Front Drive line removal for increased mpg

[tym2clm]

Any thoughts on removing the front drive shaft on my '94 AWD vortec to see it will increase mpg during the summer? Thanks

[herbal_gardens]

Removing the front drive line actually does nothing for fuel economy, Not on a noticable level anyways.

[JeepDaddy]

Not to mention you would need to modify the transfer case to move at all. AWD is not designed to run RWD only.

[e7ats]

You can remove the front drive shaft. As stated it will not help that much with fuel economy. Make sure you park on a level surface or put your parking break on because the lack of the front drive shaft will allow the van to roll ever so slightly. you will come home for lunch and park in the drive way. Get ready to go to work and the van will be in the middle of the road.

[8490astro1]

Done it both ways. Drives nice with only the front, but that will wear out. I don't see why not!

[SoraD]

wait, isnt there a fuse than you can pull that will disable AWD?

[LS1AWD]

No fuse in the early AWD's. They have a viscous clutch to allow for slippage, that is why, if you remove the front d-shaft and park on an incline, you will find your van in the middle of the street.

[phaestos]

Mebbe rig it so's you can run jeep manual hubs.
Then you'd really save money..

[jayindy]

You can remove the front drive shaft. As stated it will not help that much with fuel economy. Make sure you park on a level surface or put your parking break on because the lack of the front drive shaft will allow the van to roll ever so slightly. you will come home for lunch and park in the drive way. Get ready to go to work and the van will be in the middle of the road.

DITTO, DITTO, DITTO
I know first hand, cept I had mine out to take and get a replacement.

Anyway, in the morning I found the van down the drive and 1/2 way in the street, locals must have thought I came home after a few to many the night before.

Later that day I confirmed the creep by simply placing a 2x4 under the front tire to watch it tighten up on chock, and sure enough it did, and to this day I still do not understand the engineering of that transfer case, but I'm not going to try, I just saw your "removal" word and e7ats beat me to the warning.

(btw I miss that 1990 AWD van...had 210+ miles and still strong, I faced a $700 front end repair (welding needed +) and my lovely wifey said trade...the van still is being driven by an electrician, that was 5+ years ago...what I liked was the black stock/factory push bars that allowed me to push people up 18th street hill when snowy)