Mini spool diff lockers

[Crawford]

Hey i can pick up a mini spool diff locker for my sierra for $350

Is that a good deal? How do mini spool diff lockers work... will diffs still be locked when going around corners?

Cheers

[hypo]

yup a spool is basically a very expensive welded diff.

pull yer diff out and send it to me ill weld it up for u for a carton of jack and coke and send it back

[SiKiD_01]

Hey i can pick up a mini spool diff locker for my sierra for $350

Cheers

where are you getting it from? a shop or a friend?

[chunderlicious]

if you look around you can pick them up for about $150 and for 8 and 9 inch diffs (nissan salisbury toyota etc.) you can pick em up for aunder 100. stronger than a welded diff, but also 60 bucks (or whatever jack costs these days) more expensive. they dont unlock anytime and most have a life warranty.

[Crawford]

a shop..

will it be a problem with onroad driving? its a daily driver.. so maybe not for me?

where can you get them fror $150? :|

let me know

cheers

[nicbeer]

US for one u can get them from.

[Crawford]

can i take it off when im not 4wding? or is that a bit to difficult

[nicbeer]

a bit hard unless u want to take apart the diff all the time.

U usually buy them for 4x4ing .

cheers

[nickw86au]

I'm just curious - how much do they affect tyre wear? (i.e. when using as a daily driver) Anyone out there know?

[christover1]

I'm just curious - how much do they affect tyre wear? (i.e. when using as a daily driver) Anyone out there know?

It depends on your driving style, where you drive, how far, type of tread etc.
I have a welded rear diff, for about 5years, and mines a daily driver. (LWB)
With high traction on road tyres, I can notice it on very tight turns.
With my Mongrel tyres I hardly notice its there.
You do need to change your driving style and give yourself time to get used to it. As with any other change or modifications.
My tire wear has been fine, my last set of mudders were on for 4 of those years and a year or so before the weld. They were still over 70% tread left when I sold em

christover

[muppet_man67]

My tire wear has been fine, my last set of mudders were on for 4 of those years and a year or so before the weld. They were still over 70% tread left when I sold em

christover

Yes 70% tread left on the road. in carparks, on rocky trails etc.

[WHITVIT]

Put it in the front so only active when the hubs are engaged.

[Crawford]

is that just as good as having it on the back? Also where can i buy them for the $150... anyone can recommend an american site or something..

[nickw86au]

From what ive gathered, the front or back locker debate is as big the nissan/toyota or ford holden (etc.) debates. I think that it depends on what you're using it for. According to 4x4 monthly (they were referring to an airlocker however), in the back is where you would get the most use out of it (this is good for when you don't have time to engage the freewheeling hubs for example), however with permanently locked diffs, at least in the front you can unlock the hubs and disengage it (=better on road driving). Also, it seems that for climbing steep hils it is much better to have the front diff locked - similar to pulling rather than pushing a wheelbarrow up and over a ledge - does this sound about right to anyone else?

P.S. I heard that a locked diff can be bad news on sand, as they can cause the tyres to dig in. I would assume that this refers to the front moreso than the back however, so (living near stockton dunes) when I get my sierra (in a coupla months) I'll be locking the back if anything. But that's because of the type of 4wheeling I would tend to do more.

[WHITVIT]

it really does depend on your drving style, terrain etc.

yes the front rear locker debate is strong. just some ponderings... a locker in the rear will tend to push the front tyres in sand. you will notice this if your in 2wd moreso.. there is some debate about traction needed on uphill runs. Some argue that the weight shift puts more weight on the rear so traction is increased at the rear anyway, locking the front increases the overall traction. locking the front can also help to climb over obsticals without spinning the traction away. in any case a locker at either end will dramatically improve your traction as three wheels need to lose traction to stop progress. i would put a spool in the front (cheapest and least change to existing driving style) and then if you require it save for a air/auto locker in the rear.

i hope this doesn't open a can of worms again.

[lay80n]

For $350 aust you could import a detroit ex-locker or similar from the states. Depends on what you want. If you search there is heaps of info on auto-lockers vs welded centres, so it depends on what you want really.
Layto....

[Crawford]

if i got one of the guys in perth to weld my front centre.. would it change the lifespan of my sierra by much? Would i break shit or what..

Be honest!!:)

Cheers

[WHITVIT]

if you weld your centre and unleash some of the awsome capabilitys of ur zook and then go looking for the hard stuff (as usually happens) of course the lifespan would be reduced. stresses on the front diff are greater but you could have many years of solid service. especially with smaller rubber. but then the bug bites. bigger tyres lower gearing etc are all gonna reduce the longivity of related components. however. over here in w.a. there is alot of sandy tracks, not much rock climbing (unless your looking for it) in reality a pretty tame sierra is all that is needed to get ANYWHARE its just the fun factor that makes us decide to get there "up that vertical cliff face"