randys blog
New ICON Products: '21-'23 RAM TRX Billet UCAs with Delta Joint Pro & Rear 2.5 Hydraulic Bumpstop Kit
The RAM TRX is an amazing machine with highly capable suspension and drivetrain systems right from the factory, but ICON has identified a couple of areas where the vaunted TRX can benefit from improvement. ICON Billet Upper Control Arms provide on-vehicle adjustability to dial-in alignment for any lift or suspension modifications, along with the high-angle, serviceable, and rebuildable, patented Delta Joint Pro. And our Rear Hydraulic Bumpstop Kit helps smooth suspension bottoming under hard use. Together these components help TRX owners squeeze even more performance out of an already awesome truck! 21-23 RAM TRX BILLET UCA 218561DJ 21-23 RAM TRX BILLET UCA DJ PRO KIT KEY FEATURES: CNC machined 6061 billet aluminum construction with satin anodized finish Added degree of caster from stock uca Quick, precise, on-vehicle adjustment for both caster and camber Delta Joint PRO allows maximum articulation without binding Delta Joint PRO is 100% serviceable and rebuildable FK Rod Ends at chassis pivots for strength and precision driving characteristics Built in O-ring sealed dust cover cap TECH INFO: Fits RAM TRX only (does not fit other RAM models) SHOP NOW 21-23 RAM HYDRAULIC BUMPSTOP KIT 211020 21-23 RAM TRX REAR 2.5" BUMP STOP KIT 2.25" TRAVEL KEY FEATURES: 100% bolt-on 2.5 diameter bump stop design 2.5" impact-extruded body hard anodized Heavy duty 1.625" shaft replaceable noise-reducing striker pad IFP design 6061 billet aluminum components Velocity-sensitive technology exponentially increases bottom-out resistance Vehicle-specific bump stop tune provides smooth engagement and excellent ride quality TECH INFO: Fits RAM TRX only (does not fit other RAM models) Call us for more info: 1-800-347-1188
New ICON Products: IVD Leveling Kits for 2023 GMC Canyon & Chevy Colorado Pickups
The ICON 2" Lift Front Coilover Spacer Kits for 2023 Canyon & Colorado are designed to provide lift while ensuring that there is no ball joint over-extension or bind that can cause damage to ball joints. CNC machined 6061 billet aluminum construction and a black anodized finish mean this product can stand up to the test of time in the harshest on and off-road conditions. Backed by ICON’s limited lifetime warranty, the ICON Vehicle Dynamics 2" Lift Front Coilover Spacer Kit is the best leveling solution on the market for the 2023 Canyon or Colorado. IVD1216 23-24 GM CANYON/COLORADO 2" FRONT SPACER KIT IVD1215 23-24 CHEVROLET COLORADO 2" FRONT SPACER KIT KEY FEATURES: Increased ride height over stock (2” lift front) Increased ground clearance Vehicle specific design Designed to prevent ball joint over-extension or bind CNC machined 6061 aluminum components. Black anodized finish for excellent corrosion resistance TECH INFO 158 IVD1216 ONLY FITS "ULTRA WIDE STANCE" VEHICLES 160 IVD1215 WILL NOT FIT GMC CANYON. WILL NOT FIT CHEVROLET COLORADO TRAIL BOSS OR ZR2. CALL FOR MORE INFO: 1-800-347-1188
Introducing Zumbrota Performance Axles
A REVOLUTIONARY ADDITION TO THE PERFORMANCE AXLE CATEGORY Zumbrota’s ZPA axle line now offers aftermarket gear ratios, a variety of traction options, and nodular iron performance differential covers depending on application. Shop over 180 applications When your lifestyle includes the needs for stronger traction, higher speeds, and heavier towing capabilities, Zumbrota Performance Axles check the box. OE replacement is fine until bigger tires, higher horsepower, a boat or trailer require a higher caliber of strength to your drivetrain. This is where aftermarket ratios, limited slip differentials, lockers, and high-quality nodular iron differential covers are needed to fit the way you drive. When choosing the best products in performance upgrades, Yukon Gear & Axle products were chosen for the engineering quality and reputation to take on the heaviest in performance and reliability. Front Axle Assembly, Chrysler 9.25, '13 Ram 2500, 4.3 Ratio, Open RAA434-1969X3 Rear Axle Assembly, Dana 44, '07-'15 Jeep Wrangler (Except Rubicon), 5.13 Ratio, Duragrip RAA435-147X3-P Rear Axle Assembly, Dana 80, '08-'16 Ford F350, 4.88 Ratio, Duragrip RAA435-161X2-P ZPA Provides Remanufactured Solutions Designed for Vehicle Performance and Reliability. Shop Now Or Contact RANDYS to Order Today! (866) 403-4840
How It Works: The Pros and Cons of Spools & Mini Spools
