WARN locking hubs vs. mileage...?

[PGaither]

I hear from some 4-wheeleing people that if I install Warn locking hubs on my 96 2500 Ram CTD I can unlock the the front axel(s) when using 2-wheel drive, thus getting better fuel mileage, and saving wear & tear on the front drivetrain components. Is that true? Is that a "bolt-on" instalation? Is it relatively simple to do? Are the fuel savings worth it? Does it make sense to do? I really never tow, and am looking for ways to get a little better mpg's (I get about 19 mpg on the highway now if I keep it under 70-73 mph, looking to get 23 mpg or so... ), and a little more power (arround 250 HP), any suggestions?



Phil

 

[scramblin]

Originally posted by PGaither

I hear from some 4-wheeleing people that if I install Warn locking hubs on my 96 2500 Ram CTD I can unlock the the front axel(s) when using 2-wheel drive, thus getting better fuel mileage, and saving wear & tear on the front drivetrain components. Is that true? Is that a "bolt-on" instalation? Is it relatively simple to do? Are the fuel savings worth it? Does it make sense to do? I really never tow, and am looking for ways to get a little better mpg's (I get about 19 mpg on the highway now if I keep it under 70-73 mph, looking to get 23 mpg or so... ), and a little more power (arround 250 HP), any suggestions?



Phil

You are going to spend a lot of money. I don't think warn makes a kit. So you would have to change the stub shaft and from the knuckle out.

 

[Cooker]

There is not simple bolt on kit. As already mentioned you will spend big $$$ trying to do this. IMHO the best way to go is to buy a complete axle from dynatrac. I think they are just under $2k.

 

[MCummings]

You allready have a Center Axle Disconnect (CAD).



When you are driving down the highway, only the axles and u-joints spin. The driveshaft, and differential do not spin when not in 4wd.



Merrick Cummings Jr

 

[JWChessell]

I had a '58 International 3/4 ton 4X4 (gas) with Warn mechanical lock-out hubs -- the kind you had to get out of the truck and rotate by hand in order to "lock in" or "lock out" power to the front wheels. I frequently had to back up a few feet each time I wanted to change them, in order to relieve internal pressure and allow the parts to move to the new position.



These were straight bolt-on accessories and cost (at the time) about $150. 00 for the pair. When they were "locked out" and the front wheels had no power, NOTHING turned except the wheels, assuming the transfer case was in 2WD.



Warn must have some info on their website.

 

[bmoeller]

Originally posted by Cooker

There is not simple bolt on kit. As already mentioned you will spend big $$$ trying to do this.

There is a conversion kit to do this. I'll dig around and see if I can find it again.



--- Found it,



http://www.dynatrac.com/index.html



#ad




It is available for both the '94-'99 Dodge and the '99-present SD Fords.

 

[C. Harlan]

That is the only way to go!! It is a shame they did away with manual hubs, I think ford is the only one who still offers them and they are even automatic. I would kill to have a high HP CTD with manual hubs! I am sure Merrick will be one of the few sooner or later!



-Chris-

 

[Cooker]

Here is some info on the products for a manual hub conversion offered from Dynatrac. These prices are just for the parts only. They do not include and entire axle assembly or labor (I guess I was a little off on my last guess for a Dynatrac axle).



Stage I: Replacement of outer hub bearing assembly, includes new spindle, 30 spline outer, and manual lockout, plus new regular U-joint. $1500



Stage II: Includes Alloy outer 35 spline and Heavy duty manual hubs, plus stonger U-joint. $2500



Stage III: Includes new Inner replacement alloy shafts (35 spline), 35 spline outers, manual locking stuff, new stonger U-joint, locker of your choice. $3500



As mentioend. they do not offer a kit for the 2000 models and up (at least as of last April they didn't). The reason they don't make a kit for the 2000 and up is because the steering knuckle design changed.



A company that does make a kit for the 2000 and up is Right Gear. Their kit is $1250 and I really haven't heard good or bad about it.



