Question about spools

[FaselZ71]

So I have a newb question but it's something that's been bouncing around in my head... I want to lock my front axle when I get stuck and pull the lever on the floor I want true 4WD not one tire spinning and one not! So due to the fact that I don't have a ton of loot I was wondering if it'd be wise to buy a spool for the front axle and just make sure the hubs are unlocked if I have to make any serious turns... This isn't in a rock buggy of anything this is going in a street legal mud truck. 4WD won't be used unless the truck is stuck because I try everything in 2wd before I do anything in 4wd. It just seems funner that way! Thanks for the advice... and flaming for the stupidity of the question is always welcome due to it's humorous nature!!

[greenbomb]

yeah im the same way about tryin 2wd before 4wd, but its more because my t-case is fawked, but i agree, it is more fun. im interested in what people will say.

[Wild Hare]

no problem. i have been spooled in the front and rear for years and i daily drive my rig.

[three60fish]

I think that most people, including myself will say don't spool your front if you plan on driving it on the street. You can do it in an offroad rig and survive if your axle has some decent parts in it that can take a little abuse. I'm assuming the d44 in your sig is what you want to put this spool in...if so, don't go huge with your tires or the spool will help to kill it quicker with turns, etc. You will also be chirping and wearing tires very quickly in the turns on the street. Most knowledgable people on Pirate and in motorsports will tell you that spools on the street are a big no-no. Event though Wild Hare runs his on the street...

[chrisdm4]

Driving on the street with a spooled or welded front axle is not the best thing of driving on the road. Your tires will not like it one bit and steering is not easy at all because both your axle shafts are spining at the same speen. The rear is not to bad but still. If anything just lock it.

[howyadoin]

Run it, lock your hubs when you need to. Just like an ARB, with your axle, only lock your hubs when necessary to help it survive.

[JMAN3203]

Originally Posted by FaselZ71

So I have a newb question but it's something that's been bouncing around in my head... I want to lock my front axle when I get stuck and pull the lever on the floor I want true 4WD not one tire spinning and one not! So due to the fact that I don't have a ton of loot I was wondering if it'd be wise to buy a spool for the front axle and just make sure the hubs are unlocked if I have to make any serious turns... This isn't in a rock buggy of anything this is going in a street legal mud truck. 4WD won't be used unless the truck is stuck because I try everything in 2wd before I do anything in 4wd. It just seems funner that way! Thanks for the advice... and flaming for the stupidity of the question is always welcome due to it's humorous nature!!

Just so you guys know, he has selectable hubs.

[4joker]

Let's see. You live in Michigan. Some nasty winters up there. Being a street rig I'd imagine you lock your hubs to gain 4wd in the snow. Do that with a front spool on snow covered roads your asking for a head on collision! Or install the spool, drive on snow and ice covered roads and "never" engage the hubs.

[michael brown]

im not a fan of spools up front.. but if you are gonna unlock the hubs when you need to turn sharp and not run them locked on any gravel or paved road... then go for it... i just dont get why people put their truck in 2wd and tear up the trail.. then get stuck.. and put it in 4wd and tear things up worse.. i donno... i like to tread lightly and when i pull off the highway to go have fun.. i make sure i air down lock it in 4wd and go have fun... just my .02 cents

[FaselZ71]

Originally Posted by JMAN3203

Just so you guys know, he has selectable hubs.

True I do have selectable hubs and I have yukon 4.88 gears and the axle joints and ball joints are spicers and I have warn hubs I will also be running 37' TSl's

Originally Posted by 4joker

Let's see. You live in Michigan. Some nasty winters up there. Being a street rig I'd imagine you lock your hubs to gain 4wd in the snow. Do that with a front spool on snow covered roads your asking for a head on collision! Or install the spool, drive on snow and ice covered roads and "never" engage the hubs.

We do have pretty nasty roads but I rarely use 4wd on pavement because of the amount of salt we use as long as your not on the roads in the middle of the night th roads stay fairly managable. I drove a 2wd ford for about 2 yrs before I upgraded to the chevy so I'm not to concerned about driving on snowy roads in 4wd although that'snot to say I never do... Good point though never thought of the winter time 4wd experience.

Originally Posted by michael brown

im not a fan of spools up front.. but if you are gonna unlock the hubs when you need to turn sharp and not run them locked on any gravel or paved road... then go for it... i just dont get why people put their truck in 2wd and tear up the trail.. then get stuck.. and put it in 4wd and tear things up worse.. i donno... i like to tread lightly and when i pull off the highway to go have fun.. i make sure i air down lock it in 4wd and go have fun... just my .02 cents

I airdown every time. Although due to our wonderful governor and wilderness extremists trail riding up here is mainly smooth riding it's the off road parks that I tear the living shit out of... And yeah I do plan to run my hubs unlocked on pavement and gravel they will only be locked in the mud or rarely in sand as I'm not a fan of dune riding!!

All in all I can see it's pretty mixed feeling although good points where hit I think I may just get it a try and if it breaks or becomes even the slightest bit uncontrollable I'll just swap back out for the original carrier... A spool off ebay only runs like 80 bucks so if I spend alittle money and relize it's not for me or break it I'm not out a ton but if I like it I can always upgrade if I like...

[jeeplt1]

i run a spool up front in my dana 44 on 38.5's
youll be just fine. if you do find yourself needing a little extra help on a snowy road just lock the long side and you will have 3 wheel drive. you will get a little pull when accelerating but ease on and off the throttle and your fine. i do it all the time

[Chrisbuilt]

I got a front 44 with a Millermatic spool and locking hubs and its great with the yukon shafts and CTMs. Regular ride and drive with the hubs unlocked. Now I do most the trails in front wheel drive until it gets tough. It plows way to much in the slop if its in 4wd. FWD works muche better in the slop for control and steering.

