just read an article in my 4 wheeler magazine aboutgas mileage

the article claims that converting our front hubs to manual will net a dodge diesel 2-4 mgp while in 2wd

seems like a big claim from the manufacturer

do you guys think it would net that much. i might consider it if it works

 

I dont know about that much of an increase, it would help a bit and save on alot of wear and tear though.

 

I can't say I've seen an increase in mileage. I know one other guy that did the conversion and he said he saw 1 or 2 mpg increase. I didn't buy the Dynatrac kit looking for better MPG's, I bought it because it's stronger and reduces a lot of moving parts, therefore the truck becomes more reliable.

 

Just disconnect your front drive line and see if that helps. I did that on my wife's cherokee, didn't make a difference in mpg (of course, the differential is still turning...).

 

yeah disconnecting the driveshaft wouldn't be the same

you would still have the drag from the diff and weight of the axle shafts etc.

just wondering if anyone has had good luck with it

 

I have installed the free spin hubs. Makes the 4X4 drive like a 2X4. Reduced the drag. Gained an additional 1 MPG. Also able to use low range without drivetrain issues. Improved the driveability. The stock hub assemblies are light duty.

 

I'm interested in how much it costs to get a 1mpg improvement. It might take LOTS of driving/miles for the fuel savings to offset the cost of the modification.

Then again, it shouldn't be all that difficult to modify a persons driving style to help improve fuel mileage (eg slowing down or driving with an egg on the throttle) without spending a $thousand or two. Also factor in something new that can break on something that isn't broke.

I do like the idea of being able to use low range without the bucking while backing a trailer in a tight spot.

 

As I said, I wouldn't look into manual hubs for an increase in mileage. You can get better mileage with other mods that are cheaper and much easier.

The thing to remember about the hub assemblies is that when they go, they are gone, and they WILL leave you stranded. I've had friends completely lose the front wheel, still bolted to the hub... one guy was driving down Main Street at about 35 mph and lost it. His truck hit the ground and slid, the tire went about 1/2 mile down the road before taking out a sign and finally falling down. Sometimes you will hear the hub grinding before it goes, but with a diesel, that's hard to do. They aren't real loud. Usually they will loosen up and cause your tires to wear uneven first. Hub assemblies are WEAK and do not belong on the front of a heavy duty truck, especially one that weighs this much. They are the weakest point on the front axle and it's only a matter of time before you have to replace them anyway, and who knows what else you'll have to replace when they go out... could just be tires, could be ball joints and steering, could be a gear box, could be all of that plus a front bumper and a fender, could be a family in a mini van in the opposite lane. One of my friends not only had to pay thousands to fix his truck, but he also had to spend about a thousand on a new sign for the restaurant, and he could have easily had to pay for vehicle damages had the stop light not been red when it happened.

Manual hubs are much stronger, easier to work on, they will not leave you stranded, PLUS you have fewer moving parts so there is less wear and tear, PLUS you might get an extra 1 or 2 mpg out of them. You guys are looking at this all wrong.

 

Anyone know how much the Dynatrac conversion costs?

 

EMS offroad should have there's out shortly. Much cheaper.

 

You will pay for Dyantrac, I sure did, but for me it was worth it. I did gain 1-2mpg, but that is only one part of the deal. For me, having the manual hubs and stronger axles is a much better setup overall.

 

But will theirs have the same features the Dynatrac kit has? I really like the idea of 35 spline axles and Warn hubs.

EDIT: I just went to their site and Extreme Duty kit comes with 35 spline axles and Warn hubs.

 

that kit from ems offroad is definately priced reasonable. looks like it might be on my x-mas list!!

 

I would imagine that one would get more noticeable fuel economy improvements with city driving due to the nature of stop and go traffic and the drag of getting the front axle rolling. It looks like the EMS kit includes Warn hubs. What is the EMS kit lacking, besides the price, that the Dynatrac kit has? Does any one know if there is anything different between an 05 and an 06 that would make these kits not work with an 06?

Tad

 

It seems that it wouldn't take ALL that long to recoup your money on the EMS kit. If I figure that my in town mileage is 14 and I might get 16, with diesel at 2.50 a gallon and the kit costs $1000, the math works out like this:

1000 / ((2.50 / 14) - (2.50 / 16)) = 44843 miles

or, a couple of years of use at my mileage rate. A few months for someone who is on the road a lot. This doesn't figure any savings for bearings, which both kits also mention.