Although the Dynatrac kit probably isn't difficult to install for a competent shadetree mechanic, it is not a simple bolt on kit. There is no slapping on a pair of manual hubs and away you go. The front axles these days are unfortunately a little beyond that, and at $1500 it is definitely not a inexpensive modification.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Originally posted by MCummings

You allready have a Center Axle Disconnect (CAD).



When you are driving down the highway, only the axles and u-joints spin. The driveshaft, and differential do not spin when not in 4wd.



Merrick Cummings Jr

Merrick hit the nail on the head. How much drag is there to spin the axles and the u-joints? I wouldn't think much. I have hand spun them w/o the brake calipers and they spin easy. It seems like a lot of money to reduce a minimal amount of drag. I would be surprised if you were to pick up any measureable added MPG.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Not only are the axles spinning but also the spider gears as driven by the driver side axle and of course the intermediate shaft from the differential on over to the CAD. I personally don't think you will notice any change in mileage with manual hubs. I think the only benefit would be strength. There is just not much drag from spinning those axles and spiders to make a noticeable difference. The old Dodges on the other hand that had a live front axle would cause considerable drag. I really like this setup for the ease of being able to grab 4x4 mode without stepping out. My only concern is the strength of that little connecting collar in the CAD. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Hammer]

I know someone who spent the big bucks to do this and when I asked him recently about the conversion and its related or expected benefits(I am no off roader and truck is allergic to dirt) he answered like this... .



"The only benefit I have seen in the milage I have driven with this deal is me getting my feet muddy when I have to go out and lock the freakin hubs in now. "



After he said that all I could do was laugh. He did tell me afterwards if given the chance again,he would leave well enough alone... ... ... Andy

 

[Clinton]

Sounds like quite a few of us have looked into the Dynatrac deal. I was interested for a little while, but I'm off it until I break something. I use the 4x4 pretty frequently and the CAD has been dependable so far. I agree that spinning by hand tells there isn't a whole lot of drag to be eliminated. The main reason that I could see for going to the Dynatrac kits would be a severe service offroad rig that had a locker in the front. If I had a locker up front I would be worried about snapping a shaft and not able to disengage the wheel.

 

[Matt42]

Locking Hubs or Not?

For what it's worth: I don't worry about locking hubs, and I don't feel deprived that my truck doesn't have them. The only thing I worry about is when the vacuum hoses might give out, or what to do if some internal mechanical gizmo wears out.



I've done an anecdotal study on hub stuff. (For the academics amongst us, an anecdotal study is one done by someone without a PhD, and the results are thus automatically suspect. I do not have a PhD. You are warned!)



1. In my limited experience, it appeared that people who drove 4X4s with locking hubs and rarely, if ever, locked them up, tended to have more drive line problems, due to lack of lubrication.



2. In my job, one of the best field vehicles I ever used was a 1977 Jeep Cherokee, with an AMC 360 V8, a T-18a transmission, a Dana 20 part-time transfer case (NOT QuadraTrac), and permanently engaged hubs. Hubs were a $50 option, and this was a low bid truck. When I was forced to give it up, it had 97,000 miles on it, and never, ever had a drive line problem.



3. My wife's uncle was a mechanical engineer at Sandia. In his spare time, he built up a Jeep FC-170, and installed a Ford 300 CI inline six, with a four speed manual transmission (dunno what model). He installed Spicer locking front hubs, and with that rig, he regularly pulled a 32 foot Airstream trailer from coast to coast. (The mental image makes me grimace. ) Being the sort of wacko engineer he was, he kept meticulous track of everything that went into the FC-170, including fuel. On one round trip from Albq. to NY, circa 1974, the front hubs gave some sort of trouble when unlocked. He didn't have time to fix them, so he locked them and made the round trip--towing--in 2WD with the hubs locked. On his return, he fixed whatever the problem was, and then made the same trip again, hubs unlocked, in 2WD. He found no statistical difference in fuel consumption between the trips.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Another advantage of the dynatrack is the use of easily replaceable front bearings.



So, when my front bearings need replaced - I might consider the dynatrac kit.



Dan