Spool...mini?

[Darrin]

Ok. I have to rebuild my rear end. I refuse to pay $500-$800 for a locking rear diff. I don't mind the old school posi where the rear tires chirp in corners so...my question is: I found the full spool for 160 and a mini spool for 65. I take it the mini is not for street use? Someone (nicely) explain the difference for me. It's my first rear rebuild. The 85 vert I had had the posi in it and the chirping wasn't bad at all and The guy either welded the gears or had a spool and I liked it....

 

[86bluecobra]

Why not just buy the rebuild kit for your traction loc and do the modded rebuild to it so that it stiffens it up a bunch. Basically all you do is reuse one of your old clutches and install a clutch then a metal schim then a clutch and so on. Really helps to lock the rear end up. The reason I would go this way is safer if you were to ever drive in the rain. These cars are already light in the rear end and now having locked rear wheels while cornering is not the best combo. I rebuilt mine this way and it worked well. very tight.

 

[86bluecobra]

this link will help if you decide to rebuild your factory traction loc instead of going spool. The link in it doesnt work anymore which is a bummer because it was an awesome right up. But the info from the guys works almost as well.

 

[86bluecobra]

Ok. I have to rebuild my rear end. I refuse to pay $500-$800 for a locking rear diff. I don't mind the old school posi where the rear tires chirp in corners so...my question is: I found the full spool for 160 and a mini spool for 65. I take it the mini is not for street use? Someone (nicely) explain the difference for me. It's my first rear rebuild. The 85 vert I had had the posi in it and the chirping wasn't bad at all and The guy either welded the gears or had a spool and I liked it....

sorry for all the posts but as for your original question here is your answer.
Mini-spool is something inserted in the stock carrier to replace the spider gears and lock up the diff, full spool is a full replacement carrier, place to bolt the ring gear and shove the axle shafts in.

 

[Roland69]

also the Z spring from a F-150 is a little stiffer along with the extra clutch mod it is almost a locker....

 

[JJFIVEOH]

You may not want to spend $500-$800 on a locking differential. But, for the same price range, you can get a Moser spool and 31 or 33 spline axles w/C-clip eliminators. If you use a mini-spool on the street with stock axles, you're just going to end up replacing the axles eventually anyways. For no more than $800, you can set up your rear end with these Moser products and you'll NEVER have to worry about it again.

 

[Greenracing]

+1

 

[MrXCESSIVESPEED]

+2 on the full spool and axles..

I have a full spool in my LX and drive it on the street all the time...a few times having be caught in a sudden rainstorm. As long as you drive with some sense (and caution) which you should be doing any way its not a problem.

I bought the Eaton diff initially but broke it after one good launch (on DRs noone the less) and decided I wasnt going to keep rebuilding or replacing them and just put a spool in.

 

[Darrin]

Thanks for the advice...I planned on going 31 spline and c-clip elim. anyway so this gives me an excuse. I'll do the spool or the extra shim in the trac-lok. The spool just looks like it'd lighten the weight in the driveline.

 

[JJFIVEOH]

Just to let you know beforehand so you are disappointed. You're probably going to lose .1-.15 seconds with the spool and bigger axles. The spool does reduce weight, but the bigger axles add weight. Between the added axle weight and the slight drag of the C-clip elims, you're gonna lose some ET. I lost over .2 seconds off the bat until the C-clip elims broke in a couple of weeks later. But I don't drive my car on the street anymore so it won't take you as long if yours is a daily driver.