jjacob7534
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question, has anyone ever driven there 4 wheel drive in 4 wheel high with front hubs locked and rear driveshaft disconnected. just wandering if this could be done? for short dist. that way you could tow with with driveshaft off and create less chance of a problem. jerry
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ticat900
canada
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jjacob7534 wrote:question, has anyone ever driven there 4 wheel drive in 4 wheel high with front hubs locked and rear driveshaft disconnected. just wandering if this could be done? for short dist. that way you could tow with with driveshaft off and create less chance of a problem. jerry
short answer yes U can.although Most all 4X4 nowadays do not have hubs.
My 97 blazer did not have TC neutral setting so I used to drop the rear shaft and had a spare yoke I stuck in there so no oil out or dirt in.
I never moved it very far though.Just enough to Install vehicle and then remove to park it.The big thing is dont go far or fast or u will lose all the TC oil unless u put a plastic stub in the end that will not come loose
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jlrobison2
oklahoma
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YES : Good way to get around when you wish to go some place in your Toad . Best to remove the rear drive shaft completly .
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jjacob7534
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thanks for the reply. i have an 87 suzuki samurai. i know you can tow them 4 down or on dolly with transfer case in neutral and transmission in 2nd,. but there have been cases where the transfer case has jummed in gear while traveling and than your motor is toast. disconecting driveshaft is the best way to go but if you have to reconnect every time it would be a pain. if im going to be in one place for a few days that would be diff.it seams to me it would be good to go with it off. jj
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FIRE UP
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jjacob7534,
Sir, we've been towing jeeps for over 20+ years and have NEVER HAD A TRANFER CASE "JUMP" INTO GEAR!!!!!!!!!! For the most part, that's almost flat out impossible. Leverage has to be placed on the gear selector to force into gear and, even if there was some sort of force applying pressure on the transfer case shifter, those gears are spinning and for it to actually "mesh" completely, and end up IN gear, I'd bet on winning the lotto before I'd bet on that happening.
I've got no less than 60-70K miles of towing and not one issue.
NOTHING is impossible but, a transmission or, transfer case "jumping" into gear is about as close to it as you can get. Now, to get to your original question. Sure you can remove the rear drive shaft and drive the car/jeep/Samurai etc on the front drive shaft alone. I've done a few times. The problem, even though the Jeep or Sam or what ever you've done it to now becomes the same as a zillion other factory made cars called "front wheel drive" it's by far not the same. The drive train on a "front wheel drive" car is designed to accept all the power from what ever power plant that's installed.
The steering geometry, torque and effects, are all built into the handling of that power. The vehicles You/I mention here are not. Yes, they will work, but, there will be adverse handling effects. They are designed to AUGMENT traction in the event it's needed because the rear traction is not doing a complete job.
Now, is it dangerous to do what you're going to attempt, well, that's a matter of opinion. You see, by only utilizing the front wheels/steering etc to handle all the power when it's not designed to accept it, could (And I've felt this multiple times) cause "torque steer". That is, some acceleration will cause the vehicle to veer to the right or left depending on certain circumstances, especially on pavement.
I'm certainly not trying to scare you here, just letting you know that you could experience different driving characteristics and, handling issues. One more point, it also depends on if the vehicle is lifted or not. And, If you did it, I would not do it for long. The only reason I ever did it was do analyze a vibration problem with rear drive shafts. But, in driving only on the front shaft, that created it's own set of problems. So, it's up to you.
I've got many friends that have towed Suzuki Sams all over the U.S. and, drive shafts in tact, Neutral on the T/C and 2nd in the trans. Not one of them EVER had one JUMP into gear.
Scott
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JnJnKatiebug
NW Arkansas River Valley
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Before I bought my Jeep I towed a 2004 Tacoma 4x4 which required a driveshaft disconnect. It worked fine as long as I kept it cleaned and lubed. If I towed thru a lot of rain it was a pain to re-engage. A lot of the time I just put it in 4 wheel drive and left the driveshaft disconnected. Never had a problem but as earlier poster said it did handle a lot different. I don't think you would have a problem as long as you were making short local trips to eat or get supplies. Probably not a good idea for longer trips at hwy speeds.
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Hudsoner
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While we are on the subject of drive shaft disconnecting, somebody here may be able to answer my question. I have a Grand Cherokee that is modified for off-road driving. According to the Chrysler information, this vehicle needs to be towed all4 down. I only want to tow the car to off-road events, and it does make little sense to install a base plate etc. just for this. My "normal" vehicle is a VW Passat that can only be towed on a doily.Now my question, if I would disconnect the rear drive shaft of the Jeep, would dolly towing be possible for it?
I have enough tools with me during off-roading that I would be able to re-connect the drive shaft once I am at location.
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JnJnKatiebug
NW Arkansas River Valley
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Hudsoner wrote:While we are on the subject of drive shaft disconnecting, somebody here may be able to answer my question. I have a Grand Cherokee that is modified for off-road driving. According to the Chrysler information, this vehicle needs to be towed all4 down. I only want to tow the car to off-road events, and it does make little sense to install a base plate etc. just for this. My "normal" vehicle is a VW Passat that can only be towed on a doily.Now my question, if I would disconnect the rear drive shaft of the Jeep, would dolly towing be possible for it?
I have enough tools with me during off-roading that I would be able to re-connect the drive shaft once I am at location.
Yes that would work with no problems.
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wallynm
Los Alamos NM
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We junked the u-joints under power at about 60 MPH one time. We disconnect the rear drive shaft and drove on as a front wheel drive for several weeks several years ago until we got the drive shaft repaired.
jjacob7534 wrote:question, has anyone ever driven there 4 wheel drive in 4 wheel high with front hubs locked and rear driveshaft disconnected. just wandering if this could be done? for short dist. that way you could tow with with driveshaft off and create less chance of a problem. jerry
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mowermech
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Shortly after we got to Viet Nam in 1966, we broke a rear axle in our M151. There were no parts "in country" at the time, so I removed the rear driveshaft and we ran around as a front wheel drive vehicle.
It worked.
Several years later, I built a Club Cab, short box, 3/4 ton Dodge out of two trucks. I had to get a rear driveshaft built, because none of the ones I had was the right length. I drove it around for a week or so as a front wheel drive.
Again, it worked.
So, based on personal experience, yes, it can be done, with minimal problems.
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