Spool?

[steel1212]

Guys money is a little tight right now and I really would like to get 31 splined axles. The only problem is I would have to get a 31 spline carrier of some sort. I would love to get a detroit locker but it looks like most of the used ones one ebay end up around 250ish. What I'm seeing is full spools for around 90 or mini spools for about 30 or so.

1) Is the mini spool no good for drag racing? I'm seeing "drag race" full spools on ebay as well.
2) Should I just wait and save up...racing starts the end of march
3) not do it this year and hope my axles hold

 

[302 coupe]

with the combo listed in your sig, you run a very minimal risk of damaging 28 spline axles. When you upgrade to 31's, get a real detroit locker.

 

[brianj5600]

I have seen 28's give up easily, but they tapered down between the splines and the bearing. If they are not tapered I would not sweat it, even with the hose.

 

[Dark Knight]

You shouldnt havea prob, unless you go to slicks. I'd save up for the locker.. I ran un-tapered 28 spline axles forever without a prob..WITH slicks..

 

[steel1212]

Yeah, but I plan in the future to go to afr 185s and a roller cam with more lift along with the nitrous and maybe slicks. Also my axles are probably 45 years old or so...9 inch came out of a 57 ford.

 

[SitDown]

spool and street = not fun...especially with manual rack

 

[steel1212]

so basically hold out and get the locker?

 

[SitDown]

yes

 

[iskwezm]

a spool is the cheapest way out, i had a few friends that ran spools in daily drivers without a problem.

 

[steel1212]

let me ask you this. I don't do to many parallel(sp) lol parking and would mainly be driving on the street with turns. Maybe a 90 degree turn here and there. What I would like to know is how bad will it really drag at a 4 way stop?

 

[1320stang]

A Lincoln Locker would be free....

 

[iskwezm]

let me ask you this. I don't do to many parallel(sp) lol parking and would mainly be driving on the street with turns. Maybe a 90 degree turn here and there. What I would like to know is how bad will it really drag at a 4 way stop?

you ever ride a ATC or a quad, its just like that, the front might want to push a little, but all my budies used to drive EVERYWHERE with their spools

 

[steel1212]

A Lincoln Locker would be free....

out of a what?

 

[1320stang]

That's where we used to take a Lincoln arc welder and weld the spider gears up, viola!! a po' boy spool!!

It ruins the carrier, but it doesn't sound like your going to use it again anyway. I've got a buddy that has had his spider gears welded up for going on 15 years, street driving and all, you just have to take it slow on the corners and watch out for puddles followed by dry pavement. If your not a total dumbazz, it's not that bad. Now all he ever ran was street tires, no slicks or drag radials. But he's running 3.91's and his 9" is of the '57-'59 variety.

My recommendation if you don't like the freebie would be to go with a mini spool. My other buddy runs one in his '68 with 28 spline axles and about 400 hp 289 and has run high 10's on slicks and slapper bars and I think 4.33's. He doesn't use a transbrake though. (PA Super Comp C4)

 

[brianj5600]

Try a mini spool. They can be had for $30 or less. If you have a dirt track shop locally you can get them there. I ran one on the street with skinnies in the front so I never tried any high speed cornering. Parking lot turns were not a problem. It takes more throttle, but I never had trouble with it not turning. The best part is no more one wheel peel.

 

[steel1212]

Brian, 1320, thats the answers I was looking for. I'm not going to weld up my carrier as I have a spare and I'm going to mini spool it and sell my 4.11 posi as a unit to make up some of the money.

 

[SitDown]

Im usually the last person to hesitate in removing the creature comforts from my cars, but IMO I dont think a spool belongs in a street car where there isnt an issue of power ravaging drivetrain parts. Your supposed to enjoy driving the car.... Yes it is a cheaper route, but hey maybe i need to re-new my gym membership

 

[steel1212]

sitdown, what part of the spool is hard on the street? Is it the parking? The 4 way stops? Just driving it?

 

[brianj5600]

You have a 4.11 posi chunk and you are not going to use it? I thought you had a open rear end and could not afford a posi. Use the trac-loc.

 

[steel1212]

Yeah, have a 28 spline posi. When I talked to moser engineers they where telling me that with my future combo and the nos that the torque would be over their "safe" limit for their 28 splined axles. So I was looking for 31 splines. I'm tempted to just buy a set of hardened 28 splined axles and take my chances. When I did the match, which I padded the hp/torque by a little I think. It was within 80ft#s of moser's 28 splined axles limits 5200#s. I used their calculator on their website and used 400# of torque. This is with afr185s and a roller cam. Now will I make that with my setup and those 2 parts, probably not, but thats what the desktop dyno says

SOOOOO.....do you say just get the hardened 28spliners?