lockout hubs to reduce drag?

Can anyone educate a non mechanical city kid with this question? have a 4x4 access cab and have heard folks say that even when in 2wd mode there is still added engine drag because of the 4wd mechanism. One co-worker with 1rst generation taco re-did his and installed lock out hubs, claims it reduces wear & tear on 4wd parts?
can anyone explain this? pros-cons. etc?

 

as far as I know the only way to get manual hubs on a 2nd gen is to swap in a solid front axle which isn't very practical.

Your buddy is right though, manual hubs reduce drag by disconnecting the front diff from the wheels.

 

I do not believe there is a way to put manual hubs on a 2nd Gen. There is some truth to what your friend is saying, just not enough to where it's worth tearing apart the entire front end to save a tiny bit of fuel economy.

 

there are more advantages to manual hubs though, including the ability to drive in 2wd low range (good for backing up trailers if you have a manual transmission).

still not worth completely re-doing the entire front end though. Your buddies first gen only required a different set of spindles and CV shafts to convert it.

 

Advantages or no, has anyone even retrofitted a 2nd gen?

And yeah, it would never pencil out just for MPGs.

 

yeah I haven't ever seen manual hubs on an IFS 2nd gen.

 

Are there any companies that make a kit or parts to change out I had a mile marker kit for my jeep for hubs. I want the hubs so my did bearings last and I can run a high angle on the hwy

 

Nope

 

On the older 4wd trucks, the lockout hubs disconnected the axles so that you didn't backdrive the front prop-shaft when in 2wd. A lot of extra rotating machinery that was not needed. Your 2nd gen has an axle disconnect in the front diff so that you don't backdrive the prop shaft. It may not be as free wheeling as the old hubs, but I don't think you'd gain much with lockouts at the hubs.

 

I know that it unlocks in the front diff I want something to unlock at the hub. From what I hear about the bearings in the diff they are a pita to replace I want my cv's not to spin on either side of my diff.

 

This is correct, but there is more. In a conventional full time system the pinion and the ring gear are driven as well. With the ADD only one shaft and the spider gears are driven. The savings in fuel by eliminating this small drag is nil. As for the bearings, they are under no load, so the wear is again nil. There even be an advantage to having some of the parts rotating in the diff to move lubricant around.

In addition, some models that do have conversions available end up with weaker components in the bargain. Personally, I would prefer manual hubs if a well engineered kit were offered.

 

Ya I wish someone made a kit for manual hubs also, if they did i wouldn't have to worry about my front cv shaft/ bearing vib. It was fixed under warranty, but if it dose it again out of warranty i'll sell it.

Brett

 

How did they fix it under warrantee? I didn't think there was a fix except the ECGS bushing. You cound install an ARB too.