[2307]

i've been searching the web & forums for as much info i can find...mostly tech write ups turned into flames or long bashes. just weld the rear or buy a lock rite.

so i'm asking the question;
(i understand how the spool will work offroad.)

but who has one or ran one on the street?

i have a sami with spoa 31's bias tsl super swampers & recently sold my lockers(dumb dumb thing to do!)but i was going to yota's & figured...sell'em...anyway, still have stock sami housings. went out wheeling today in the sami with open diff's & it, "SUCKED!"
I'm spoiled from the lockers. i miss them more than ever.

but i remember driving down the street (with lockers)& shifting gears & getting yanked to one side on clutch release. or turning corners with the clutch in. but they were bareable on the street. i've read so many posts and clearly no-one really explains just how they handle on the street.(minispools)

i did read one where a guy said he had 29's ss tsl'bias ply & he could hardly tell he had the spool in.

SO IF SOMEONE COULD EXPLAIN THE STREET EXPERIENCE, i would be very thankful.

i'm leaning towards the minispool, because of the fact $$$ $99.00 & it sounds as if it just drops in (quick assembly) & total lock of both rear wheels. i think i can understand how it's going to be on the street...but i just thought i'd try and get a opinion from someone that runs one first.


thanks

 

[Brown29]

It will perform like a welded differential. No clicking, popping, or jerking, but it will chirp the tires around curves.

 

[992]

I am running a spool in the rear axel with 31 swampers. I am pretty happy with the way it handles on the road. I actually dont get much of a squeal if any at all when turning corners. I was expecting it to squeal too much. but everyonce in a while it will squeal with the gas pedal. I think its the swampers? I did notice the front end not wanting to turn on wet pavements but i was going to fast and turning pretty sharp when i was testing it out. I also could feel it not wanting to turn as well when flat towing.

I think its worth a try. I dont miss the slipping of my lockright that i had back there but most likely was worn side gears or my installation of them. I sure love having both the front and rear locked now. Wow what a difference.

Good luck
Rick

 

[2961]

I've heard that a spool causes extra strain on the rear end which leads to problems with brake drums and broken wheel studs but I don't know this for sure. If anyone can shed more light on this, I would love to hear what you have to say because I have been interested in a spool for a while but have been holding off due to the problems I have heard it will cause.

 

[Guest]

I run 29" swamper radials, with the mini spool. I drive 150 miles a week in town with it. I would not give it up for anything. You just have to adjust your driving style.

 

[2307]

thanks for the answers, I'm starting to think that the swampers (tsl series) lugs (amount of rubber) gives the rear wheels a little edge in slippage compared to a street tire or flat treaded a/t tire...so this is why you don't hear or feel the drag / chirpping in corners with the mini-spool. guess i just have to buy one & try it out myself.

hey thanks for the answers again & hope everyone is starting the NEW YEAR off right.

 

[DougO]

In reply to:

this is why you don't hear or feel the drag / chirpping in corners with the mini-spool.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats exactly right, as I run ATs and get plenty of squeal, chirping, and drag, but I dont care about it.

 

[254]

I had a locker in the rear of mine and it got to where it popped and cracked all the time, I got tired of it and turned it into a spool (welded it together) I love it, I dont drive on the street hardly at all, but the few times I have and had to make a tight turn the rear tires just chirped a little, I love the spool and dont miss the noise of a locker at all.

my 2 cents

Mark

 

[Sarge]

I use Brent's spool with 33x12.50 TRXus radials . The only adverse effect is faster tire wear (those tires are really soft) and an occasional fight to turn in certain wet types of pavement . My truck is very heavy for a Zuk at 3200lbs , so it does want to fight the rear tires a bit , but actually handles very predictably . As far as wear on the brake drum's bolt pattern holes , I found a correct taper countersink and machined the holes for regular metric lug nuts . Works excellent , no wear on the holes and the drums don't loosen themselves over time . You do have to be careful with stock Sami axles , if you slip the tires on wet pavement hard or from ice to dry road you do risk breaking the axles . That is expected with a locker or any type of locker , ect . For the money , pretty hard to beat .
Sarge

 

[2915]

Alrighty then...glad he asked this question cause I had the same one....most of the answers are for the spool..but what is the correct way to weld the rear..I know its the small gears but do you anneal them first then weld or are you guys just welding the crap out of them so theyll hold..
I know if you weld hardened steel with an arc eventually theyll crack and break into chunks and I also know if you anneal hardened metal you can weld it..so it seems like alot of work welding it but its more common, instead of buying a 99 dollar spool.

