Awd

[Mounty 09]

I have a 1997 awd mountaineer with a 5.0L in it. Would it hurt anything to take the front drive shaft out of it for maybe like a weekend just to see what it is like? Also is it hard to take it out.

 

[section525]

No problems taking it out. Just use the e-brake when you park it as it will like to slowly creep if you don't.

 

[KLW]

I read somewhere it said that if you do that you shouldn't go more than 10 miles max. I suppose it could be hard on the vicious coupling in the transfer case.

 

[Turdle]

It shouldn't hurt a thing, except as section says, you will loose park

 

[AMMO_HOOAH]

This has been brought up a couple of times, and someone always brings up the viscus coupling. I know when my 4404 died I took it off until I got the parts together for my t/c swap. From what a couple of mechanics told me is that the AWD case constantly transfers power front to back or vise versa when it "feels" slippage. Which supposedly puts a lot of undue stress on the coupling. Which is why (they told me anyway) that the AWD dies from off roading especially in mud. I'm not sure if anyone has actually destroyed a good case doing this, but I wouldn't really want to be the first. If you're wanting to do this for gas mileage you'll be sadly disappointed. If you're looking to see what power change there is I can tell you it's nothing to get excited about. Good luck which ever way you go.