Setup Suregrip tight like a spool?

[TheLetterJ]

I'm currently in the middle of rebuilding a spare 742 case 8 3/4 for drag strip use. I was torn between going with a spool or rebuilding the already installed (and well used) Suregrip and was looking for some opinions of those that have been there, done that, with what I'm currently considering. I have a new clutch pack from Dr. Diff, as well as a stack of new/used discs/plates at my disposal. Instead of using the specified thinner flat plates on each side, would using thick plates (making all plates the same thickess) in their place lock up the diff somewhat like a spool?

It would seem to me that so long as the case halves fully seat with each other, and it looks like they will, this should work? Driveability traits of a spool aside, any reason NOT to do this? I'd just hate to get it all back together rebuilt as stock just to find that I can still break a single tire loose on an unprep'd surface.

 

[john-9]

why would you want to ruin a perfectly good sure grip ,, rebuild the sure grip properly set it aside for future street use ,,, and just buy a spool ,, you have to change out your wheel bearings to the green style as there is no way to set your axle bearing preload with a spool and be done with it.

 

[Big.J.007]

Get the Yukon aggressive clutches setup and stack like the dana 60 clutch set per the FSM. That gives you the maximum amount of preload.

 

[Scody21]

Yeah, a spool is like 150 bucks

 

[TheLetterJ]

Get the Yukon aggressive clutches setup and stack like the dana 60 clutch set per the FSM. That gives you the maximum amount of preload.

Setting up the clutches like a Dana 60 (no thin plates) is exactly what I'm proposing. Do you have any firsthand experience running an 8 3/4 that way? Any issues in doing so?

why would you want to ruin a perfectly good sure grip ,, rebuild the sure grip properly set it aside for future street use ,,, and just buy a spool ,, you have to change out your wheel bearings to the green style as there is no way to set your axle bearing preload with a spool and be done with it.

I don't see how setting it up tight would "ruin" it? This unit is most definitely NOT "perfectly good" as all the clutches are fried. If anything, it's bringing new life to a part that would have otherwise lived in a bucket in the shed for eternity... or until my kids throw it out when I'm dead.

I'm aware of the need to change to green bearings when running a spool, which is just another reason that I did not just go straight to a spool. The entire axle assembly was rebuilt ~1k miles ago (with a different 3rd member that has a factory spec clutch setup in the Suregrip) and on rare occasions it will still momentarily break 1 loose. That one is fine for street duty, but with 4.56 gears in this 3rd member, I'm not concerned with its street manners. I'm just looking for tighter than the factory setup, it doesn't *have to* function 100% as a spool, but it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it did. If you know of a reason that running all thick clutch plates would cause harm to the case, I'm all ears.

 

[Big.J.007]

Yes, both my current ones and several others I've built have been that way. 0 issues just faster lockup.


Here's the link showing the clutches I used.

[SOLD] - Dodge Chrysler Plymouth Mopar 8.75 8 3/4 Sure Grip Carrier

Setting up the clutches like a Dana 60 (no thin plates) is exactly what I'm proposing. Do you have any firsthand experience running an 8 3/4 that way? Any issues in doing so?


I don't see how setting it up tight would "ruin" it? This unit is most definitely NOT "perfectly good" as all the clutches are fried. If anything, it's bringing new life to a part that would have otherwise lived in a bucket in the shed for eternity... or until my kids throw it out when I'm dead.

I'm aware of the need to change to green bearings when running a spool, which is just another reason that I did not just go straight to a spool. The entire axle assembly was rebuilt ~1k miles ago (with a different 3rd member that has a factory spec clutch setup in the Suregrip) and on rare occasions it will still momentarily break 1 loose. That one is fine for street duty, but with 4.56 gears in this 3rd member, I'm not concerned with its street manners. I'm just looking for tighter than the factory setup, it doesn't *have to* function 100% as a spool, but it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it did. If you know of a reason that running all thick clutch plates would cause harm to the case, I'm all ears.