The Cal-look Lounge

hi guys,
can you teel me how the car reacts when a spool is installed?
is it really that dangerous? when raining? cornering? is it actually possible to corner with a spool?

thanks, Peter

First, I've never had a spool or, for that matter, driven a car with one.  I DO have a spool story to tell though.  It involves Allen Wiess and his 67 sedan...  One Sunday, the two of us left my place in our cars headed for Nick's.  I was leading...went around a right hander onto an up hill freeway on ramp...good place to get the back end of the car out, right?  Allen sees me do this and trys it too...except he's got "The Spool"...I look in the rearview and I can see the whole left side of the car plus two WIDE-OPEN eye balls  ;D!  A spool will serve you well at the track...thats about it though

It can be done, but don't use one until you really need one.
Some rules:
Don't ever drive it on wet asphalt. I tried to go in a roundabout in rain but when I got about halfway through then I was at the outer perimeter! I had to stop, put the reverse in and take one more try. This worked as it was almost no traffic, but if you are in rush hour it isn't possible.
If you are putting the pedal to the metal, be sure that:
1: You are heading straight before.
2: Your steering wheel is straight.
3: Both wheels have full traction. If it is something slippery like a sewer lid in steel your car will turn.

But if it is dry weather and you take it easy around corners it isn't that big difference to a super diff.

It is easier to drive and the spool last longer if you avoid radial tires and go for soft wall slicks type of tires.......................parking a car with a spool is fun...to watch ;D

i'm trying to understand what a spool is here and what it does...

plus after all these bad things what is the freaking sense of getting a spool  ???

A spool completely locks both axles from the gearbox so they both turn in unison. On a normal gearbox, they have a differential, so when you go round corners, one wheel turns more than another.

By fitting a spool instead of a diff, you eliminate the independent rotation of the axles, so when you go round corners on a street car with a spool, the back end will squeal as the tyres try and turn independently as they do with a diff, and the back end will slide out. 

Spools are ideal for drag racing as they supply the power to the wheels equally and can withstand a lot of power, by giving optimum traction.

Nice clear explanation!  ;)

Cheers pal

Queue legendary video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvkICSHrk74

 8)

That's a limited slip, not a spool though... Don't mean it ain't cool though...

Spools are for cars without wipers! Not the street...  :)

Driving with spools is street legal in Sweden, but driving without wipers is illegal!  :)

best ever vw vid! i loved it the first time i saw it on CL.com

nevertheless, what is so typical of that limited slip diff? does it give more control over the car?

I've always loved that vid and I would agree "Best vw video ever" My 70's looker project is gonna have a LSD for sure and I'm toying with the idea of a Berg 5 speed - any thoughts   ???

that was the late mark herbert testing the quaiffe LSD.

Lee get an LSD from the USA, theya re about half the price compared to the UK.  A full blown box with LSD fitted is about $2500.  Well worth the cash.  A berg 5 speed is really expensive, especially in £'s.  I would love one, but.......

I thought that was Mark - I was thinking about buying the Box from the US - know of any good builders  ??? Also I am pretty sure I wanna go for the Berg 5 speed though - I just like the idea of having 5 gears with out all the hassle of a porsche conversion.

I'm gonna make a vidoe just like that when I grow up  :) if I ever do that is  :P

Big $$$ but worth it if you want an all around car... i.e. driveable on the motorway/autoroute/autobahn/freeway and still turn low e.t.

I want to put one in my car but it will not be part of the original build. I would most likely have Jim Kaforski do the 5 speed as he's done a lot of them.

One "problem" with the LSD is that they are heavy.
My dream is to one day build a light weight billet, tool aluminium or titanium LSD that is durable.

any contact details fore jim Kaforski ???

Not handy... l can get it though.

 8) cheers dude  :)

my box was built by gary peloquin, and i understand it was the last box he is ever going to build for a customer.  Big up to stateside tuning for sorting that out for me. :)

I have a Jim Kaforski 5 speed in my cupboard. :)

Jim is a very fussy builder. I really don't think you will find anyone better.
Sometimes you have to wait. He does things at his own pace and has no e-mail so the phone is his weapon of choice. 
He uses it like a fine artist. ;D

I have a Jim Kaforski 5 speed in my cupboard. :)
I also have an engine built by him. He said this was the first for a customer and the last. Its a work of art.

Jim is a very fussy builder. I really don't think you will find anyone better.
Sometimes you have to wait. He does things at his own pace and has no e-mail so the phone is his weapon of choice.  
He uses it like a fine artist. ;D
I think this is his current number 001 714 777 3806

I see that flatfire beat me to it!

Thanks!

 ;D

Cant really see the big fuzz about spools, no problem using it on the street. I have driven my car everywhere, even in the wet and with 3,5´ frontrunners ok it gets exciting.
Also ,nothing but a spool will cope with lots of hp in the long run, no diff ever, especially no frigg´n superdiff.

I would strongly suggest NOT to use a Berg 5 as a "strip box" why ? eaaeeh I have sent one into orbit, the mainshaft are welded to be longer, and NOT a new one piece.
as with the pinion....

.Wonderful in all other aspects as a street/strip box.

Thanks for Jim's phone number Flatfire - I'll try giving him a call next week sometime  :)

Also in my opinion I can't imagine a spool is very good for your rear tires if used on the street, and in the wet I imagine it ridiculas  :o

Thanks for the advice on the Berg 5 speed, The car will mainly be a street car only seeing strip action a few times a year and hopefully about 150+ bhp at the rear wheels - Also I just love the idea of being able to light up both rears at the lights and then burn off a do some doughnuts  ;D ;D ;D, ;D ;D ;D, ;D ;D ;D