SPOOL LOCKER?/ 3/4-1 ton axles

prariepunk

prariepunk

Active member
What is a spool locker? how does it work? are they better for the trail rigs that are trail rigs only (like Mine)
Are all the Chevy 14 bolt rears full floating or just some? could I just pull some outta a junkyard off of a newer truck and buy the adapters for my jeeps driveshaft? Cause, man are they expensive, even for used on ebay! oh yeah, ebay doesn't like me! I can't get on. When I go to "SIGN IN", it just brings me to a page saying "Page Cannot Be Displayed", it does this with every option involving my contacting ebay. it's not them, i can sign on on another computer, but I don't have another computer handy! So I cant get them from ebay. Lincoln or detroit SofLocker? I'll be making my jeep a "Trail Only" jeep!
 

A spool isn't really a locker, it's simply a differential that is constantly locked, the two axleshafts always spin at the same speed and in the same direction.

It's great for offroad, very reliable and the best option for traction. I've been running a Lincoln Locker (welded open diff) in the front and rear of my YJ for a few years now, it's incredible offroad. Just point it and go.

You may also want to check into a minispool, it slips in the open carrier in place of the spider gears and serves the same purpose as a full spool. It's cheaper and you don't have to mess with the ring and pinion tolerances.
 
RE: Carter carb to Motorcraft 2150 swap writeup

Detroit is definatly the best way to go, as far as a locker, with a 14 bolt.

Keep in mind that a Full spool will support the ring gear itself (replaces the carrier), while a mini spool simply goes into the existing carrier...just replacing the spider gears.

Some Chevy's came with full floating axles and some came with semi floating axles.

At a wrecking yard, a FF 14Bolt should only be about $250. Actually, that's what most people sell them at. They are very common and should be easy to find.
 

RE: 2 sets of axles 4 sale

The semi-float 14 bolt came in some light 3/4 ton Chevy trucks. I believe it had a 6 lug pattern. Go with the full float 8 lug if you are going that route.
I think spools for 14 bolts are pretty new to the market (I may be wrong though). A spool operates the same as a welded differential. It is locked all the time unlike a locker that will unlock when you let off the gas and go around corners. It helps with the tire wear on road and keeps it from chirping so much.
You can score surplus Army 14 bolts from one ton trucks that will already have a Detroit locker and 4.56 gears. That's what I'm running. They go for about $500. Not too bad for gears and a locker ready to go.
I don't know what you mean by a driveshaft adapter. Neapco makes a conversion joint that goes from your 1310 series to the 14 bolt's 1330 or 1350 (whatever it is). The part number is 3-3140.
 
Should I go FF or do the semi? What is the differance, please don't tell me one floats and one is kinda floating!
 
Okay. Here's some pictures to make it a lot easier to show the difference:


This is a regular, semi-floating axle. Looks just like a regular rear end (not a 14bolt, but you get the point):



This one is a Full-Floating, 1 ton, 14 bolt. The bolts circled are what holds the axle in the housing...unlike the standard c-clips and other methods:



Here is a Full-Floating 14 bolt with the wheels off. Circled are where the axle bolts go:




When a semi floating axle breaks, there is then nothing holding your axle and wheel/tire assembly on, which can be dangerous. With a full floating axle, those bolts will hold the axle in no matter what...which is more appealing to "hardcore" vehicles.

Also, a full floating axle makes changing the axle shafts a breeze. simply take out the bolts and pull it out. with a semi floating axle, you have to take off the differential cover and "unhook" it from in there.

Let me know if you have any more questions on them...I've got several sitting right outside my door so taking pictures is no problem...
 

One more thing. There are different sized 14 bolts too. There are 9 1/2" ring gear'ed ones (which I think are all semi-floating, 6-lugs...but someone correct me if I'm wrong). Then there are the 10 1/2" ring gear'ed ones (which is pictured...which I think are all 8-lugs...but once again, someone correct me if I'm wrong). Then there's the ones with an 11 1/2" ring gear, but you'll probably never even see one!

Here's a good link on how to identify the more common Chevy (and some other) axle assemblies, including the 14 bolts.

http://coloradok5.com/axleguide.shtml
 
But how does a spool work? Is a Lincoln Locker simply just a welded rear end? Does the Full Floating rear end come in a 1pc.? I have alot of questions, hope you guys got some kind of answers.
 
Re: End of an Era

A spool simply replaces the spider gears (spider gears allow the tires to rotate at different speeds around corners).

A mini spool goes right into the carrier that the spider gears are currently in

A full spool, which is bigger, replaces the spider gears AND the carrier. Which is a better way to go, but a little more money. But I also don't know if they make a mini spool for the 14 bolt yet.

They just came out with the first 14 bolt spool several months ago.

A lincoln Locker is simply the process of welding the spider gears together so that they can not rotate...which keeps the tires going the same speed at all times. It's called a "lincoln" locker because the first ones were done with a Lincoln welder.
 
With the FF axle, the weight of the vehicle is supported by the housing, just like the front axle. The only job the shaft has is to propel the vehicle. In a SF axle the shaft not only has to move the vehicle, it has to support it too. Look at 88wrangles pics of the FF 14bolt--in the last one you can see that the shaft has been removed, but the lugs are still there....in a SF the shaft has a flange on the end that the wheel studs go into to, like your factory axle. Not all SF axles will let the wheel come off when a shaft breaks....unless the shaft breaks right at the wheel flange. C-clip SF axles are the ones that are most known for letting you get to see your rear tire go rolling past you.

The FF 14bolt is going to have the 10.5" ring, like stated earlier, and the SF 14bolt has a 9.5" ring gear. FF-8 lug SF-6 lug. The SF float is a decent axle. It is overlooked too much in my opinion. I think it would make a very good axle for tires in the 36-38" range, and it is a good match for a GM 1/2ton D44 front as the lug pattern is the same. GREAT for 36s-38s in a light Jeep. It's similar in specs to a SF D60.
With the 39" Boggers and built V8, you're into FF 14bolt range if you want trouble free wheeling.
 
Looks like a FF 14 bolt and a spool for me. Gearing should be about 4.88 or higher with those big tires right? How high in the gears should I go with bigger tires?
 

RE: It

Here is a picture of my 14 bolt FF
image-missing.png
 
RE: front spring installation

Gear ratio will depend on what size tire and what rpm range you want to run your engine at. Use this chart to help:
image-missing.png


And just so we're all on the same sheet of music, numerically higher gear ratios are often called 'lower gears'.
 
RE: Hard Top for 93

That helps ALOT. I now know that the 4.88's are to "HIGH". Now I'm lookin' @ 5.71's! THANK YOU. now i have another jeep topic to borde my wife with! SHE THANK'S YOU!
 
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