front drive shaft removal to save on fuel

[jmitch1281]

Hi, can i safely remove my drive shaft in my 4wd x (not awd) this summer to save fuel. I know you shouldnt on an awd. Im sure this has been asked before but i cant seem to find any info on it only awd removal. Thanks
josh

 

[waskly]

not if you want to park it and not roll away and you wont save fuel.

 

[Brandon96]

not if you want to park it and not roll away and you wont save fuel.

False. As long as it's NOT the AWD you CAN remove it safely to attempt to save gas. However, your front end will still be bound together by the CV's and the front diff, so I'm not sure how much gas you'll save but you never know.. You'll probably end up with less vibration at the least

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Glen4X4]

Welcome To The Forum, as Brandon stated as long as you have 4X4 system (buttons on the dash to control 4X4) you can remove the drive shaft with no worries, but you're hardly going to save fuel doing this.

 

[enyaw]

Hi, can i safely remove my drive shaft in my 4wd x (not awd) this summer to save fuel. I know you shouldnt on an awd. Im sure this has been asked before but i cant seem to find any info on it only awd removal. Thanks
josh

You can on a 4 wheel drive but not on an Awd ...

 

[Dalmus]

Welcome To The Forum, as Brandon stated as long as you have 4X4 system (buttons on the dash to control 4X4) you can remove the drive shaft with no worries, but you're hardly going to save fuel doing this.

What happens when you get into a poor traction situation and the auto 4x4 attempts to kick in? Or should one pull the 4x4 relay fuse as well?

 

[Glen4X4]

it will just spin the the output on the transfer case.

 

[SeekerFor]

Removal of front drive shaft

My front drive shaft in my 2003 Explorer EB Limited is pretty sloppy.

It has the ball at the transfer case.
Is there specific instructions on how to remove it?

 

[03XLT4X4]

What happens when you get into a poor traction situation and the auto 4x4 attempts to kick in? Or should one pull the 4x4 relay fuse as well?

The 18th fuse under the hood will disable 4x4 the lights inside the truck will come on and stay on I've done this and can say that it is safe to do I ride in 2wd the auto 4x4 will not try to engage because of the fuse being out hope this helps

 

[stuartr]

So why will a AWD roll off? I guess the front driveline holds not the rear? You would think both would hold.

STU

 

[SeekerFor]

So how do you take it out? The one with the ball?

 

[Glen4X4]

So why will a AWD roll off? I guess the front driveline holds not the rear? You would think both would hold.

STU

Nope, the AWD t-case runs 60%power to the rear and 40% to the front and that can change depending on wheel slippage so the case does not have locked gear position like a traditional 4X4 t-case so when in Park the rear and front connect holding the truck still.

 

[imp]

So how do you take it out? The one with the ball?

Ball?? It's a C-V joint, at the transfer case end, and mine (2004) has 6 bolts fastening the driveshaft to the yoke on the case. The front of the driveshaft has a common U-Joint with removable straps held in place by 2 bolts each.

Disconnect the C-V end FIRST, so no weight will hang on it, then disconnect the front joint, free it from it's yoke, and yank that baby out of there! imp

 

[SeekerFor]

BAll end VS CV joint

I have seen plenty of CV joints and never have i seen one that looks like this.
I am talking the end at the back

 

[Xdropped22s]

any pics on how to remove the front drive shaft

 

[imp]

I have seen plenty of CV joints and never have i seen one that looks like this.
I am talking the end at the back

If it is a round, cylindrical hunk about 5 inches in diameter, having a stub of the driveshaft entering it from front face, with 6 bolts of 8mm head size, also facing forward, that's it!

There are many kinds of "C-V" joints; this one just looks different. imp

 

[SeekerFor]

Thanks, that covers it.