Spools are all about getting full lockup on a budget… 100% lockup 100% of the time. There are two types of spools: full spools and mini spools. Each attains the same objective, ensuring both drive wheels on a given axle receive full torque and rotate at the same speed all the time. They create a solid axle. The Spool Compromise As with any drastic, all-in type of modification, there are compromises along the way. The spool is no different. Since the axles are locked there is no allowance for situations where the tires need to spin at a different speed… i.e. when the vehicle turns a corner. When this happens the tires chirp, sometimes aggressively, as they struggle to complete the turn. The rubber is the weak link. It’s what gives to allow the vehicle to maneuver. In doing so tires absorb a lot of abuse in the form of significant wear. One should also remember even when not pushed to the level of chirping, any imbalance in wheel speed is scrubbed off by the tires resulting in tire wear. Simply put, spools chew up tires. Another compromise is how the binding within the differential also produces undue stress on the axles themselves. In the long term, axles can bent out of shape because of the torsional stress they are subjected to on the street. Changing Driving Dynamics There is a cause-and-effect scenario going on here. In most cases, running a spool will compromise the turning radius of the vehicle. Further, a spooled driveline can be unforgiving driving on wet/snowy roads as it lacks the finesse to handle conditions that call for the management of different wheel speeds to ensure vehicle stability and control. You can roam the online forums and the street-worthiness of a spool-equipped vehicle is a long-raging debate. Due to their unwieldy nature, we recommend spools as an outstanding choice for dedicated off-road and drag racing vehicles only. Full Spool A full spool replaces the carrier, spider, and side gears. The unit consists of a snout and a ring flange. The axles are installed in the snout, which is splined to accept the axle shafts. The spool’s ring flange bolts onto the ring gear. So, the ring and pinion do their job, redirecting torque 90 degrees from the driveshaft to the wheels but the housing has lost its ability to differentiate wheel speeds between the wheels. Yukon and USA Standard Gear spools are made from high-quality 8620 steel and heat-treated for additional strength so your differential is ready for extreme action in the name of ultimate traction. Mini Spool A mini spool is less expensive than a full spool. Since it swaps in place of the spider gears and side gears installation is easier, faster, and cheaper than a full spool. Though Yukon and USA Standard Gear mini spools are constructed from heat-treated 8620 alloy steel they are not as stout as full spools because minis rely on the factory carrier for strength. Cost Versus Reward We see our spools as a safer option for those who are considering welding their gears together to get the same solid-axle traction. The big problem is that welding can be done poorly and fail. Either by weak welds or too much heat which compromises the grain structure of the steel causing the gears to become brittle at the weld point and eventually break. When welded diffs let go they can take other components out… which negates any cost savings of welding. In our eyes, spools are only for dedicated off-road and drag racing vehicles. If the vehicle will see the street we urge customers to consider stepping up to a locker or limited slip differential. Cost Versus Capability You can opt for a Spartan Locker, a helical positraction LSD, or a locker. While each of these products represents a step up in streetability, they also embody a rise in cost. A full spool runs around $320 to $375. A Spartan Locker checks in at $400 to $500, provides full lockup, and although it may click occasionally it is far more civilized than a spool. Our helical positraction limited slip differentials start at $600, seamlessly enhance traction on the street, but do not provide full lockup. Yukon’s Grizzly Locker, an automatic locker / mechanical locker, starts at about $780 and delivers 100% lockup and the ability to automatically unlock when needed. Of course, pricing is application-dependent, but for very little extra investment you can get a Spartan Locker or helical LSD. In many cases, you will save money in the long run by not shredding and buying new tires on the regular. If you run expensive big tires like 35-, 37-, or 40-inchers the savings could be substantial. Spools do what they’re intended to do and we build ours with quality materials and top-notch craftsmanship. But these products are narrowly focused on dedicated purpose-built vehicles that aren’t expected to be driven on the street or even make a 90-degree turn. Seriously consider your vehicle’s usage expectations and consider more than the initial cost. Look down the road, moving up to a more versatile, driver-friendly traction device can be the best call for your wallet and your nerves. Shop Spools
How It Works: Lunchbox Lockers
