Does 4X4 without front driveshaft equate to better gas mileage?
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 9,175
Likes: 521
depends on the design. not sure about the 92 but 1999 and newer don't even spin the front driveshift in 2wd and the front axles are disengaged so removing the frt driveshaft on this models will make no difference.
Thread Starter
CF Beginner
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Ya I was thinking about that. I'd figure that also, It's not like the good old lock out hubs? On these, the front wheels are controlled at the transfer case.
So I'm guessing the only losses are from actual weight plus the friction at the bearing of driveshaft to transfer case interface. In often cases, the bearing will gradually go bad and eventually will start to engage the drive shaft. Lot of times it will do it sporadically at first. You'd most likely attribute the sporadic power loss to miss fire in the ignition. And it will get worse to the point that it's permanently engaged. You'd never guess what causing the mpg numbers to go down. What' you'd need in this case is a speed sensor on the driveshaft, Then you could be alerted or just have a light come on to tell you that your in 4X4 using the drive shaft speed sensor. The sensor could be an hall effect or inductive which are most common.
So I'm guessing the only losses are from actual weight plus the friction at the bearing of driveshaft to transfer case interface. In often cases, the bearing will gradually go bad and eventually will start to engage the drive shaft. Lot of times it will do it sporadically at first. You'd most likely attribute the sporadic power loss to miss fire in the ignition. And it will get worse to the point that it's permanently engaged. You'd never guess what causing the mpg numbers to go down. What' you'd need in this case is a speed sensor on the driveshaft, Then you could be alerted or just have a light come on to tell you that your in 4X4 using the drive shaft speed sensor. The sensor could be an hall effect or inductive which are most common.