Technical How to "make" a poor-man's posi......

Think Ford 8" rear. (peg-leg...one-tire-on-fire)
I have always "heard" you could put in extra shims(what is that & where!?) in the rear end and it will make it act like a spool...sorta.
A spool with a little bit of slip when driving around corners on the street!
I'm SURE some of you fellas have performed this before.
Care to share how ya did it and did it work OK for the street?
Tanx
6sally6

 

It doesn’t work! Wait and score a traction enhancer
, there are a couple available.





Bones

 

There was an article in a Hot Rod type of magazine from the 80's/90's that went over this in some detail. Basically the way I read it, you were over pre-loading the side play of the spiders causing binding or stiction which may have given some posi functionality. If I recall correctly, they only recommended it for a 4 spider case. I do agree with @Boneyard51 wait and get a posi carrier. After all, you'll be knee deep in the carrier to put washers in it, why not just wait and make a rebuild of sorts.

 

The theory is that by placing thicker or adding shims between the axle gears to carrier case makes it difficult for the spider gears to do their job because now they've become meshed too tight to work properly.

 

Oh hell...just weld them...definitely "traditional".

 

I’d heard about that for years when I was younger, but never could get my mind around it until I was shown how it was done.
As I recall, it was weld laid in between the teeth of the gears.

 

When I was young me and a friend (my now BIL ) welded the side gears up in a couple different cars. Sure was fun. As for a spool I know several guys have ran them for decades on the street. My youngest learned how to drive a 454 powered T/A with a spool all through high school .

 

we used to braze em, so when they broke loose we could braze em back together again. really not that great for street but we were on the circle track. i welded a set once, when it broke i found a limited slip and installed the whole rear as mine was trash. they do make mini spools.

 

We did tons of them for our cheap class of circle cars, back in the day. Just remove the rear cover, weld a couple of beads in the axle gears. Put the cover on fill with oil. Instant spool!




Bones

 

rather than welding the whole dang shabbang, have a look at "fozzy locker"

I've done this before, its a bit less permanent, but still damn strong

 

Welded spider gears worked great in my Chevelle about 30 years ago right until I spit them out the rear end cover driving the car on slicks all the time...

 

It’s a good way to run yourself off the road. Solid rears don’t like to turn corners.

 

My Dad had a 60 ford f-250 4 wheel drive stepside. I was going down a dirt road and the rearend locked up. Dana-60. I pulled the rear axles and drove it home in 4 wheel drive. Took the rear cover off and the bolt that keeps the pin in the carrier had come out and the pin came out some and jammed into the pinion gear. Messed up the hole in the carrier. So we washed it out stuck the pin in and welded the axle gears to the carrier and the pin into the carrier also. We put duct tape over the ring gear and pinion and used Hi-nickel rod and a stick welder. Was still in it years later. It had a 292 and 4.88 gears in both ends. That was a pulling bastard. Lippy

 

Yeah, just try pushing a car with a spool around a corner by hand.... better have some buddies with you...

 

Concrete was popular for a while in the states around Missouri. LOL

On a 9" rear you could use the block complete for the cross shaft out of a factory locker. They had a spring loaded ship that pressed against the axle gears. Work OK in a light vehicle. We used to call that a poor man's posi back when it was available over the counter for 11-14 dollars. They are pretty much unobtanium any more.

I personally would hold out for a decent locker. They are expensive for me any more, but they are affordable from Deroit for anyone with a moderate income.

 

This post confused me for a minute.. then it hit me... full floating axles, duh!

 

I purchased a new one for my Olds/Pontiac rear... that's a good way to become poor! Hahaha

 

We did the “ Fozzy” locker, but while in the carrier. We welded in two spots. Our thinking was it would have a little “ give” to it. But it also lets the spider gears “ impact” the axle gears! Not sure if that is good! We also just welded the shit out of the axle and spider gears til it was a molten mess!
We broke both methods, so we never really figured out which was best!






Bones

 

Remember these?


I have a set along with complete 57 Olds/Pont.

Sorry, NOT For Sale encase anyone wish's to ask.

 

A fellow on here would fill the carrier with lead, non destructive.

 

The circle track cars we raced used the GM rear end that had the back plate. When I did a 9 inch, I put either a spool, mini spool, or a traction enhancer in it. Didn’t do a MoPar or an old Chevy, but I would do them like a 9 inch!





Bones

 

We called it a "6011 Locker". Had one person ask if we were running a spool or mini spool in our Nova circle track street stock. My partner on the car told him it was a 6011 Locker. He asked where we got it and how much it cost. !

Lynn

 

What the heck was used for that?

 

that makes it a "Lincoln locker"

 

Poor man racing.

 

Pushing a sprint car by hand in the pits was okay as long as you were slightly turned left. If you turned the steering wheel to the right it would stop dead like the brakes were on. Had a guy that worked with me who was a competition weight lifter. One night he came with me to the races and couldn't get over how hard the car was to push.

 

I hae a Yukno unit in my t bucket, seems to work great, such a light car and big tires that it doesnt always unlock on right hand turns, but it makes me giggle, so I dont care

 

In all seriousness, that's probably the best way to do it...