[FaselZ71]

Originally Posted by jeeplt1

i run a spool up front in my dana 44 on 38.5's
youll be just fine. if you do find yourself needing a little extra help on a snowy road just lock the long side and you will have 3 wheel drive. you will get a little pull when accelerating but ease on and off the throttle and your fine. i do it all the time

Now see that was something I started thinking about was just locking 1 hub if I absolutely needed to... Although that to me seems more dangerous but what do I know I'm posting in the newb section...

[jeeplt1]

thats the beauty of a spool. they are very predictable. if your a complete moron that cant drive and forget that "hey ive got a certain wheel being powered" then maybe dont try it.
however 3 wheel drive was the only way i could get around big bear when it started snowing at 2 am and my chains were at the cabin. going uphill there was always a load on my rear detroit so it was always locked. meaning i slid out on every single turn with my then un-cut tsl's. so having to try to ease off the throttle for the turn but then having to gas it to keep momentum up the hill i was going nuts. then i locked both hubs and thought i was gonna die. had serious understeer. so i unlocked my drivers side (short side) and was able to keep up with my friends running arb's.

[MochaMike]

Unless your dirt poor & welding the front, don't buy a spool

Get lunchbox locker it should be only $100 or so more than a spool, plus you won't have to reset the gears.

[jeeplt1]

or you buy a mini spool. cheap and no need to reset anything. if you wanna run open later all you gotta do is swap out the spiders. try un-welding your case!

[FaselZ71]

I'm not welding my spiders! Fuck that! I was looking at running just a solid spool. And no I'm not a complete moron behind the wheel although some may beg to differ but yeah it would be easy to remember that one wheel has load... I would love to buy a locker but I can't seem to find a cheap locker for a D44 with 4.88 gears so if you can find one for cheap shoot me the link and I'll glady go that route but until then I'm under no circumstances welding my spider gears!

[jeeplt1]

then do as i suggested and buy a mini spool. not a full spool. my stock case has held up to 300 hp and 38.5's for years now. as much as id love to buy an arb the current economical situation just wont allow. lol

[FaselZ71]

See that's my same situation the $$ just won't allow for any extreme purchases now you talk about a mini spool what are those? Why are they any better then a full spool?

[jeeplt1]

mini spool replaces your spider gears with a solid chunk (well actually its 3 pieces) but it basically connects one side to the other.
the advantage is cost and ease of installation. the downside is it does nothing to improve the strength of the carrier. so now the carrier becomes the weak point.
that being said ive yet to break my carrier and i dont drive like an old lady. your gonna break a shaft before you break that case any day.

[FaselZ71]

Ok kool see I just didn't know the difference between a spool and a mini spool but I just googled it and I see what you mean now what's the advantages other thatn cost and ease to getting a mini spool over a full one piece spool because with the one peice spool it's just the shafts and the ring gear there is no carrier... Wouldn't that be a easier install? Sorry for being all retarded and everything I'm just trying to see the whole picture before I just in and buy something...

[MochaMike]

I just spent 30 seconds on google & found roughly these costs:

mini-spool: $100
full spool: $150-$200
lunchbox locker $250.

For the front, I'd really suggest a lunchbox locker.

Sure you'll save $50-$150 in the short run, but you'll end up spending more in the long run.
Your going to break other things if your spooled up front: shafts, joints, etc. etc.

But, from your posts, my impression is (like dozens of others who have asked this same question), you have already made up your mind. Your ignoring those that suggest "no" to the spool and paying attention to those that say "yes".

[jeeplt1]

well any time you change the whole case/ carrier you will need to check your gear pattern. its usually very close or right on. but for it to be dead accurate you will likely need to shim it for a perfect pattern and bearing preload. where as with the mini spool you dont have to worry about that cuz your only replacing the spiders.

and so what if he has made up his mind? there are pros and cons to both setups. and if his choice is to go with a spool then so be it. who the hell are you to judge him. id love to have an arb up front and im sure he would too. but if its not an option then leave the guy alone. lunchbox lockers are predictably unpredictable. lock and unlock whenever they want, gets worse over time making it difficult to drive on an icy mountain road. which is why i no longer run a loc right in the front of my rig. (yeah thats right im talking from experience). now, what happens when you put power to that locker? oh thats right it locks so its no different handling then that spool except for having no control over when it happens.
offroad youll notice a better turning radius and ease of steering with a locker. but if you break a shaft you might just break your locker.

everybody has their own opinion and driving manners. so i hope you can take the facts and decide for yourself.

[FaselZ71]

Thanks for all the advice and mocha I'm not ignoring the no's... I'm just taking in all the pro and cons of running a spool because I don't have 250 to drop on a lunchbox... so it's either a cheap spool for now or running the spiders which I don't like because of the one wheel peel that they are notrious for! However christmas is right around the corner so if you wanna ship me a lunchbox locker for my truck then I'll gladly give you my shipping address however since I'm sure I'll see the second coming of Christ before that happens I'm getting all the info I can because I don't wanna to run spiders in the front of my rig! Jeep thank you for all the advice it's been extremely helpful... Maybe someday I'll know as much as some of you guys on here but until then I'll continue posting in the newb section!! lol

[jeeplt1]

no prob. its all experience bro. just go wheel the damn thing and youll see what works what doesnt and put together some of your own opinions on different setups. ive had a number of 4x4 toys and have tried the expensive, tried the cheap, and the in between and believe me as much as some of the guys on this board think they do, youll never know everything. good luck with your project!