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locking hubs in a 99 Dakota?
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dalea
New User
| Posts: 2
| Joined: 05/08
Posted: 05/12/08
07:43 AM
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I'm looking at a 99 Dodge Dakota 4x4 with a 3.9 and was wondering if manualy locking hubs can be installed on the front axle. Fuel mileage is not so good and would locking hubs help?
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fatguy4X4
Enthusiast
| Posts: 524
| Joined: 05/08
Posted: 05/12/08
09:28 AM
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No ,it would not help your gas mpg. Your not driving the front wheels unless you are actually in 4WD. Highway driving (in 2WD) your just free-wheeling the front end.
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SnoMan
Addict
| Posts: 5783
| Joined: 05/04
Posted: 05/12/08
11:10 AM
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 fatguy4X4:
No ,it would not help your gas mpg. Your not driving the front wheels unless you are actually in 4WD. Highway driving (in 2WD) your just free-wheeling the front end.
First could not be more wrong here. First even when you are in 2wd, the front axle is still consuming power to turn axles, differential, drive shaft and T case input and this takes power and MPG. Typically it is around 10% loss but in cold winter months with lube is heavy it can reach 15 to 20% at times. The bad news is that I know of no kit for this. You can blame this one on Dodge/Jeep as they still sells 4x4's with no ability to free wheel front axle (and the only Detroit maker to do so and kinda makes you wonder about their true commitment to better MPG too on their trucks too)
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fatguy4X4
Enthusiast
| Posts: 524
| Joined: 05/08
Posted: 05/12/08
01:04 PM
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Ok, so "freewheeling" was a bad choice of words. There is the residual drain of power, not to mention the extra weight of the 4WD components, but it's not "driving" the front wheels. Perhaps I read into the question too deeply.
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SnoMan
Addict
| Posts: 5783
| Joined: 05/04
Posted: 05/12/08
01:13 PM
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fatguy4X4:
Ok, so "freewheeling" was a bad choice of words. There is the residual drain of power, not to mention the extra weight of the 4WD components, but it's not "driving" the front wheels. Perhaps I read into the question too deeply.
It is a "drag" being engaged all the time. Back in 80's Audi played with a AWD car some and found that if a little bit of power was applied to front drive shaft the it actually used less power and had slightly better MPG than with axle unpowered but dragging along. It may have something to do with decreasing loading on rear drive axle to push it and taking the pinion and drive shaft from being driven off the inefficient coast side of ring gear and powering it a bit on more efficient main side of gear.
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fatguy4X4
Enthusiast
| Posts: 524
| Joined: 05/08
Posted: 05/12/08
01:29 PM
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Would that be the Quatro? I did a little work on an Audi "quatro" When I was in Europe.
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SnoMan
Addict
| Posts: 5783
| Joined: 05/04
Posted: 05/12/08
04:00 PM
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Yes....
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