Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I leave my hubs locked @ all times (GQ) Got told 2day that this is bad news?? Are there any downfalls of leaving your hubs locked 24/7

Pete .

For what I have heard you use more fuel. Make sure you dont have it in four wheel drive though.

LudaCris

it will be a bit more sluggish on acceleration but f/all.
also will wear out your expensive cv's quicker.
IMHO -- leave them unlocked around town.

wont really hurt it...

just wear things a bit quicker and use more juice

if i leave mine locked on the road the right front wheel makes a clunk sound every now and then over ~50kmh. just leave them unlocked if your not 4wding

Many 4by's don't have free wheeling hubs and the sky hasn't fallen in yet.

The main purpose with unlocking free wheeling hubs is so that your engine does not have to rotate the front drive shaft, diff and inner axles, when using 2wd. You might gain a little better fuel economy with the hubs unlocked.

i think in the toyota owners manual theres somethin writen about it ,to do it every now and then when between long periods of 4wd not sure tho

I leave them locked in on my work vehicles. Current Hilux (3.0L Diesel) has 95000km on it, and there are no problems, and fuel consumption doesn't seem all that different between them locked in or out. Previous vehicle was also a 3.0L Diesel Hilux, and company got rid of that at 275000km, and was pretty much the same. Main reason i do it is, i am always in and out of coal mines (and taking "shortcuts" home) so am to lazy to always be locking and unlocking them.

Bush65 wrote:Many 4by's don't have free wheeling hubs and the sky hasn't fallen in yet.

The main purpose with unlocking free wheeling hubs is so that your engine does not have to rotate the front drive shaft, diff and inner axles, when using 2wd. You might gain a little better fuel economy with the hubs unlocked.

your engine isnt rotating the front drive shaft untill you put the transfer into 4WD, it will spin, but only because the wheels are conected to it once the hubs are locked. sometimes i drive with them locked in, depends where i am and weather i might need them locked in soon or not.

mickyd555 wrote:

Bush65 wrote:Many 4by's don't have free wheeling hubs and the sky hasn't fallen in yet.

The main purpose with unlocking free wheeling hubs is so that your engine does not have to rotate the front drive shaft, diff and inner axles, when using 2wd. You might gain a little better fuel economy with the hubs unlocked.

your engine isnt rotating the front drive shaft untill you put the transfer into 4WD, it will spin, but only because the wheels are conected to it once the hubs are locked. sometimes i drive with them locked in, depends where i am and weather i might need them locked in soon or not.

Unless you have pefected perpetual motion, the front drive shaft etc is driven by the engine even in 2wd. If you can get that for free, you could make a fortune.

Bush65 wrote:

mickyd555 wrote:

Bush65 wrote:Many 4by's don't have free wheeling hubs and the sky hasn't fallen in yet.

The main purpose with unlocking free wheeling hubs is so that your engine does not have to rotate the front drive shaft, diff and inner axles, when using 2wd. You might gain a little better fuel economy with the hubs unlocked.

your engine isnt rotating the front drive shaft untill you put the transfer into 4WD, it will spin, but only because the wheels are conected to it once the hubs are locked. sometimes i drive with them locked in, depends where i am and weather i might need them locked in soon or not.

Unless you have pefected perpetual motion, the front drive shaft etc is driven by the engine even in 2wd. If you can get that for free, you could make a fortune.

im no expert, and i may be worng, but answer this. if the front drive shaft is being rurned by the engine when in 2WD, then wouldnt that drive your wheels if ya had the hubs locked in???

mickyd555 wrote:

Bush65 wrote:

mickyd555 wrote:

Bush65 wrote:Many 4by's don't have free wheeling hubs and the sky hasn't fallen in yet.

The main purpose with unlocking free wheeling hubs is so that your engine does not have to rotate the front drive shaft, diff and inner axles, when using 2wd. You might gain a little better fuel economy with the hubs unlocked.

your engine isnt rotating the front drive shaft untill you put the transfer into 4WD, it will spin, but only because the wheels are conected to it once the hubs are locked. sometimes i drive with them locked in, depends where i am and weather i might need them locked in soon or not.

Unless you have pefected perpetual motion, the front drive shaft etc is driven by the engine even in 2wd. If you can get that for free, you could make a fortune.

im no expert, and i may be worng, but answer this. if the front drive shaft is being rurned by the engine when in 2WD, then wouldnt that drive your wheels if ya had the hubs locked in???

In a conventional part time 4 wheel drive the front driveshaft is not being driven when it is not in 4 wheel drive. Selecting 4WD engages the front drive mechanism and it starts to spin. If you are not in 4wd and the front hubs are not engaged the shift will not turn. If you have the hugs engaged then the front wheels will spin the shaft.

Full time 4wd is different of course.

One way or another, directly or indirectly, via the engine is the only thing that can drive the front drive shaft, unless being towed by another vehicle (in which case the engine in the other vehicle is driving it), or coasting down a hill.

But you may be right and I may be wrong. The test is to get the drive shaft to turn while the engine is stopped.

I probably could have been clearer, but the point that I was trying make in my 1st post is that unlocking the hubs in 2wd, reduces the rotating mass and this reduces the load that the engine has to drive. Thus reducing fuel consumption (by an arguably small amount).

mickyd555 wrote:

Bush65 wrote:

mickyd555 wrote:

Bush65 wrote:Many 4by's don't have free wheeling hubs and the sky hasn't fallen in yet.

The main purpose with unlocking free wheeling hubs is so that your engine does not have to rotate the front drive shaft, diff and inner axles, when using 2wd. You might gain a little better fuel economy with the hubs unlocked.

your engine isnt rotating the front drive shaft untill you put the transfer into 4WD, it will spin, but only because the wheels are conected to it once the hubs are locked. sometimes i drive with them locked in, depends where i am and weather i might need them locked in soon or not.

Unless you have pefected perpetual motion, the front drive shaft etc is driven by the engine even in 2wd. If you can get that for free, you could make a fortune.

im no expert, and i may be worng, but answer this. if the front drive shaft is being rurned by the engine when in 2WD, then wouldnt that drive your wheels if ya had the hubs locked in???

The engine does drive the front wheels in 2wd, either with the hubs locked or unlocked, as long as the engine is used to move the vehicle.

Think about it. If the car is in 2wd and the hubs locked, the front tyres make the drivehsaft etc turn. BUT what is making the front tyres turn, - the engine that is driving the rear wheels that is moving the car. That is why the engine is making the front end turn. As said before, either indirectly or dirrectly it is the engine all along.
Layto....

Nissan swival bearings are sealed from the swival housing so no gain in lubrication there but it will keep the front diff lubed if your not using 4wd, and prevent rust.
Landrovers with oil in their swival housings help lube the swival bearings by axle rotation, hence the reason for periodic engagement.
Your Hilux has IFS so leaving the hubs in is causing premature wear on CVs and CV Boots, particularly if it is lifted.
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