x4 friends and they all want LSD's. Lockers work well off-road, but one of these guys I know has snaped TWO axles so far just from trying to turn with the locker engaged. And yes, a locker/welded diff SUCKS in the rain/snow.

 

Just wanted to point out that having a locker in the front is different than a locker in the rear. Since the rear doesn't turn, you can run a spool or a locker with a lot less hassle and breakage, and when you go around a turn the inside will chirp. If you have a locker in the front, then the locker itself wants to drive the wheels straight. So your Birfield joints or U-joints, which aren't anywhere near as strong as strong as a solid axle are fighting the locker anytime you turn the wheel. Anyone with a locker in the front end bought it because they're pretty serious about rock crawling or mudding, and invariably they're going to turn the wheels, and try to drive the front end over an obstacle all the while fighting the locker. THAT is when axles break.

 

Datsun axles may have U-joints, but they still won't be under anywhere near the load that a front axle would be, because they aren't turning left or right.

[Hitman47]

I weld for a large construction outfit...I wouldnt do it hust because the guy sounds like he dosent know what he`s talking about 6011,6013, even 6010 will not hold at 60,000 if heated also who would even mention that it will hold 60,000 You would tear your car to nothing before you produced enough torque to break 60k anyways he probably thought it was a selling point to mention it...If he said he tig`d each tooth then heat coated it with a layer of mig then i would be more interested. Also you can find a core r200 for 25$ dollars at a junkyard and have a welder finish the jon exactly how you want it for 50$, and guess what it could hold 70,000 psi [7011]

 

Chad

[johnc]

It'll be great for the drag strip and pretty bad for everything else including road course, auto-x or street.

 

I've run welded diffs on the street, autocross, and road racing. They require a different suspension setup and driving style to make them work, but they can and do work well (class wins in OTC2003 and 2004). The more horsepower you have the better they work. Personally, I wouldn't want a welded diff on a daily driver and probably wouldn't want one of any of my street cars. But, I've driven to and from many, many autocrosses with a welded R180 in the back of my 240Z.

 

And $200 for a properly welded 3.90 R200 is a reasonable price as long as the bearings and internals are in good shape and the side gears were loaded when welded. If the unit was not loaded then there's a good chance its out of true and will have a vibration.

[datsunlover]

Just wanted to point out that having a locker in the front is different than a locker in the rear. Since the rear doesn't turn' date=' you can run a spool or a locker with a lot less hassle and breakage, and when you go around a turn the inside will chirp. If you have a locker in the front, then the locker itself wants to drive the wheels straight. So your Birfield joints or U-joints, which aren't anywhere near as strong as strong as a solid axle are fighting the locker anytime you turn the wheel. Anyone with a locker in the front end bought it because they're pretty serious about rock crawling or mudding, and invariably they're going to turn the wheels, and try to drive the front end over an obstacle all the while fighting the locker. THAT is when axles break.

 

Datsun axles may have U-joints, but they still won't be under anywhere near the load that a front axle would be, because they aren't turning left or right.[/quote']

 

Yah, I'm aware of those points. Actually, thats how my friend broke his FIRST front axle. Crawled up a rock/dirt hill and at the top, there was a slight turn. (basicaly you turn, or fall off the other side of a cliff...) He didn't dis-engage the locker and ka-BOOM. That was that. I'm sure it'd work for draging.. but just touring around town, winding roads.. I think it'd cause more problems (in a Z), than good.