Driving without front driveshaft on V8 4wd

T

t-man

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Hi guys, I'm sure most will say no but hopefully some of our techs can chip in here. What I am wondering is if it is possible to remove the front driveshaft, unplug the harness for the vsc, etc and drive and even do a dyno pull so that only the rear tires will spin?? Also asking this cause if for some reason I ever break an axle or driveshaft offroad would be good to know if I could limp home this way.
Not trying to sound like an idiot here, genuinely questioning the possibility. Thanks for any input.
 
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This is just a guess… but I would think if you lock the central dif you should be able to limp home… but I would not run the dyno in that mode…
 
progress4m said:
This is just a guess… but I would think if you lock the central dif you should be able to limp home… but I would not run the dyno in that mode…
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I can't think of a reason why if the abs/vsc system is unplugged that it would even recognize that nothing is there and like you said if it was locked in then it should just spin the back like normal. Can't think of any reason this would hurt anything, but I'm not a tech either!
 
Not to thread jack or anything... But I would be VERY interested to see if your mpg improves and if so, by how much!
 
Ya there is virtually no mpg improvement with a 2wd vs a 4wd in either engine. When I put my headers on the guy running the high performance shop really wants to dyno my truck but he only has one made for 1 axle spinning the tires. Nobody else around me has one made for 4 tires spinning. That was what got me thinking about the possibility and also about what would happen in the event I break an axle or driveshaft. I have broke one in a k5 blazer and just ran it in 4wd driving with the front axle to limp home before. Works like a charm. Of course there isn't all the electronics on a K5 like there is on our T4R's.
 
Although I have never tried it, my guess is that since the center differential is an open differential, that if you removed the front drive shaft you would just sit there and spin. You would need to lock the center diff. A differential will send power to path of least resistance. In this case it would be the front where there is no drive shaft. In order for this to work, you would have to lock the center diff which forces the power distribution between the front and rear.
 
Sungod said:
Although I have never tried it, my guess is that since the center differential is an open differential, that if you removed the front drive shaft you would just sit there and spin. You would need to lock the center diff. A differential will send power to path of least resistance. In this case it would be the front where there is no drive shaft. In order for this to work, you would have to lock the center diff which forces the power distribution between the front and rear.
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That makes sense to me, but no problem locking it in unless that doesn't work with the vsc harness unplugged.
 
I have NO experience with the Toyota transfer case. But I know some Jeeps use the front drive shaft to turn the pump in the transfer case. That being said when I had my Rubicon I need the order a custom rear drive shaft. So I drove around for a week or so in 4HI with just the front drive shaft in. Surprised a few hondas when I left a stop light next to them smoking the front tires
 
Wuzzy said:
I have NO experience with the Toyota transfer case. But I know some Jeeps use the front drive shaft to turn the pump in the transfer case. That being said when I had my Rubicon I need the order a custom rear drive shaft. So I drove around for a week or so in 4HI with just the front drive shaft in. Surprised a few hondas when I left a stop light next to them smoking the front tires
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Lol, fun times there! :D
Not sure about the pump or anything either. Worth looking into though.
 
Mechanically - I can't think there would be ..... Not sure if the ATRAC will freak out.

I used to run my V8 Grand Cherokee without a front driveshaft every summer. It encouraged you do to stupid stuff though.......
 
coconutpete said:
Mechanically - I can't think there would be ..... Not sure if the ATRAC will freak out.

I used to run my V8 Grand Cherokee without a front driveshaft every summer. It encouraged you do to stupid stuff though.......
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Haha! I thought about that too! :D not that I want to just drive around without it all the time, I randomly hit the trails to much, but could have its fun moments too... ;) :cool:
 
t-man said:
Haha! I thought about that too! :D not that I want to just drive around without it all the time, I randomly hit the trails to much, but could have its fun moments too... ;) :cool:
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I always kept it bungee-corded to the floor of the trunk with the nuts and a small wrench juuuuuuust in case I needed it.

Little bit of a different story for the Jeep though. The AWD system on the V8's sucked and the coupling inside the transfer case would bind up after a few years and the jeep would hop and pop and clunk during tight turns. MUCH MUCH more fun with RWD ....... like I said though ...... encouraged you to do stupid things.

OH, I would love part time 2WD in the 4Runner though........ that V8 is torquey.
 
Well, I guess it's time to try it out and see what happens I guess. Looks like the front driveshaft is easy to take out and put back in so no loss there.
 
My guess would be that the Torsen won't like the bias, but it should survive. I would imagine with CDL engaged it theoretically shouldn't cause issues since the front shaft can spin to it's heart's content.
 
I think it would be fine with the CDL engaged. Not an awful lot different than driving with a blown CV as far as I can figure. I've pulled the blown axle, locked the CDL and driven home at highway speeds a number of times after blowing a CV.
 
CXS said:
I think it would be fine with the CDL engaged. Not an awful lot different than driving with a blown CV as far as I can figure. I've pulled the blown axle, locked the CDL and driven home at highway speeds a number of times after blowing a CV.
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Thanks for posting. I had wondered about this.
 
So currently I'm out of town about four hrs away from home and seems like my diff needle bearing is shot not drive able if I put it in neutral on highway when it started all vibrations went away. So should I be able to disconnect front driveshaft and use cdl without diff spinning ?
 
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I drove for over a week with the front driveshaft out and locked in without issue. I even towed my trailer, did some burnouts, donuts, etc. Lol [MENTION=97839]Woodsblaster86[/MENTION] even taking out the front driveshaft your front dif will spin because it doesn't disconnect from the cv axles. It may be ok since it won't have a load on it, but honestly I don't know if anyone can give you a guarantee. Personally I would try, but that's me.

Sent from the drivers seat of my 05 4runner.
 
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