yak

iTrader: (15)

Is it really that bad driving a spool on the street? how about 200 miles a week on the street is it doable or will I damage parts?

EPP

iTrader: (22)

I'e never had a problem. Bob

bhz28

iTrader: (35)

only thing you should damage is your tires lol

stevieturbo

I recently fitted a spool to mine, as it was all I could get quickly and cheaply to get me on the road.

At normal speeds etc, it seems to be fine.

But jeeez its a bastard when parking, or manoeuvring in tight spaces. eg petrol stations, small car parks, that type of thing.

Its doable, it just feels horrible.

If its just normal road miles, then above say 20+mph, it feels fine. Although I havent tried any "spirited" drivng around bends etc.


As soon as my new diff arrives, I will defo be fitting it though !!!

At the track ??? I dont think it made any difference compared to the Torsen diff I had been using ( Ford 8.8" )

60fts werent any better, and traction in general felt the same.

BlackCamaroSS02

iTrader: (8)

I agree to stevieturbo i have had a Spool for awhile now and used to drive my car daily. It was fine for cruising around highway/street use, but when it came to parking/maneuvering...well holy crap is all i can say lol. I like it though its not bad. Plus i bought a cheap beater as a daily driver so i dont care anymore lol. Got a good deal on it too, 94 Ford Escort Wagon LX with 64000 miles on it paid $1000/ I thought that wasn't to bad plus it runs good.

RooRnZ28

iTrader: (14)

can you guys elaborate on why it was so bad, like how did it feel? did it clunk or **** like that? i'm trying to decide on this whole 9" thing, so thanks!

MachoCamacho

I am VERY interested in this topic as well, same as post above, i'm deciding on the 9" thing.

Edit: and most the time when i drive the camaro i park in easy access or decently far away spots anyways to avoid dents, also have a beater so i wont be driving it a ton either.

2 fast 2000

iTrader: (4)

First off you do not want to daily drive a spool. The rain will probably be your worst enemy. You will get no traction in the rain with a spool. It sucks in tight turns. Sometimes the tires will cherp or hop in a tight turn. It also can feel like your drivetrain is falling apart in a slow tight turn. It will not only chew up the back tires, but also the front, because it pushes the front in turns. Also from what I've been told it's not that good for the axles either! The only advantage to a spool is the strenght ( peace in mind at the track ) and the price! Other than that there not the rock stars that everybody makes them out to be.

revtime

iTrader: (1)

Daily driving a spool would suck in my opinion. I have a spool in my Strange 12 bolt and it does sound like stuff is falling apart in slow sharp turns. Getting out of my driveway and neighborhood is a chore. Once out on the open road though its not bad at all.
My car is stictly a weekend warrior that will never be a daily driver. If you have lots of horsepower and are going to be beating on the car in a straight line and its a fairweather only car then a spool makes more sense.
Especially if you have issues with breaking posi units.

BigKap94z

iTrader: (47)

I really like my spool and I drive my car often. Its alittle clunky, but I run DR's on the back all the time and that softens the clunk alot! I have driven in the rain multiple times with DR's and spool and I get traction just fine, if cannot do anything but going WOT then perhaps your traction would be limited. I got just over 6k street miles and quite a few track passes on my MT DR's with the spool, and my front tires are wearing very nicely and evenly as well. Tight parking spots can be a bit of a pain but otherwise it works fine. As some others have posted it does cause the front end to "push into corners", however its not very bad and my car handles just fine. I would run a spool over a locker anyday because they are so much quieter and more comfortable to drive on. If you don't do alot of drag racing I see no reason to get a spool.

stevieturbo

Its just the axles winding up, tyres chirping etc.... it just doesnt feel nice !

MachoCamacho

How about amount of power robbed, does one setup drain more power than another? any experience with this? i know the 9" will rob a lot of power to begin with but is there noticable difference between the posi/spool/locker setups?

silverZ98

iTrader: (6)

iv drivein my spool on street for 2 years now. bad things, parking lots and slow tight turns suck, but with DR its better, and it does eat up rear tires. my front tires are fine,
pros you wont break it.

all so in rain i have had no problems drive like a reguler car.

revtime

iTrader: (1)

I don't see tire wear on the front being an issue. Spool is a drag racing only type of mod so most with a spool take turns slowly and with caution.
I definately could live with getting 6k out of a set of DRs. I was thinking I might get 3k out of em.
As long as you are very cautious then driving in the rain could be done just be careful, it only takes a split second of forgetting that spool is back there and a blip of the throttle to ruin your day.

2 fast 2000

iTrader: (4)

People I have a spool also, but this guy is wanting to know about daily driving a spool. He's not talking about typical weekend cruise arounds with some track passes. He's talking about dealing with it everyday on unlimited amount of miles (I think he said 200 miles a week). I don't think he will be happy at all IMO.

BigKap94z

iTrader: (47)

Although my T/A isn't my only car it is driven daily, I enjoy the spool FWIW. I didn't enjoy it quite as much running on Hard compound Z rated tires but with DR's its fine. I will say that on my spooled G body it was smoother, I am thinking it may have something to do with the torque arm suspension.... I will be honest about it, a couple of my friends who aren't as hardcore as me dislike the spool and funny noises while riding in it, so I suppose its not for the less hardcore people that want it to be as smooth as the OEM 10 bolt rear/torsen. A spool is far from refined and that should be understood first.

silverZ98

iTrader: (6)

ok then how about this, i daily drive my car, have had my ford 9in in wiht spool in car for 3 eyars, daily driveing it. iv put at least 40,xxx miles on my car with a spool. car has 172,xxx on it now.

it rain with reg tires its fine, it dont wear out my front tires but does wear out the rears faster. only time you even know its in the car is parking lots and tight turns going slow.

and all so not worring about braking the rear is awsome. i went threw 4 10bolts in 6moths and broke them all on the street never took it ot track, and was running street tires when they broke.

so with the extra nosees you get with the spool and knowing you dont have worrie about it. helps, and gives ya a reason to put up with it

RooRnZ28

iTrader: (14)

is it gonna burn up the power steering pump?

EPP

iTrader: (22)

I agree, good write-up! Bob

EPP

iTrader: (22)

No reason for it to. Bob