im looking for some better traction and i am liking the idea of posi. iam considering putting a spool in my rear end. i would go ahead and do it if it wasnt for 2 reasons. i have an 8 inch rear end and i am worried it cant handle than and also ive never driven posi before. i heard if it is wet outside or the road is curves you will just spin out take out a mail box and end up on some ladies front lawn or wraped around a telephone pole. have anyone of you used a spool before. let me know if any of this makes sense and your ideas on this.

thanks, J

o ya and happy easter everyone

 

nooooo.....i believe a spool is just 100% locked....it for drag racing....straight lines.

a posi traction rear end like limited slip or locker is what you want......a spool will have you in some ladys front yard.........a locker or limited slip will unlock around corners. lockers make noise...limited slips dont i think.

 

Shifty is pretty much correct. Posi is a generalized term for limited slip differentials, proper names include saftey track, sure grip, twin grip. Limited slip differentials allow the inside wheel to turn slower than the outside wheel, but in a straight line they will dsitribute the power to both wheels evenly. If you stomp the gas in the rain around a corner with a limited slip, it will step the rear end out. Limted slip diffs have clutches, cones or gears in them that will lock solid when torque is applied to them, they release when torque is not applied. Dont floor it around corners and you wont have any trouble.

A spool has no gears or differential action. It is a piece of steel or aluminum that the axles spline into and the ring gear is bolted too. Both wheels are driven directly by the ring gear at the same speed at all times. Sure people have driven them on the street, but aftermarket axles and C clip eliminators should be used in rear ends that have C clips, such as GM 10/12 bolts, 8.8" Fords, and late model Dodge rear ends. If an axle breaks with a stock C clip, nothing is holding the wheel and axle into the housing, when they exit they make a custom contoured rear quarter panel and could injure anyone standing nearby. Turning corners with spools is different than with a posi or limited slip.

A locker has lugs like teeth on a gear that engage and disengage making a loud clicking noise, they have more torque capacity than limited slip differentials due to the design of the lugs vs clutches or cones. Its a racy part that makes noise and is virtually unbreakable by most street cars, so they have a certain hard core reputation about them.

An open diff has no clutches, lugs, or cones in it, they do have spider gears that the axles are splined into that will allow one wheel to turn faster or slower than the other. They will not apply the same power to both wheels when torque is applied. They will spin the tire with the least traction, that is often the passenger side rear tire. Why? Because every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The engine turns the trans, that turns the driveshaft that turns the pinion and ring gear. The twisting force applied to the differential wants to lift the passenger side rear tire while pushing the drivers side down. That is why most non performance cars only leave one black mark.

I recomend the limited slip unless you have alot of power and use it often, if you have alot of power, step up to a locker. I dont tell anyone to use a spool on the street, just like I dont tell them to run a 5000 stall on the street, but some still will.

 

I installed a Richmond locker when I rebuilt my rear and as some may thing, it not loud at all... They just came out with a new version that does not click at all but, is about $100 more. Mine is very minor click and does not bother me at all. I have the same 8 inch in my 66 and I do know that this setup as per Richmond will handle up to 400hp..