mini spool

[cynrays]

I just put a mini spool in the rear end of my Bronco. I can't believe how good it works. I did the work myself and it cost me around 71 dollars.
Can someone tell me the normal life of a locker like a Detroit, True Trac ,etc?
Thanks very much...

 

[michael084]

Detroit locker might last you thirty years treated right, trutrac (limited slip) about the same.

 

[SteveL]

lifespan of parts depends on how it is used. Why was the minispool so much $$? They are $17 on ebay. I bought on for the 66 but haven't installed it yet. I'm a little concerned about the strength of the open carrier it goes in. I run a full spool in my 72 that isn't a DD and it works great.

 

[ORVP]

My luck with mini spool.

Great improvement watch for Pin wear. That is usually where they fail and take the carrier with it. Mine lasted a little over a year unit it failed. I have a mini if anyone wants it minus pin which can be replaced by summitt for around 7 bucks.

Great economy upgrade money well spent.

 

[cynrays]

Most things that I see on ebay are like 23 dollars and another 23 shipping. I have never seen any real bargains on ebay that I am interested in that are all that cheap after you add the shipping. I sometimes think that is the way people make their money. That is on the shipping charges...

 

[RajinCajun]

I am running a mini spool only because I plan to upgrade to the 31 or 35 spline axles with a full spool in the near future so I am not worried about the mini spool taking a dump...it will just be a good excuse to buy some alloy axles and a full spool...

 

[SaddleUp]

My brother installed a mini spool in his and he was able to milk about 6 months out of it with 4 runs before it cracked the carrier wide open. The only highway miles it had were 2 trips to the trails before he started trailering it. When he put his new rearend together he put a full spool in it. I imagine the mini spools would probably hold up to the typical high schoolers hot rod with smaller tires but they don't stand up well to the larger tires most of us are running.

ARB's hold up very well and I've been told they are the strongest locker available. Detroit lockers are said to be bulletproof however several of us know better. There is a Lenco billet locker Strange Engineering makes that is supposed to be stronger than the Detroit. There are also lunchbox lockers that go in an open carrier (Lockright, etc.) however they are also susceptable to the weak open carrier. True Trac isn't a locker. It is a limited slip using gears instead of clutches if I recall correctly. I don't know how well it holds up though. Other limited slips include the trac lock (came as a stock option) which isn't real strong (I know where 2 are now that are busted) and then the Power Lock with it's 4 spider gear design which has earned a reputation of being one of the strongest limited slips available.

 

[rjlougee]

I've been running a mini-spool in mine for the last 4 years with no problems. 31 spline 9", small bearing case. It's been through Moab Rim, Hells Revenge, Prichet Canyon, Carnage Canyon, etc... with no issues. All this on 38.5 SXs and/or 39.5 IROKs.

Like the other said, sometimes it's less about the product and more about the loose nut behind the wheel...
Joe

 

[cynrays]

I hope the pin lasts. That part was 17 dollars. I have owned the bronco 23 years. The only time I use it is on our deer lease in Arkansas. I trailer it up there which is about 80 miles. I run 30 inch tires. They don't sling mud so bad.

My son is 34 years old now and when he was 12, we had a ski boat that wasn't running right so we took it down to the lake. I told him to back the bronco off while I manned the boat. The 77 has power brakes. Just as he entered the water, the motor died. The bronco kept coming back into the lake. This is the most scared that I have been in my life. I told him to stand up in the seat and when I pulled the boat up beside the bronco to jump in. The bronco went back into the lake over the steering wheel. He jumped in the boat. A friend came down and pulled me out of the lake. I came home and got a change of oil and a can of wd-40, went back down there and changed the oil and sprayed out the dist and drove the bronco home. The next day I changed the fluid in the torque converter.It has been running ever since..

 

[SteveL]

the ebay minispool was like $20 to my door. It's for a 3rd member she will only use when we go out for a weekend. Then the open goes back in for the dd duty. I think dd wear and tear on the street would kill the carrier.

 

[bronco69drp]

i run a mini spool in mine. i do alot of hard core wheeling with it. however i upgraded the crosspin to a chrome moly crosspin.

 

[BUCKETOBOLTS]

I think the use of the skinny pedal will decide how long your diff will last. Big tires, pavement, and lots of skinny pedal equal a short life. I have a friend that we put a mini in his 69 Torino with a mild 429. Its a weekend warrior but sees more street than strip. I know the spool has been in there almost 10 yrs now. I think its a better idea than welding the spiders. If you have any trouble a full spool can be bought for $100-200.

 

[TexasBronco]

Hey Rajin I just went in debt on my axle upgrade and went with a full spool in the rear and an aussie up front...along with a ton of other goodie. The soonest I hope to be back on the trails is the 11th. I can't wait to see the improvement over LS rear and open front.

 

[SaddleUp]

Those of you that think finesse will take you through every trail need to come out here in the spring when everything is still wet. Rather than slick rock we have rocks that are really slick. Anyone that truly wishes to take them on rather than just watch others either has their rig set up for it or they break. I.E. Selective use of the skinny pedal is a requirement rather than a choice.

 

[cynrays]

What is a skinny pedal???

 

[SaddleUp]

What is a skinny pedal???

The accelerator pedal is the skinny pedal on the right.