to spool or not to......

[chaplinfj60]

been out a couple times with the buggy now that it has front and back spools and lets just say it is less than enjoyable.

its all good when i am actually on trails and need the all 4 wheels doing spool things. but god damn going from trail to trail or at night running up to the shower house or the next camp ground or driving 5 miles of high way to the trail head it is a bear.

i have heard it mentioned that grizzly holds up the best if a axle snaps. is there any thing else worth looking into. i was looking at oxlocker and going the cable route for a manual style of shifting.
from what i read any locker is about 700 . ox is a few hundred more. thoughts
super duty front and 14 bolt are the axle i will be using.

again in for good conversation.

 

[Bebop]

Air actuated OX would solve your problems.

 

[bad zuki]

Rear steer.

Ox cable lockers don’t like to be shifted on the fly like air ones. Personally I want the grizzy comp locker, but idk if they still sell them or not, you apply air to it to unlock.

 

[KarlVP]

Spool front, selectable rear.

I learned this after many years of pain. It's the only way to go.

FWIW I have the same axles you do in a TJ.

 

[chaplinfj60]

funny story dude. the rear steer may actually be cheaper....

 

[ANGRYBLACK]

if you have hubs just unlock the driver's side and get some exercise all day.

I have never heard of an Ox blowing up.

 

[chaplinfj60]

cheaper i mean if i have nothing built at all yet. just have housing i mean

 

[bgaidan]

Air actuated OX would solve your problems.

Or electric if you don't already have air.

Rear steer.

Ox cable lockers don’t like to be shifted on the fly like air ones. Personally I want the grizzy comp locker, but idk if they still sell them or not, you apply air to it to unlock.

Is there a difference in the later model air ox lockers vs. the original cable ones? I have a brand new 20 year old d44 ox sitting in the box in a project truck. Air and electric wasn't an option back when i bought it.

 

[xr-nut]

I hear arb air lockers work pretty good

 

[Bebop]

funny story dude. the rear steer may actually be cheaper....

If you do 40sp stuff so you don't have to worry about it, it won't be.

Or electric if you don't already have air.

They makes electric lockers for 14 bolts ?

 

[Bebop]

Is there a difference in the later model air ox lockers vs. the original cable ones? I have a brand new 20 year old d44 ox sitting in the box in a project truck.

There is. I think they changed the actual mechanism in the cover.
I wonder if the new stuff is able to be retrofitted?

 

[chaplinfj60]

funny story dude. the rear steer may actually be cheaper....

If you do 40sp stuff so you don't have to worry about it, it won't be.


you are correct.....

 

[bad zuki]

Is there a difference in the later model air ox lockers vs. the original cable ones? I have a brand new 20 year old d44 ox sitting in the box in a project truck. Air and electric wasn't an option back when i bought it.

IIRC there is some small changes on the shifters and the internals, but all of them swapped over into the older housing. Did a D35 like 8 years ago. It got different internals compared to the old ones.

funny story dude. the rear steer may actually be cheaper....

Press x to doubt. 40 spline rear is stupid money for proper shafts. I know a few people who kept breaking outers with 40sp rear steer stuff. There normally was alcohol involved.

They makes electric lockers for 14 bolts ?

ox makes electric shifted cables now.

 

[TanTJJim]

if you have hubs just unlock the driver's side and get some exercise all day.

This is probably your cheapest easiest option. (IMHO the best option too)

 

[Bebop]

I know a few people who kept breaking outers with 40sp rear steer stuff. There normally was alcohol involved.

These people are breaking RCV big bells?
(press X to doubt)

ox makes electric shifted cables now.

interresting

 

[PAE]

Isnt there a switch that can be installed in the carrier, or a block could be installed when it all goes together, splined for the axles that would be easier to reverse if need be than resetting another R&P°

 

[chaplinfj60]

Press x to doubt. 40 spline rear is stupid money for proper shafts. I know a few people who kept breaking outers with 40sp rear steer stuff. There normally was alcohol involved.

pipe dreams but one can dream for sure

 

[bad zuki]

These people are breaking RCV big bells?
(press X to doubt)

Nope, 2 of them where made before that was a thing. Also, IDK if you've wheeled with dylan and the Poverty DOT sami. MOFO is not afraid of that pedal. Broke branik Legacys the last time we were at GER.

2/3 times its going up a hill under full throttle and bouncing with the wheels turned to full lock.

pipe dreams but one can dream for sure

Do it. Don't let that bank account dictate how much fun you can have.

