FREE WHEELING HUBS

[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