Mini Spool in the Front?

[36inch4banger]

The rear is already done. Now it's time to start on the front. Mini Spool makes sense to me, manual hubs, but I have heard opinions from both sides. Just trying to complete all the homework I can before I spend the change.

[YJwonderboy]

O.o Why would you you put a Mini spool in the front? Have you looked at a limited slip, or a locker that will engage and disengage. A mini spool is great and all, but it leaves your axles and you differential open for breakage...and with the front locked all the time, not only will a spool make a breakage more likely, and easier to do...but it'll wear those expensive tires that make offroading possible ^.^ And diffs, axles, and tires aren't cheap. I know mini spools aren't expensive compared to locker and limited slips, but in my opinion it's better to spend the money now for something that will allow you to control how your axles spin, than have to buy new gears or axles. Like they always say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! That's just my $0.02

[Materdaddy]

O.o Why would you you put a Mini spool in the front? Have you looked at a limited slip, or a locker that will engage and disengage. A mini spool is great and all, but it leaves your axles and you differential open for breakage...and with the front locked all the time, not only will a spool make a breakage more likely, and easier to do...but it'll wear those expensive tires that make offroading possible ^.^ And diffs, axles, and tires aren't cheap. I know mini spools aren't expensive compared to locker and limited slips, but in my opinion it's better to spend the money now for something that will allow you to control how your axles spin, than have to buy new gears or axles. Like they always say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! That's just my $0.02

Well put! :thumbsup:

[xjkevin]

do you have full hydro if not then dont do it, even the guys with full hydro and welded in the front same as spool/ cant turn very good at all.

[Bachman]

With manual hubs I can't see it being a problem on the street... You won't even know it's there. I would not want to drive it in 4wd on Ice though.

[mrblaine]

do you have full hydro if not then dont do it, even the guys with full hydro and welded in the front same as spool/ cant turn very good at all.

I have no idea where you are getting that info from, but an ARB is a spool when locked and I can turn, anytime any where, with the rig in just about any position that keeps it moving down trail and it's just not an issue.

Not only is mine that way, but Erik's is, Brian's is, Jeff's is, the other Jeff's is, Jerry Bransford's is, and a bunch more if you need them. All with ARB's that we never turn off with maybe the possible exception of Jerry.

I turn the ARB on when I hit the trail and off when I finish the trail.

And, good steering is just not that hard to do.

For the OP, go for it. With hubs you don't really care. If you need to tune up your steering for trail use, post up. There's a bunch of us running upgraded steering gears, pumps, and ram assist that can steer you in the right direction.

[xjkevin]

on the street, thats what i left out, You can turn fine fully locked, all those guys can to, really wow, without hydro mine binds up really bad on the street, must be sompthing wrong with my front end. i didnt hear anything about an arb, he said SPOOL, oh and he asked for an opinion i didnt, i just gave mine to him, youd have a good point if he was talking about arb, or ox, but he said spool.

[mrblaine]

on the street, thats what i left out, You can turn fine fully locked, all those guys can to, really wow, without hydro mine binds up really bad on the street, must be sompthing wrong with my front end. i didnt hear anything about an arb, he said SPOOL, oh and he asked for an opinion i didnt, i just gave mine to him, youd have a good point if he was talking about arb, or ox, but he said spool.

Either locker, ARB or OX is a spool when it's locked. There is no differentiation at all under any circumstances. No ratcheting, no unlocking, just a solid positive connection between the two axles.

If your steering works, you can sit in your driveway idling and turn the wheels lock to lock with no extra effort on your part. They just turn.

[xjkevin]

when mines locked on the street it feels almost like the ebrake is on one front wheel it binds really bad when i turn the wheel, and feels like sompthing is gonna tweek or snap?? when i move foward or backwards just a little, and i understand what your saying about the arb and ox when engaged they are a spool basically.

[Bachman]

I run a detroit in the front and with manual hubs they are invisible as far as handling is concerned. With the hubs unlocked, the wheels are basically disconnected from the axles and the differential. This allows the tires to rotate independantly from one another, so nothing binds up.