The Spartan Locker, USA Standard Gear’s lunchbox locker, provides game-changing traction at a low cost. A locker physically joins the drive axles together so they deliver an equal amount of torque to each tire, regardless of available traction. Lockers come in two flavors… selectable or mechanical. What are the Different Types of Lockers? A selectable locker is an on-demand unit that the driver activates electronically or pneumatically via a cockpit-mounted button. A mechanical locker is always active, providing traction 24/7. The Spartan Locker and Yukon Grizzly Locker are mechanical. The Yukon Zip Locker is an air locker or selectable locker that uses a pneumatic system for actuation. The Spartan Locker is flanked by a Yukon Grizzly Locker (left) and a Yukon Zip Locker (right). In mechanical lockers, also called automatic lockers, on-throttle driving conditions, where load is applied to the differential, induces locking. Off-throttle situations, where the diff is unloaded, leads to a partially unlocked unit. When the vehicle turns and the two wheels on the axle turn at different speeds, the unit makes a clicking sound as the square-cut side gears move over and past one another. This ratcheting sound can be loud and is why mechanical units may not be best suited for vehicles that spend a lot of time on the street… it all depends on how sensitive your ears are. What’s for Lunch? The lunchbox locker name is a loose reference to that handy mid-day meal carrier we all know and love. Just as you can put a different kind of meal in your lunchbox, the lunchbox locker allows different internals to be put in your differential… the internals being the lunch and the differential carrier being the box portion of the equation. Lunchbox lockers are not a singular component you swap in, but a collection of parts that converts an open differential carrier (and only an open differential carrier) into a mechanical locker. A typical Spartan Locker consists of a pair of drivers, two spacers, two side couplers, four alignment pins, four pre-load springs, a hardened cross-pin shaft, a roll pin, and installation wires. Depending on the differential carrier design, your Spartan Locker could have more or less components in the box. Pros and Cons of Lunchbox Lockers Great grip on a budget is the lunchbox locker’s calling card. Price is the biggest pro for the lunchbox locker. They cost less than half the price of an air locker, and remember this is before factoring in the cost of a pneumatic operating system. The lunchbox locker is about a third of the price of a large-frame mechanical locker / automatic locker. Going with a lunchbox locker also pays off when it comes to installation. Since the process is less labor intensive than a large-frame locker installing a lunchbox locker costs less. The savings can be even more substantial if you handle the install yourself. The Spartan Locker's patent-pending design replaces the spider gears in a standard carrier case, does not use the thrust washers, and has a revolutionary spring-and-pin design that makes installation quick, easy, and much cheaper that other types of lockers! Further, in some cases, the install does not require the removal of the differential. A disadvantage of this is the lunchbox locker relies on the factory carrier for strength. Large-frame lockers, like the Grizzly and Zip, replace the carrier as a single unit and their case is constructed from a much stronger alloy steel compared to the factory carrier. Being locked all the time, mechanical lockers can cause accelerated tire wear. As with many modifications, it’s a game of trade-offs. Installation Tips and Tricks If you’re able to remove the spider gears with the carrier still in the housing the installation can be done without removing the carrier from the diff. If it’s too tight in there, the diff will have to be removed. Spartan Lockers come with a highly detailed installation manual that includes tons of photos and step-by-step instructions. The manual addresses installation in a variety of differentials. Basically, the Spartan Locker’s drivers are assembled with the alignment pins and springs installed. The installation wires keep the assembled unit together until installation is finalized then they’re removed releasing the spring tension that’s needed to operate the unit properly. Spartan Locker Installation Quick Tips For Use in Open Differentials Only Remember to Re-Install Carrier Shims and Bearing Caps in the Same Place Punch Mark Bearing Caps to Indicate Which Side to Install Them On Be Sure Tires are Same Circumference to Ensure Proper Locker Engagement Are Lunchbox Lockers for You? Vehicle usage is the tipping point. Not just how much your rig will see the street where the boisterous operation of the lunchbox locker comes into play but off-road usage as well. Your expectations on the trail; and how much you’ll be demanding from the driveline come into play. If you’re staying on the trail with moderate hill climbing, scrambling over rocks, and the like, the lunchbox is a good call. If you plan to be more aggressive and looking to get into some extreme situations where a great deal of torque and load shocking are the norm, a large-frame locker may be the way to go. When it comes to the ratcheting and clunking sounds the unit makes, read up on the subject. Some users report the sound isn’t that intrusive, others say the noise fades with use. As we indicated before, the performance game is made of trade-offs… but the payoff is big. Spartan Locker Highlights Big on Traction, Low on Cost For Use in Open Differentials Only Patent Pending Design Replaces Spider Gears Low-Cost Shop Installation - Can be DIY Installed Reliable 100% Lockup Power Transfer Features Heat-Treated 9310 Steel Internals for Enhanced Durability Shop Spartan Lockers or contact us at 866-631-0196
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