[Guest]

I'm installing a new rear axle this weekend along with a SYE kit. I won't be able to take measurements for new rear driveline until everything is installed. Once I get that done, I'm guessing it will take 4-5 days for a driveline from Tom Woods to get delivered to Seattle. In the meantime, my Jeep is my only vehicle so will it get hurt if I drive with the front wheels for a few days? Most of my driving is freeway.

-Dorian
www.4Low.com

 

[Pete88YJ]

The only time I've done this is to get my 4WD Ford F250 home after I had a ujoint let go in the back shaft. I took the rear shaft out and drove home on the front end, about 10 miles. It's not fun, and the way it feels, it can't be that great on the front end. I would imagine that especially at highway speeds you would not want to be doing this. If it were side streets, and low speeds, and not that far I would do it, if I had to.

Just my opinion
Pete

88YJ,4"susp,33"BFGMTs,9000#winch, hm swing out TC/HL mount ,258,999,4.10,weber32/36,GMHEI.

 

[WILL]

your reverse cut front gears are almost as strong as your rear dana 35. i've driven many miles including over 100 miles last weekend with the front end only on my cj. a few days shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[CJDave]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif There is no....repeat, NO harmful effects from driving in front drive only. If you did that LONG TERM, the smaller gears in the front differential would begin to get noisy, but other than that, there is no real problem...EXCEPT...that with front drive only you get some "torque steer" when you get down hard on the throttle...it will want to pull to the right or left depending on the drop of the t-case. Just be ready for that little phenomenon and you'll be fine./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif

CJDave

 

[GeeAea]

You know Dave.......I kinda thought that it would be kinda handy if these things ran in front wheel mode all the time and you just kicked in the rear when you need 4WD........but........well I guess the rear drive shaft is kinda short already to put some intermediate component to engage and disengage the rear.........just a thought.
GeeAea

 

[Guest]

I used to have a lada niva (don't laugh it was free) and it runs in front wheel drive normall untill you lock the 4wd in.

 

[MNT]

I did the same thing after I switched out my axles. I had to wait for a rear driveshaft and logged around 1000 miles or so on front wheel drive. Another thing to pay close attention to is the turning. You don't want to make hard sharp turns as it could be potentially bad. I had absoloutely no problems at all.

Good Luck

MNT

 

[Guest]

Make sure you have an open front diff. Otherwise it is a very interesting experience.

 

[Guest]

whats the fastest he can drive in front wheel drive tho? doesn't it say u can oly go to 55 mph in 4 wheel drive or is that just BS, or can he go faster than that because hes only using 2 wheels and not 4?
MIkey

(\/)ikey

 

[jeepnut_nh]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gifdon't laugh, but i once owned a subaru brat,FWD until 4WD engaged, that handled good enough to outdo a 300ZX on a local exit ramp./wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif

seriously, though, i would not be too inclined to drive any four by, designed to run in RWD normally, any significant distance in FWD.
unless it's necessary to limp'er home, of course

 

[CJDave]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif Again....when you run an axle which has an offset differential, it is nearly impossible to not get "torque steer" when pulling on the front drive only......a small, but exceedingly annoying little phenomenon. Detroit battled torque steer in the early days of front wheel drive cars./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif There is, however, NO HARMFUL MECHANICAL CONSEQUENCES other than premature wear on the front differential and the transfer case chain from long term use of front drive only./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

CJDave

 

[Pete88YJ]

Keep in mind, guys, a lot of the stuff that got mentioned, the Suburu brat, and that Lada-whatever-it-was, probably have CV joints up front, not u-joints. A u-joint is not a constant velocity joint, the way it is designed into a front axle. Most if not all front wheel drive cars use CV joints up there. I've even seen CV joints in the fronts of the new Grands. That's what it looked like, anyway...

Just another point.
Pete

88YJ,4"susp,33"BFGMTs,9000#winch, hm swing out TC/HL mount ,258,999,4.10,weber32/36,GMHEI.

 

[jeepnut_nh]

Pete, u get the prize /wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif,my whole take on this issue is that jeeps are not designed to be run in this manner. Thus i personally would not feel comfortable doing this as a long term thing. regardless of potential for damage.

just my $.02

jimbo

'74 CJ5,232 I6,T15,Dana 30&44