Hello, I know I could just go look at my truck, but I am at the computer so I thought I would ask you guys.

Does the front axle and front driveshaft on a 4X4 1 ton '06 always turn even when not engaged? I know on my Ford, it would be disengaged at the hubs and would not even turn the front axle during 4X2 operation.

I am asking this because of the recomendation to lube the front drive shaft with every oil change. I looked at the shaft right after I got my truck and tried to spin it by hand. It would not move, as if the front hubs always stay locked in.

 

Yes, they are always turning.

 

You basicly answered your oun question. Your ford had manual hubs, dodge has automatic hubs that stay engaged, thats why you need to take care of the drive shaft more often.

 

Well, it's probably easier to imagine them as hubs that are always locked to the front axle (nothing automatic about them).

The only thing you disengage when going from 2X4 to 4X4 is the transfer case.

 

So 3rd gen's don't use a central Axle disconect like the old D60 and front axles on Jeeps. That eliminates the turning of the drive shafts. I couldn't see Dodge letting the driveshaft turning 24/7 unlive is was a fulltime 4x4 like the trucks of the 70's

 

no CAD on 3rd gens.

front shaft is not engaged at t-case tho, so its not fulltime 4wd

 

Seems like better fuel mileage would be attainable if the moving parts in the front axle didn't have to turn. (unlocking hubs)

I wonder how much resistance is actually there. I guess not enough for it to be designed with unlocking hubs.

 

There is alot of inertia and mass to spin up everytime you acclerate. That effects fuel mileage. Too bad Dodge didn't design it different. On a posistive note the current design is less likely to break!

 

Dynatrac makes a conversion kit to change it to manual locking hubs but it's not cheap. Somewhere around the tune of $1800.

 

My wife's 2000 Cherokee is designed the same way (infact, the whole front drive line/suspension looks the same as the Ram, just scaled down).

I removed the Jeep's front drive shaft last summer/fall when gas prices shot up so high. Didn't see a bit of difference in the mileage. Of course, the differential was still turning, can't do anything about that unless you buy some warn hubs).

 

My F 250 ,99 4x4 has a electr 4x4 on the fly,and also has lock/automatic hubs
If you put them at auto ,the drive shafts will not turn,if you want 4x4 you just put it in 4x4 to engage the transfercase and a vacuum pump will suck the hub in lock position.
if the system fails to suck the hubs by vacuum, you turn the hubs at lock .
Now the shafts are turning ,but like the dodge there is still no power send to the front axle if you not put it in 4x4

sterling

I have a crtd 2500 HD 4x4 too,

 

Fully disengaged front diffs are better in theory, but easily outweighed by real-world scenorios... besides, haven't you ever rotated by hand with the wheels in the air? Think how wimpy you are compared to a horse(power)!

 

I'll second that...not much of a "feature". I had a ford and I miss being able to engage 2WD Lo for manuvering a trailer, especially backing uphill.

 

This is something I've wondered about myself. I frequently have to back trailers uphill and having a low-range in the 2WD mode would sure be great. What I do now is just put it in 4WD Lo. It not the best way to do it but if I leave it in 2WD Hi the trans temp light will come on when I'm half way up the hill.

I was considering my next truck to be a 6 Spd vs. the auto but I'm hearing that 1st and reverse are not what we used to call "granny gears".

Ken

 

I have an '06 with the G56. First is pretty good, reverse is a bit taller than I'd like when moving a heavy trailer. I haven't tried 4WD Lo with a trailer yet (haven't needed to), but I'd be REAL careful on any hard surface if you need to deviate much from a straight line.