Well here it is...The Big Chrome Ball's (BCB) center diff spool. Nice piece of work. I'll install this weekend...

Gonna' be nice having a bullet proof 230.

another...Notice the input shaft support bearing.

One more for grins

Looks like a puzzel from Sharper Image.

Not bad, well worth the wait Im sure, as Timm does very nice work.

-Jeff

Very nice. Any idea of how close a fit the spool is in the hemishpere. Will there be a gap between the OD of the spool and the ID of the hemisphere or is it a snug fit. Just trying to get an idea of how much work the cross shaft has to do. Looks very nice and bloody simple (and a lot neater than my bootie fabed welded version)

Sam

do you think that pen will hold up to the stress of the 230?;)


Jamie

Hey D,

The best part about the diff spool are being able to do DONUTS!!!!!

You'll have to get it out of your system fast. Lock up the rear, put in 2wd, mash the gas in second gear low range, and hold on!!!

I've done donuts with a diameter of 160 inches. Hehe.:flipoff2:

Originally posted by Strange Rover
Very nice. Any idea of how close a fit the spool is in the hemishpere. Will there be a gap between the OD of the spool and the ID of the hemisphere or is it a snug fit. Just trying to get an idea of how much work the cross shaft has to do. Looks very nice and bloody simple (and a lot neater than my bootie fabed welded version)

Sam

Very good question Sam...I'll letcha' know in about 6 hours! I'm sure there will be some gap, but considering how well the stock center diff has held up (using the "lincon log" cross shafts), I have a feeling (well I KNOW) the spool is about 3x as strong as those punny little x-shaft and spiders are.
I'm trully amazed that there isn't more center diff failures.

One side note (coffee's kickin' in!) I almost elected to run the center diff such that I could get a "power breaking" or cutting break effect...Punch the t-case diff open and hit the e-break hard....Presto, instant 2x front wheel drive. However, after seeing how tinny the center diff hemispher spider gears really are, and the size of the cross-shafts, I decided better! Funny that they can take the torque that they do and survive.

One option however is to machine a couple of cross-shafts out of better material, and hope for the best...But I like KNOWING I've got sound parts, not hoping. Esspecially since I've decided to run a UROC event next spring...O'pps. Did I just say that?

--d

Originally posted by RockRover


I'm trully amazed that there isn't more center diff failures.

--d

When I took the S1 to Moab the first time I blew my center diff in the LT-95. I don't know if it was operator error or raw horsepower that killed it. Maybe both.

In any case, we took it all apart, Cooper did his spool thing on it, and I've never looked back.

The funny thing is, doing the modification to the LT-95 we actually took a step *backward* because that is how the factory offered the transmission in it's original configuration.

Like I said during my driveline thread too, the added benefit of the part-time 2/4wd LT-230 is the ability to disconnect the front driveline. Didn't think I'd need it that quickly, but it was nice to have it there.

Additionally, as D pointed out, it is nice to KNOW you have quality parts down there. I have the feeling that you'll snap many axles/cv's/uj/s/whatever's, before you even start to stress that center spool.

Way to go on finally getting it. I pestered him for you about it many many many times. Looks like what it took was for me to get my behemoth the heck out of the shop. Sorry it took so long.

Where/when about the UROC event? I may have to show up and photograph your truck with that new winch on it. :flipoff2:

How much do these things run? I gotta admit, I'm very tempted.

Have to add that with my front hubs unlocked the ride on the highway is much better. Bet that is important to you Doug! :flipoff2:

Originally posted by Way
Have to add that with my front hubs unlocked the ride on the highway is much better. Bet that is important to you Doug! :flipoff2:

What hubs? :flipoff2:

Runnin' slug's baby! That's why I HAD to have the part-time conversion.

MadCow, you'll have to call Mathew or Timm on cost....But they are very reasonable for the amount of TLC and attention to detail that goes into each and every pieice they produce. Heck the x-shaft fit PERFECTLY into the cross-shaft hemisphere, and of course, so did the spool. Very easy install btw. By far the most difficult part of it was dropping the t-case in the first place. Installation of the spool took about an hour including my anal'eskniss cleaning of all the parts.


--D

Originally posted by RockRover

One side note (coffee's kickin' in!) I almost elected to run the center diff such that I could get a "power breaking" or cutting break effect...Punch the t-case diff open and hit the e-break hard....Presto, instant 2x front wheel drive. However, after seeing how tinny the center diff hemispher spider gears really are, and the size of the cross-shafts, I decided better! Funny that they can take the torque that they do and survive.

--d

Im thinking the exact same thing and am going to go back to full time 4wd with the mog axles. Im figgering that with 7.5:1 diff ratios the centre may be able to cop this front wheel drive antics, but time will tell.

UROC - great to hear.

Sam

i wouldnt worry about the cross shafts and spiders. they see about 4x less torque than the ones in the diffs do so even if they were half the size of the differential cross shafts you still have a 2x safety margin.

looks good doug.

Yea 9V I know...But once you see the little buggars (spiders) you'll know what I'm talking about. To put it into perspective imagine 4 total spider gears and two cross-shafts in the diameter of the spool piece I pictured above. THAT's how small they are.

I have one on my key ring now (seriously!)...They are just so damn cute!

--D