9" locker
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: CT
9" locker
lincoln locked rears are good if the truck is off-road only, the welds WILL break when you really don't want them to on the street and the truck will be eating up tires like they were going out of style. It can be done on a 9" but why waste the time to weld the axle when you could install a $30 mini spool from summit and get the same amount of traction (still off-road use only) and have the safety of a part designed to lock the axles togeather. I wouldn't run anything but a selectable locker in a TTB D44, they have ALOT of moving parts that can bend and break very easily under use with a locker. just my 2c
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Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 2,759
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From: Auburn,Al
9" locker
a 9 inch is one of the harder axles to weld up...due to the amount of space inside the carrier. As for welds breaking.....its not a prob if you doit right and weld the spiders and side gears together, then the side gears to the carrier. In many ways its stronger than a mini spool because the mini spool puts all the stress on the center pin. The lincoln locker distributes it more evenly. The key to a lincoln locker is making sure you have the surface almost spotless, and you use a good rod like 7018. As for street use.....its really not that bad, especially with larger tires....you will notice a push in sharp corners along with a little tires chirp if you have radials. If you can afford a detroit.....i would do that, but if your looking for a good cheap locker, lincoln is the way to go
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
9" locker
I have a 78 f150 460/4x4 with a mini spooled 9" rear. I got the mini spool on e-bay, shipped to my door for $26. It's mainly an off-road truck, but I've driven it on the road several times. With 33x12.5s, there's a LOT of chirp on nice new asphalt.
As for tire wear, I think it's a myth. In theory, you really would wear tires faster, but in reality it's probably not that bad. Talk to someone who's actually had a spooled axle and drove it on the road for a few years and they'll tell you. It also depends on the tire.
I would go for the mini-spool (with the heavy duty pin) as it's reversible. Or, go to the boneyard and pick up a spare carrier and weld that. Then you could go back if you didn't like it.
Just my opinion.
Kevin K.
As for tire wear, I think it's a myth. In theory, you really would wear tires faster, but in reality it's probably not that bad. Talk to someone who's actually had a spooled axle and drove it on the road for a few years and they'll tell you. It also depends on the tire.
I would go for the mini-spool (with the heavy duty pin) as it's reversible. Or, go to the boneyard and pick up a spare carrier and weld that. Then you could go back if you didn't like it.
Just my opinion.
Kevin K.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 333
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From: Safford, Arizona
9" locker
Sounds like a mini-spool is the way to go. I have rebuilt everything at one time or another on my vehicles except for any axle work. Is this something easy to install? (And removable if I decide to drive on the road more often?) Also, all who may have experience driving on the road with a mini-spool, let me know your thoughts. I do drive on the road a little.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
9" locker
Tucker,
Check out my website for pix of the mini spool.
www.brayarch.com/~kevin/truck/jan2aug02.html
Also, there are a few Tech articles on this site that show how to install one and set up the diff once it's in.
As for road driving, I go to the gas station a few miles away and sometimes take normal roads to the trails. I haven't logged enough "regular road" miles to notice tread wear issues, but like I said, my tires screech REALLY loud when I make a u-turn in the gas station parking lot. It's kinda embarrassing.
Hope this helps.
Kevin K.
Check out my website for pix of the mini spool.
www.brayarch.com/~kevin/truck/jan2aug02.html
Also, there are a few Tech articles on this site that show how to install one and set up the diff once it's in.
As for road driving, I go to the gas station a few miles away and sometimes take normal roads to the trails. I haven't logged enough "regular road" miles to notice tread wear issues, but like I said, my tires screech REALLY loud when I make a u-turn in the gas station parking lot. It's kinda embarrassing.
Hope this helps.
Kevin K.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 2,759
Likes: 2
From: Auburn,Al
9" locker
i drove for about 6 months almost daily with a welded 60 rear, with my 39 boggers, you cant even hear a bark or a chirp arounf sharp corners.....you have to listen careful for the tires scrubbing on the ground, thats about it. Thats just cause the larger tires have a larger sidewall to soak up the shock. I did not really notice any signifigant change in tires wear. One thing that sucks about a welded/spooled rear is if you are driving off road on something you dont want to tear up, such as grass.....you cant really turn that much or the inside tire will tear up the surface. The only reason im not running my sterling welded is it has a ls in it.....that would be a bit harder to weld up right, so i figure ill just go detroit. just be careful running a mini-spool, they usually give before anything else such as the shafts
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 333
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From: Safford, Arizona
9" locker
Kevin,
I was looking for the Tech Articles for the mini-spool, but couldn't find any. Could you point me in the right direction?
I was looking for the Tech Articles for the mini-spool, but couldn't find any. Could you point me in the right direction?
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
9" locker
Originally posted by tucker_lucas
Kevin,
I was looking for the Tech Articles for the mini-spool, but couldn't find any. Could you point me in the right direction?
Kevin,
I was looking for the Tech Articles for the mini-spool, but couldn't find any. Could you point me in the right direction?
As for the mini-spool, once you have the carrier out, it's a snap. Just take the ring gear off so you can get at the screws that hold the carrier halves together. Take them out and split the carrier. Knock out the retainer pins that hold the spider gear pins in. Tap out the spider gear pins and the gears will fall out. Put the mini-spool in their place, put the lagre pin back in and the retainers. Reassemble the carrier and attach the ring gear and you're done.
If you look at the link I gave you for my website, you'll see the gears, spool, pins and retainers next to the carrier.
If I can help in any other way, let me know.
Kevin K.
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