mini spool vs full spull vs lunchbox vs detroit locker

ok, so i found this Dana 44 yesterday, and i'm starting to plan how i want to set it up. but i wanted some general input (preferably from people that have experience) on a couple different traction devices.

now i know that spools will be harder on the tires, but i'm looking for pro's and con's other than that.

i'm looking at:

mini spool
full spool
lunchbox locker
full carrier detroit locker


so out of that selection, what would you recommend.

is there really any serious reason to go with a full spool instead of just a mini spool???

Any more info? Is the rig a DD?
Is cost a concern?

Full spool replaces stock carrier and is stronger than a mini spool.

I will be installing a full spool in my front 44 build. Lockout hubs, and there will be no extra tire wear or ill road effects.

I suppose you are talking about a rear application since you are concerned with tire wear. In a rear application I would use a locker or selectable lockerfor my dd. Spool would be for trail use only/ or one that sees less road time than a DD.

scorpio_vette said:

ok, so i found this Dana 44 yesterday, and i'm starting to plan how i want to set it up. but i wanted some general input (preferably from people that have experience) on a couple different traction devices.

now i know that spools will be harder on the tires, but i'm looking for pro's and con's other than that.

i'm looking at:

mini spool
full spool
lunchbox locker
full carrier detroit locker


so out of that selection, what would you recommend.

is there really any serious reason to go with a full spool instead of just a mini spool???

Click to expand...

Full vs Mini? More strength & less weight at a similar (low) cost would be the reason I chose a full spool for my 44. (that and I needed a high# open carrier for the regear project)

Had I already done the gearing (thus had a 3.92+ carrier/gears all set up and installed) I would have considered a mini-spool or a lunchbox locker.

Consider a full alloy spool is $200 approx. Then consider a new open carrier + mini is a bit less, and new open + Aussie or eqiv is a bit over $300.

This time around (different jeep and different 44 axle) I bought a new open carrier & 4.56:1 and will put a Aussie (lunchbox) in. I am not going with tires much bigger than 31" on this one... I'll run my 30" MTs until they are spent... and more importantly, this Jeep will see 85% street use, and a lunchbox locker will be better suited for that (IMO.)

Haleyes said:

Any more info? Is the rig a DD?
Is cost a concern?

Click to expand...

it's trail rig that i drive daily (don't have money for another daily driver)

i'm trying to keep cost down. that's why i only listed detroit locker. that's about as much i would go. so that would be $450ish or less.

i would like to keep the cost down as much as possible and use it for other upgrades.

Many factors, indeed.:lecture:

There's no comparison in strength between the full -vs- mini, or the lunchbox -vs- Detroit.
In their respective categories, the unit that uses a stock carrier will lose most every time. :explosion
Order of durabilty, from highest to lowest:
1.Full spool
2.Detroit
3.Mini spool
4.Lunchbox locker

On the trail, when under torque, they will all behave equally, but the lockers will be more forgiving when going downhill or in any non-powered circumstance in which you'd want more control of your rearend.:sad1:
Order of trailability from highest to lowest:
1.Detroit
2.Lunchbox
3.Tie between full and mini spools.

Spooled is fun for awhile, on the street, but the coolness factor of the scrubbing tires wears off quickly.:confused1
And even the lunchbox is smoother than the Detroit.
Order of streetability from highest to lowest:
1.Lunchbox
2.Detroit
3.Tie between full and mini spools.

Order of price from lowest to highest:
1.Mini spool + carrier
2.Full spool
3.Lunchbox and carrier
4.Detroit

Order of opinion:
Get the Detroit.:thumbup:

I'd get an Aussie locker. Detroits sometimes break from shockloads when you break an axle, lunchbox lockers don't really have this problem. Sure the Detroit is stronger than the stock carrier, but I don't see that as a weak point (anyone seen a D44 carrier blow? pics? details?).

No pics, but I've replaced two of them in the shop, both with open carriers.
However, I've also replaced three Detroits.

I am have a spooled D44 up front and a welded 8.8 in the back(bad idea) The spool in the front doesn't really bother me too much but I also have hydro assist. I too am trying to keep costs down until I can regear and pick a locker. I already blew up a detroit without breaking an axle actually it was on a slight dirt road hill (proabably messed it up before) so my options are slim. Back to the point. I have said a few times I would rather have a locker in the rear vs. spool/lincoln locker. But it doesn't bug me much. It's not a DD but I enjoy driving it to the store for kicks. BTW it has pretty much destroyed my tires.

ok i have to ask. i know that locked will have excessive wear on the tires obviously. but people keep saying ".....pretty much destroyed my tires"

define destroyed???

i got almost 40,000miles out of my goodyear MT/R. currently i have kumho venture MT/R and am pushing about 10,000 with probably another 20-30,000 to go. so when you say "destroyed" tires, can you give me a figure like less than 5,000, no more than 15,000 or what???

reason i'm asking is, that when i had my camero and corvette, and even with my jeep, we'd do burnouts quite often and i would still pull 30-40,000 miles out of my tires. i can't see a locker using more rubber than a burnout.

am i missing something, or are people just exaggerating???

I'd say it will cut your tire life by 1/3.
So, you might get 35,000 out of a normally 50,000 mile set of tires.
Rotate in a matching spare and you'll get more time.

OT said:

I'd say it will cut your tire life by 1/3.
So, you might get 35,000 out of a normally 50,000 mile set of tires.
Rotate in a matching spare and you'll get more time.

Click to expand...

That's not as bad as I had thought. I'm still planning on a full spool for my D44 when I regear. I don't have the coin for a selectable, a Detroit isn't recommended with a manual transmission (lots of snow driving for me), and I want a full-case locker.

wow.....you guys are complaining about having to change tires every 35,000??? i thought most agressive tires didn't get that long of a life anyways (compared to allterrain and street tires). i had guys tell me i wouldn't get more than 15,000 out of my goodyears with the way i drove and i got almost 40,000. that's more than i expected. i don't see 35,000 miles being "destroyed".

I didn't say aggressive.
I only said a 50,000 mile set.

Specifically, a set of 5 Boggers might last 15,000.
A set of BFG muds might last 25,000.

Just make sure they're aired up on the high side.

Ok not destroyed. But I have a set of 38" TSL's and they have less than 5K on them and about 50% worn. I would say a lot went has gone away in Moab. That's getting to the trail running it and putting it on a trailer to come home. But like I said I do like taking it to the store. Spools are just rough on tire wear. My 36" TSLs seemed to last better. Different rubber? More road less trail? Not sure.

ok.

well the spools are pretty cheap at $50ish, so i could put one in until i save up the money for the Detroit. that would be a possibility i guess. and it'll give me some time to see how hard they do wear the tires. LOL