SHould i Spool It?

[redsport]

My 94 explorer sport Is drivin by a 302 and rides on straight axles, front and obviously rear. I want to lock up my back tires real bad, cuz i hate solo trackin. I would also like to go with a spool because of costs. YOu may wonder why i would do a Spring over, straight axle and 302, and skimp on the locker, well im 17 and unemployed. Money is a big influencer. It is a daily driver, and i will be installing 4.10s in the rear anyway, so as long as it is tore apart i might as well through a spool in it. I drive it daily on the road, silver lake almost weekly in the summer, bad winters here in michigan so i have to keep that in mind to. Ohh yeah no idea if it makes a difference but i will be running 35s this summer. So talk me out of the spool, or better yet talk me into it even more. thanks

 

[88vert]

Sounds like a bad ass rig

 

[88vert]

Do you have any under the hood pics?

 

[2001ExpSport]

Originally posted by redsport
I drive it daily on the road, silver lake almost weekly in the summer, bad winters here in michigan so i have to keep that in mind to.

No, for that reason there. Once it's done you can't go back, without a new carrier and gears which is less than a locker I'm sure.

 

[Robb]

edit: will no longer give advice to this member

 

[redsport]

thanks and no not yet, the 302 isnt even fully installed yet. I think i am one of the only guys runnin a carb though. any ideas about the spool???? you can see old pics of it at my cardomain site... when it was little on 32s haha

 

[redsport]

yeah there started, my old axle is out and the dana 30 is sitting under it, all i need is my new control arms put in. As soon as i find my digi camera, or i can take pics with my moms and scan them in. It should be done in like 3 weeksish

 

[Alec]

If you put a spool in that truck you're nuts

 

[Nate1]

Why not get a powertrax or aussie locker. I know it costs more, but its gonna have much better on road manners....

 

[JDraper]

If you spool your truck on the road, sooner or later you will bust something in the rear end. Spools are great on the track and great off road, but lousy on the pavement. Handling in wet/snowy weather will be lousy with a spool. Since money is an issue, you're better off putting a Powertrax Lock-Right in the rear end. You can get one for about $250. With the manual front hubs, you can get away with a spool up front.

 

[Alec]

Originally posted by JDraper
With the manual front hubs, you can get away with a spool up front.

Except he'd grenade something in the frontend sooner or later, and he'd need popeye arms to turn whenever he was in 4wd. This could also be very bad for the steering system.

 

[james t]

i have a spool in the rear of my bronco, and drive it to work usually about once a week or so.

for you, i would say NO. our winters here arent harsh at all. no snow, ice is rare etc. i would not even dare back mine out of the garage if there were a chance there was ice out. a spool in ice (even in 4-high) is beyond dangerous.

daily driving it on the street with 35's.... you WILL break an axle sooner or later. it will only be a matter of time. you have to be very very careful every time you turn. consider adding the cost of at least one axle to the cost of the spool vs. a locker.

as someone who has driven a spooled 4x4 on 35's for the past 3 years or so... i will tell you mine is coming out sometime this winter. with a locker in front and a spool in rear, turning on tight trails is really tough. at the end of the day, its really just not worth it. run it open until you have the dough for a locker.


edit- as far as running a spool in the front.... dont even think about it. turning in 4 wheel drive WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE. you will also need a huge supply of front axles and ujoints.

 

[JDraper]

Originally posted by Alec
Except he'd grenade something in the frontend sooner or later, and he'd need popeye arms to turn whenever he was in 4wd. This could also be very bad for the steering system.

I didn't say it would be a good idea , I just said he could get away with it for driving on the road because he could unlock the hubs and freewheel the front end. Bottom line is spools WILL break something sooner or later, and most likely sooner if you are heavy on the skinny pedal.

 

[redsport]

how well wouldit handle with the lockright? Thats the one for 250 right. i have an open diff, how do well do they work offroad?

 

[DocVijay]

It's already been said, but I'll add my opinion as well.

Absolutely not. A spool on a daily driver is not a good idea. Especially in winter.

Even if you are 17, you can earn money. If you can get a job, do so. If not, then I'm sure you can come up with something. Save for a locker. It doesn't have to be a fancy Eaton E-locker for $750, there are many other options. Just save up and put up with the rear for now.

 

[RFR2212]

I've got a lock right, and it locks.. and gets the job done. Sometimes in the winter, when it's cold, it doesn't lock, as the tolerances are tight and the springs dont move... after it warms up, it's fine.

 

[JDraper]

Originally posted by redsport
how well wouldit handle with the lockright? Thats the one for 250 right. i have an open diff, how do well do they work offroad?

Lockrights work great. I had one in my X (took it out because I don't offroad it anymore) during the winter and it worked fine. I currently have one in my Sammy, and it drives fine. I know several other people that have them (I have installed about 5 myself) and are quite pleased with them. There is a group buy going on right now through GJarrett. Check out http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89867

 

[Jrod-13]

My 89' F-150 has had a mini spool in for 3 years, most of which as a daily driver. Around town, its not bad, but the tires chrip alot. Minnesota and Michigan winters are no problems, you just can't drive like a moron. I've never had ANY problems with it getting out of hand.

Breakage? nothing yet. In the summer I tow my enduro car to the track with it, about 7-8000lbs. never had any problems with it, despite having a 35's under it.

Everyone told me I would be breaking axles, tearing up this, crushing that, in the ditch, blah blah blah.. I've never had a single problem with it, best $28 I ever spent on it.

However, on my BroncoII, I have lincoln lockers front and rear. With the extra weight over the rear end, and shorter wheelbase, it sucks driving it around town. This has been my daily driver for about 4 months now.
Driving offroad with the front locked isn't that bad, it still turns sharper than any fullsize on the trail. It does eat front shafts(D28) for lunch though.

After driving 3 years with a spooled rear end, Im getting a little sick of it. In the winter, its no problem, bu the way it drives around town on dry pavement is getting old.

The sploder will be getting aussie lockers for this reason. $199 is cheap enough for me. They should be perfect for a daily driver.

 

[Rick]

Spools suck in the rain and snow. They want to pull you down towards the ditch on ice covered crowned roads and they make the truck handle pretty freaky.

I drove a street racer with a spool for awhile, but I really wouldn't reccomend it for a climate where a lot of rain and snow is involved.