 

[bgaidan]

I hear arb air lockers work pretty good

I have 2x ARBs in both of my wheeling rigs and after helping a few friends with OX installs, I'd 100% go OX over ARB from now on. OX is all mechanical with just a cable/electric/air actuator. None of that fucking seal ring that fails with the ARBs and pressurizes your diff and blows out seals.

They makes electric lockers for 14 bolts ?

We were talking about OXs, that can be cable, air or electric. I assumed they made a 14 bolt one, but google isn't turning much up so maybe not.

ox makes electric shifted cables now.

I didn't realize they were electric-cable. I thought it was just an electric actuator on the cover the like the air one. I've only seen my original cable one and a few of my friends have the air actuators. The air eliminates the cable all together, which I believe was the biggest complaint/failure point of the OG OX - mostly due to cable stretching and not allowing it to fully lock. So I take back my previous statement - I'd go air.


Electric actuator:

New style air actuated:

And apparently they have a retrofit air kit for the OG cable ones. A little more bulky:

Other thing I like about OX is if you have a cable or actuator failure, they sell this "drive away kit" that you just thread in to the cover in place of your actuator and it effectively turns it into a spool

 

[Bebop]

Nope, 2 of them where made before that was a thing.

They are fairly old. Like 2014 or so.

Also, IDK if you've wheeled with dylan and the Poverty DOT sami. MOFO is not afraid of that pedal. Broke branik Legacys the last time we were at GER.

I don't know that person, but I wheel with 800+hp bouncers, they are pretty rough on shit as well and Big Bells simply don't break.

We were talking about OXs, that can be cable, air or electric. I assumed they made a 14 bolt one, but google isn't turning much up so maybe not.

That's why I was confused

I didn't realize they were electric-cable. I thought it was just an electric actuator on the cover the like the air one. I've only seen my original cable one and a few of my friends have the air actuators. The air eliminates the cable all together, which I believe was the biggest complaint/failure point of the OG OX - mostly due to cable stretching and not allowing it to fully lock. So I take back my previous statement - I'd go air.

Same understanding and conclusion here.

 

[chaplinfj60]

now thats awesome insta spool

 

[bgaidan]

Same understanding and conclusion here.

Clarifying - I'd go air OX over ARB simply because the air actuator for the ox is contained within or on the cover and super easy to repair/replace vs. the ARB that you have to completely tear apart the diff to reseal.


All I can find about the 14 bolt is a few references from '20 and '21 where they were testing a prototype. There are replies in the post from 2023 asking for updates so I'm guessing they scrapped the idea.

 

[Thumping]

if you have hubs just unlock the driver's side and get some exercise all day.

I have never heard of an Ox blowing up.

That's what I've done. I just unlocked the drivers side.

I assumed he was running slugs.

 

[bad zuki]

They are fairly old. Like 2014 or so.

Yep.

I don't know that person, but I wheel with 800+hp bouncers, they are pretty rough on shit as well and Big Bells simply don't break.

4 psi 43's with water, stroked ls, and talent off mod.

I assumed they made a 14 bolt one,

Same, I'm surprised they don't make one. Also, I hate the constant air compressor cut on/off when the seals aren't 80% new. But would rather have air than cable.

 

[DannyK]

My favorite combination was spool rear, and locker front with a TC that can do 2 low. Prior to that when I ran a spool front I would get out and unlock the driver side hub.

 

[Thumping]

My favorite combination was spool rear, and locker front with a TC that can do 2 low. Prior to that when I ran a spool front I would get out and unlock the driver side hub.

My last rig was a spool rear, Detroit front with a twin stick on the 205.

 

[75cruisin]

manual
electric
air

 

[Roc Doc]

I hated having a rear spool. ARB front worked flawlessly. These in Toyota 8" axles. With 115" of WB, and wheels with only 2.5" of BS, it didn't turn for shit, and the spool made it worse.

 

[Ghetto Fab.]

Going spool front and probably ARB for the rear on the next build. By far I use the front locker more than the rear when wheeling. I have also noticed the spooled front will pull the rig around when turning tighter than just a spooled rear and open front. With ram assist I've never had an issue steering and no real issues driving it between trails. I have driven it on the street, but with the front hubs unlocked. I'd like to try cutting brakes and so a selectable rear seems appropriate for that.

 

[KarlVP]

My favorite combination was spool rear, and locker front with a TC that can do 2 low. Prior to that when I ran a spool front I would get out and unlock the driver side hub.

False.

Spool/detroit/grizzly front with drive slugs

Selectable rear with cutting brakes

Atlas 4 speed

Profit.