H3T Temp front DS removal

[Mr_Rich]

With all this discussion about T-cases I was wondering about what anyone thought about removing the front driveshaft for a long period of highway driving. I'm leaving for an east coast trip in another week and I'm taking my 3T. My original plan was to drive my car, but the smog police and time constraints require a change in plans, so driving the 3T has become the plan. I realize it would require running in 4-Hi lock and I'm just wondering if it's just a dumb idea at this point.

 

[06 H3]

I've done it many of times when I broke front axle parts. I'd pull the halfshafts plug the diff then pull the driveshaft

 

[CaseyS]

That says it all right there.... Smog police. Drive east and never look back.

Seriously though, you are still turning all the front running gear even with the driveshaft disconnected (albeit on the coast side of the front diff). I don't see any gains.

 

[alrock]

Agreed, same amount of drivetrain friction, unless like 06 H3 you're also pulling half shafts. I think your biggest MPG loss isnt friction but it's wind resistance

 

[cgalpha08]

I drove from Indiana to NY and back, 1000 Miles round trip, with no front driveshaft in. Mpg difference is hardly noticeable. Like alrock said, i think the wind was a much bigger player. The drive is much smoother however because the front isn't being "powered" by the t case, so none of that full time 4wd slop front to rear. I did it because my front diff pinion bearing was bad and I had to make the trip. Didn't really see any negative side-effects from it. This was probably about 7 or 8 k Miles on the odo ago.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[alrock]

I find if I plan my travel downhill and down wind I get much better MPG. Works about half the time.

 

[cgalpha08]

I find if I plan my travel downhill and down wind I get much better MPG. Works about half the time.

60% of the time it works all the time....

 

[Hunner]

I find if I plan my travel downhill and down wind I get much better MPG. Works about half the time.

How do you get home?

 

[rsc]

Home is where the HUMMER is.

 

[digglesworth]

how fast are you guys driving in 4hi lock? arent there "speed limits" recommended in the owners manual for each range of 4wd? is there any extra wear on the t-case from driving in 4hi lock for an extended period of time?

 

[Mr_Rich]

how fast are you guys driving in 4hi lock? arent there "speed limits" recommended in the owners manual for each range of 4wd? is there any extra wear on the t-case from driving in 4hi lock for an extended period of time?

My thought is removing the front driveshaft will solve that problem since 100% power is going to the back axle and binding of the drivetrain shouldn't be an issue. I wanted to see what everyone thought.

 

[cgalpha08]

My thought is removing the front driveshaft will solve that problem since 100% power is going to the back axle and binding of the drivetrain shouldn't be an issue. I wanted to see what everyone thought.

I think this is only partly true, meaning, power is still split 50/50 in the t-case in 4 hi, the front t-case flange is still going to spin in 4 hi without the driveshaft because 50% power will be going to it because of the internal mechanisms and the other 50 to the rear axle. I don't think that since the front is operating under "no load" that by default the rear will get the rest of the power. However I could be completely wrong here, just the logic playing in my mind.

 

[4speedfunk]

Hi lock is 50/50 all the time. Cg...your hypothesis is correct. 100% of power to the rear can only occur in 4hi-street.

 

[rascole]

I drove for over 2 weeks with no front drive shaft and there was no difference in MPG.

 

[alrock]

how fast are you guys driving in 4hi lock? arent there "speed limits" recommended in the owners manual for each range of 4wd? is there any extra wear on the t-case from driving in 4hi lock for an extended period of time?

With everything intact? You will cause wear and tear on the drivetrain when doing this on hard surfaces due to different wheels traveling at different speeds and distances, like when turning. If you're talking w/o a front propshaft, it should not make any difference to the transfer case.

 

[chaos254]

What are you guys using to plug the front diff?

 

[5gn-h3t]

Bad/broken cv shaft. Inner plugs the diff, outer holds the wheel bearing together.

 

[06 H3]

I plugged my front diff with a towel on each side and then I took 2 old leaking CVs and popped the outers out and ran them to clamp the wheel bearing together

 

[4speedfunk]

Yeah...the "clamping" thing. Not sure I buy that. I've had many a H3 hub on & off, and honestly...they look pretty robust and capable of working just fine without any sort of shaft connected to them. But one thing for sure...I don't want to be the guy to find out!

I'm curious if a 2WD Colorado/Canyon front hub has the same 3-bolt attachment? If so, you could install them and forego the entire front drive assembly.

 

[rascole]

Here is a note from the Hummer H3 Front Suspension PDF.

FRONT WHEEL HUB, BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENTRemoval ProcedureFig. 27: View Of Brake Rotor (25/35 Series)Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.1. Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle .
NOTE: Never place vehicle on the ground with the halfshaft removedor the halfshaft nut torqued improperly. Otherwise, bearingseals may become dislodged causing premature wear and/ordamage to the hub and bearing assembly.

 

[chaos254]

Not sure how a bearing seal would become dislodged by just putting it on the ground or even driving it without shafts

 

[rascole]

Well, I don't want to find out.

 

[06 H3]

I've seen it happen to an XJ with no shafts in its D30. Hub fell apart on the road...I played it safe and took some old leaking halfshafts and made stubs out of them

 

[Mr_Rich]

I didn't pull my front driveshaft. I had plenty of other maintenance issues I needed to concentrate on. I stopped for the night in Grants, NM. Saw a couple of elk off I40 about 25 mi. east of Flagstaff. I don't have the chance to see wildlife like elk often; wished I could've stopped to take pics, but it wasn't the right place to stop. Other than that my truck is doing great and I'm getting roughly 17 mpg so far rolling on 285's.