FREE WHEELING HUBS

[WILLYSMB]

I have free wheel hubs and don't use 4-wheel drive much. Is it true that if you don't engage 4-wheel drive for 50 miles out of every 500 miles that it can cause damage to your front axle and diff. And if this is true can I just lock the hubs and drive around like that without using the transfer case and engaging 4-wheel drive. Its not that I don't want to use 4-wheel, I just don't have areas to use the 4-wheel drive . Mostly paved roads with little or no dirt areas urban any comments would be helful

Thanks Marshall

[LaneRover]

I have free wheel hubs and don't use 4-wheel drive much. Is it true that if you don't engage 4-wheel drive for 50 miles out of every 500 miles that it can cause damage to your front axle and diff. And if this is true can I just lock the hubs and drive around like that without using the transfer case and engaging 4-wheel drive. Its not that I don't want to use 4-wheel, I just don't have areas to use the 4-wheel drive . Mostly paved roads with little or no dirt areas urban any comments would be helful

Thanks Marshall

It is definitely good to engage the hubs WITHOUT engaging 4 wheel drive at least once a month or every couple of weeks. With free wheeling hubs your swivels do not get full lubrication because the u-joint inside isn't merrily splashing the oil around. I would not say that you have to do it literally 10% of the time.

Brent

[I Leak Oil]

I've never seen any proof that not locking the hubs at regular intervals directly causes swivel damage. Lock them if it makes you feel better about it but you're really just talking about the top pin and bushing and if that was put together with lube then it should be fine for quite some time. Anyone who's had one apart has seen that there is no good way for the thick 90wt to get up to the pin and bushing.
My $.02
Jason T.

[leafsprung]

times 2

[yorker]

I think it is one of those Rover wife's tales. I've taken apart quite a few front ends and have seen no clear correlation between the condition of the swivel pins and if there was any free wheeling hubs fitted. The worst front end I ever saw was in a '65 and it had never had any free wheeling hubs fitted- the whole front end- U joints etc was worn out @ ~90k.

There are those who swear that the upper swivel pin gets its lubrication via splashed 90wt thrown by the front U joint into the small hole beneath it in the swivel pin housing and if you run free wheeling hubs then you are going to ruin it.

You'll find this is one of those endless controversial issues when it comes to Land Rover ownership. Honestly you'll be fine with the free wheeling hubs- and if you are worried just engage them once a month or so to move bits around.

[LaneRover]

Honestly I have never had a front axle that far open but I have looked at Rovers where the top half of the outside of the swivel was pitted and rusty while the bottom half was fine. Other than free wheeling hubs not ever being locked in on occasion I am not sure what would cause that.

The reverse argument is that many would say that there is no difference in their mileage when using free wheeling hubs and thus are essentially needless complications and another item to go wrong.

Brent

[yorker]

Honestly I have never had a front axle that far open but I have looked at Rovers where the top half of the outside of the swivel was pitted and rusty while the bottom half was fine.

I've seen the same top corrosion on Rovers without FWH's fitted- I think it is more indicative of lack of use/care and no gaiters.

[I Leak Oil]

The reverse argument is that many would say that there is no difference in their mileage when using free wheeling hubs and thus are essentially needless complications and another item to go wrong.

Brent

It's only one more thing to go wrong "if" it does. Get a good set and it's even less of a probability. There are plenty of other things to go wrong on a Rover! Those who make that arguement have never been in the middle of the woods with a locked up, busted front ring gear. Easy to just unlock the hubs and drive out, fix it when you get home. Ask me how I know!
Jason T.

[yorker]

It's only one more thing to go wrong "if" it does. Get a good set and it's even less of a probability. There are plenty of other things to go wrong on a Rover! Those who make that argument have never been in the middle of the woods with a locked up, busted front ring gear. Easy to just unlock the hubs and drive out, fix it when you get home. Ask me how I know!
Jason T.

HA you've had that happen too? Really makes you re-evaluate free wheel hubs doesn't it? They've enabled me to limp home before to where I could fix things in a proper shop instead of in 1' of mud...

They have their pluses and minuses- I guess I wouldn't go out of my way to fit FWHs if I didn't have them but I wouldn't toss a good set off of a truck just for the sake of simplifying it either.

Back in 1997 I experimented with MPG+ FWHs and usually there wasn't a huge difference maybe 2 MPG at the most. In the winter there was a definite difference though.

[LaneRover]

Just mentioning the arguments that I have heard for and against over the years. I personally have felt a difference when I have not locked the hubs for too long. Maybe every month is a bit excessive but if a person has no 4 wheeling options nearby and could live in an area with no snow I think that locking them on occasion is probably called for.

I wouldn't go out of my way to take FWH off a truck but I also wouldn't necessarily put them on if the truck didn't have them. Most of my trucks have them because thats how I got them.

All that being said, I have never dealt with a busted locked up front ring gear.

In the end I would say that if it feels better to lock them on occasion then do it. It is probably a bit better lubricationwise and is definitely not bad for the truck, just don't lock them AND put it in 4 wheel drive if you are staying on paved roads that is definitely bad for the truck - or at least your tires!

Brent

[scott]

jeeze guys, you're all miss'n the real point here! this person needs to move! no where to engage 4wd, how awful. try new mex. here we can drive for months on old 2 tracks

[JayGoss]

I had to replace the front propshaft (driveshaft) on my first rover which had fwh's that had been left free-wheelin' and had not been engaged enough- or at all. The driveshaft had worn unevenly because it was constantly telescoping back and forth in the same plane, where it was not spinning while telescoping w/suspension movement. When I engaged the fwh's with the original, worn propshaft it would cause a heck of a lot of vibration- almost like a front rim was bent or wheel was out of balance. There's no telling how many thousands of miles were on the rover when I got it- and when the last time the fwh's had been engaged. After ponying up for a new driveshaft I kept my hubs locked all the time. These things are pigs on gas anyway- so, to me, 2mpg didn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. I'd keep yours locked around town- then disengage them on highway trips...not so much for gas mileage but for more power when climbing grades or driving against slight breezes that seem to slow our little friends down. That's just my $.02. -Jay