Joined
·
707 Posts
Will it do anything for mileage. I never use 4x4 in warmer weather and wouldn't mind picking up a couple mpg if it works. Figure it would be like getting a manual hub kit, but free. Anyone ever try?
Disconnecting front driveshaft for better MPG?
-
March's Cummins of the Month challenge is now open for entries!
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
Joined
·
879 Posts
It won't hurt, atleast you won't be turning the front shaft and half the case...
You might look into a manual locking hub conversion kit. There are several available for the jeep Dana 30 and 44 models. Surely someone makes one for the Dodge.
If you don't do this, you will still be rotating the inner axle workings (axles, R&P) creating drag.
If you don't do this, you will still be rotating the inner axle workings (axles, R&P) creating drag.
Joined
·
879 Posts
Haven't seen much of a MPG improvement with the manual hubs, but I've run them for a less than a tank.
The main point of the manual hub kit is to get away from the sealed (failure prone) unit bearing assemblies and reduce wear and tear on the front drive line which doesn't get a lot of use in my situation, a small amount of MPG might be there as well but I wasn't planning on much.
The main point of the manual hub kit is to get away from the sealed (failure prone) unit bearing assemblies and reduce wear and tear on the front drive line which doesn't get a lot of use in my situation, a small amount of MPG might be there as well but I wasn't planning on much.
Joined
·
9,082 Posts
when you installed the Locking Hubs on your truck did you go ahead and pull the U-joint and replace it with a greaseble one?
Joined
·
707 Posts
Yeah, no way I'm going for the manual hubs at that price. Plus they stick out too far for my liking. I was only considering removing the front shaft cause it's free and I don't need it in the summer. I guess I'll give it a try and post up some results.
Joined
·
1,266 Posts
How much work is it to remove the front shaft? Does it slide out of the transfer case like a normal one? If so won't fluid leak out?
Joined
·
879 Posts
They have flanges at both ends
Joined
·
879 Posts
You should feel and see a improvement, your talking massive driveline weight not being dragged around.
The main reason is so you can use a wider or taller tire that the unit bearing design can't work with without failing...
I am surprised dodge went back to this with nothing but problems with the unti bearing design in the early 70's... history repeating itself from stupid blunders again.
Joined
·
4,944 Posts
But they make more money off the replacements!:CRY::$:
Joined
·
879 Posts
Oh i am sure they do....
I would love to sit down with the mental patient that brought back the unit hub.
Then smack him with it, if they added 2.5" more, that might have been compact and just enough to have some reliability
Joined
·
1,058 Posts
Unit hubs are great in my opinion. I dont know much about the ones on Dodge trucks but on the Wranglers they hold up very well and most last well over 100k
it makes working on the front end easy. I can say that I ran 39.5" tires on them and a mustang 5.0 engine and ran the hardest trails I was able to find. I ended up breaking an axle shaft in three pieces along with the u joint detroit locker and the ball joints and knuckle but the unit bearing was fine. On the Warn hub conversion kits they say 32" tires is pushing their 5 on 4.5 lug pattern hub conversion kit. On my Dana 60's in my new Jeep project I run drive slugs because the 35 spline warn premium hubs won't hold up to the abuse I plan to put this Jeep through. No one runs hubs anymore on off road trucks they put the slugs in place of them. I am a big fan of unit bearings and the Dodge ones are much larger than the Jeep ones just a pain to remove. Snap on sells a nice tool that we have for removing them on the Dodge trucks. we did one a few weeks ago and it made the job so much easier. I would think the torque of the Diesel engines would break manual hubs with ease if you were using the truck for more than just street use. If you plan to abuse the truck the manual hubs will be a driveline fuse
it makes working on the front end easy. I can say that I ran 39.5" tires on them and a mustang 5.0 engine and ran the hardest trails I was able to find. I ended up breaking an axle shaft in three pieces along with the u joint detroit locker and the ball joints and knuckle but the unit bearing was fine. On the Warn hub conversion kits they say 32" tires is pushing their 5 on 4.5 lug pattern hub conversion kit. On my Dana 60's in my new Jeep project I run drive slugs because the 35 spline warn premium hubs won't hold up to the abuse I plan to put this Jeep through. No one runs hubs anymore on off road trucks they put the slugs in place of them. I am a big fan of unit bearings and the Dodge ones are much larger than the Jeep ones just a pain to remove. Snap on sells a nice tool that we have for removing them on the Dodge trucks. we did one a few weeks ago and it made the job so much easier. I would think the torque of the Diesel engines would break manual hubs with ease if you were using the truck for more than just street use. If you plan to abuse the truck the manual hubs will be a driveline fuse
Joined
·
127 Posts
So you are saying I can pull the front drive shaft and absolutely no fluid will leak. The extra mileage would be worth the effort on my upcoming 3500 mile trip pulling my 5er. :$::$::$:
Joined
·
3,393 Posts
I am not sure what the removal of your shaft will do, once the fluid warms up, the shaft won't turn anymore...There is nothing that drives mine unless I pull it into 4x4. The transfer has a disconnect, and the front axle disconnects on the right side at the axle...So there is no load on the shaft, unless the fluid is real cold and causing a coupling. Someone tell me if I am wrong.
Joined
·
3,393 Posts
Dang it...I see I am sounding off in a 6.7 forum...Do the new ones have a constant load? Sorry...
Joined
·
879 Posts
In the 70's they were nothing but a headace, the thing to do then was find a dodge with the real hubs or find a gm and swap from the knuckle out....
The new trucks same problem, add a wider tire or taller tire and you run the same bs with the unit hubs..
I have 2 customers racing eachother to see who is going to go thru 2k worth of unit hubs 1st, and then i can smack them for wasting it and not buying the 1800 kit.
1 has 39's, and the other has 36's, they both need to be smacked
Thought about it but no. Since they won't be turning anymore or seeing a lot of dirt / water / etc I decided to leave the stockers in there - I did dab a bit more grease in there when I had them out while putting the new short shafts on.
1 - 20 of 28 Posts
