Here's a dumb question for all of you 4x4 masters:
When my hubs are unlocked (free) & I'm driving in 2H, is the Transfer case spinning?

 

Sometimes. Hang out the door and check. j/k.

 

 

Funny guy! But really......................... yes or no?

 

"Spinning" sounded dumb- I mean is it being driven by the tranny?

 

Your front diff is disconnected, what truck/4runner. update your sig.

 

'90 PU, 4x4/ 5spd/22RE

 

Im going to let you learn this yourself. Go out to the truck, with the hubs un-locked, see if you can rotate the front driveshaft.

 

Well, I know the front wheels are free when the hub's unlocked. I also know there's a propellor shaft from the transfer case to the front differential thing. My question is this: Is that propellor shaft spinning (is power going to the transfer case) when the hubs are unlocked & I'm in 2H???

 

'90 Pickup-4x4-5spd-22RE

I know the front wheels are free when the hub's unlocked. I also know there's a propellor shaft from the transfer case to the front differential thing. My question is this: Is that propellor shaft spinning (is power going to the transfer case) when the hubs are unlocked & I'm in 2H???

 

that's actually an excellent little experiment for someone to learn. but think of it this way: if it was turning while in 2H, what would be a need for a transfer case shifter? couldn't you just lock your hubs? and what about the trucks with auto locking hubs? wouldn't that mean that they'd be in 4wd all the time?

you absolutely should crawl underneath and do this experiment. i've learned soooo much just by rolling around underneath my truck and looking at things. and while you're at it, chock the wheels, and put the transfer case between 2wd, 4wd, and N and play with the rear driveshaft too. you'll learn a lot.

 

it should freely with your hands when in 2hi and unlocked hubs
when driving down the road in 2hi unlocked hubs there will be no power goin through the front drive shaft nor the front diff

 

Thanks evryone- I had a hunch it wasn't spinning for all of the reasons that you mentioned. What actually spurred this question was my dad. He drives our '90 2wd PU, 22R, 4spd. We were talking yesterday & he said he'd like to get a 4x4 like mine, but he didn't think it would be as reliable/ long lasting as a 2wd like his since all of that 4x4 mechanism (transfer case, propellor shaft, front differential, half shafts, hubs, etc.) would just be dragging along when you weren't in 4x4, thereby lowering the gas mileage & increasing the chances of all or some of that stuff breaking. I told him that that's not the case since it's all disengaged/ stationary when you're driving in 2wd. I'm not an expert & this is my first 4x4 (I've been driving 2wd 'yota PU's since I was 16 & my dad's had 'em since before I was born) Needless to say, neither of us are 4x4 experts.

 

4x4 will have less MPG though, right?

 

Yes. Higher off the ground + more weight. Also look where your rear driveshaft comes out of. Everything goes through the t-case.

One thing I've found to be helpful is to think about questions for a little while before just posting. And as always, searching helps. Then post if you need clarification.

 

If you can spin the front drive shaft all the way around by hand its in "free" 2H. Thus the transfer is free from motion. As soon as hubs a locked transfer is locked in and that yota 4wd that can climb a telephone pole kicks in. 4wd's def have worse MPG all day long. More weight and more drag from height.

 

Right...the transfer, but on my truck at least, the transfer case is always working. Bolts right on to the back of the tranny, and the rear shaft comes out of it. That's why if the t-case is in nuetral you aren't going anywhere, and if your transfer case went out, you're also not going anywhere. The t-case is always working, whether or not 4wd is engaged. So in that sense his dad is right.