 

[1080]

You know one alternative to welding the diff is to fill the diff with Lead or aluminium. My buddy had his done this way for about four years with absolutly no problems. A machine or welding shop should be able to do it for under $100.

 

[Guest]

sarge, or any of you guys in the snow belt, can you tell me how the mini spool acts on icy roads? I realize that its not like posi unit, but does it do anything funny or unpredictable? thanks

 

[DougO]

Was fine these past couple snow drops we had .. You just have to drive like your on snow/ice and not on dry pavement. Common Sence more then anything. One thing to do, go to an open road/parking lot .. and just experiment on how it handles when you do different things .. try to accelerate hard, and see what happens .. The only funny/unpredictable thing is the person next to/in front/behind you

 

[Sarge]

I can tell you it's definitely not like a positraction . On certain conditions, it can be a bit knuckle whitening since both wheels want to spin . Once you learn to drive it , there really is not problem but don't take chances in traffic until you know how it's going to react . Same as said before , common sense more than anything else . Lockers of any type drive much differently than an open rear axle , they both have their good points and bad . I've actually ran down the Interstate at a 45* angle for over a mile trying to get up to speed because both rear wheels were spinning . Not really hard to handle, but it does unnerve other drivers . You'll just have to learn when the backpedal and when to mash on it and purposely spin the wheels is all....
Sarge

 

[Guest]

thanks guys, they don't sound too squirrelly. lol. or at least no worse than most other traction devices out there. once the sammy gets retired from daily driver status I'll consider throwin' one in.

 

[DougO]

In reply to:

I've actually ran down the Interstate at a 45* angle for over a mile. but it does unnerve other drivers .

[/ QUOTE ]

I do that for fun, just to see the reactions I can get ..

 

[Guest]

I hated my Lincoln locker on the street, but I live in the mountains where there are a lot of curves and hills (pavement). It cut down on my power climbing the hills and I constantly had the bad points on the locked diff. show up. I still have my third mimber and will put it back in when I retire the Zuk from pavement.

 

[1103]

Ok..

I had a spool in the back of my wagon with 31's and 5.83 gears.

It drove fine for about 4 months, then snapped an axle shaft. Don't forget guys the extra strain that daily driving puts on your rear shafts! I delievered pizza in this thing. I adjusted my driving style, and the spool was just awesome to offroad with.

But... the time it takes to pull a 3rd member so you can change rear axles is a big offset. In the end, we took the spool out, because it ends up costing more having to purchase axle shafts, than it would have been to buy a lockrite.

We will be putting in a lockrite before we hit Moab this year.

Oh yah... here's a pic of your worst nightmare... lol

guess where the splines are...

I would recommend a spool to someone who does not use their rig for a daily driver.

Heather

 

[2307]

i was under the impression that the spool was the fuse, it should be breaking before a axle.
could it be that the axle was old / used & abused?
or i'am wrong to assume the spool was / is the weak spot?

difficult & costly decision to make.

#1 arb air lockers front & rear with needed extra parts is very costly plus install of everything$$$

but the best way to go?

#2 lockers E-Z detroits etc lockers around $200.00 each

#3 spool

#4 welded

> i think this is most likely the order to follow <

one thing to note, destroy your third member with a arb set-up & it could become costly to have everything replaced & set back up.

destroy a third member with a locker & most people depending on the locker can just switch locker into new third.

spool, just drop in,

welded, eeeEEE thats about it! no replacing anything!

if not welded properly or the welds brake -----> BOOM

 

[1339]

In reply to:

I was under the impression that the spool was the fuse, it should be breaking before a axle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope, Heather has it about right. The axles will be breaking more. You will also see significant wear in the splines
of both the axles and the side gears, depending on where and how yoyu drive. If your mostly on hard pavement,
big sticky tires, extra rear axle weight, with lots of city driving with sharp turns its pretty fast. If you have hard
skinny tires, are still light weight, usually on more slippery surfaces, (snow/rain) usually driving on the highway
in a straight line, you will see less. Your mileage may (will) vary.