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Front wheel drive

  • Dom
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21 Mar 2018 13:31 #190677 by Dom
Front wheel drive was created by Dom
Quick question;

Is it ok to run a Jimny in front wheel drive (4x4 engaged but rear prop removed) while I'm waiting on parts/motivation to rebuild the rear diff?

I reckon the front end of the drive-train will be ok with it, but I'm not sure if the front hub vacuum mechanism will take prolonged use.

Do any of you have any thoughts or experience you could share on this?

Many thanks, Dom...

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21 Mar 2018 18:12 #190687 by kirkynut
Replied by kirkynut on topic Front wheel drive
It won't do the car any harm if well maintained with greased CV joints but you are relying on your freewheeling hubs locking as they ought to all the time you plan to run it like this.

If they're working reliably then there is nothing to suggest they won't continue to do so.

Kirkynut

The underdog often starts the fight, and occasionally the upper dog deserves to win - Edgar Watson Howe.

My Jimny Thread Here: www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum/8-my-ji...on-continues?start=0
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22 Mar 2018 09:37 #190725 by Scimike
Replied by Scimike on topic Front wheel drive
As above your jimny will be fine with this. Seen similar done on Series landrovers when the rear half shaft snaps.. it's not going to give your locking hubs any issues so long as they work.

Yokohama Geolanders, Sony head unit, NAUTILUS Air Horn, DRL conversion, Rear cargo space, Elvis Bobblehead, transfer Guard, Indian hanging Elephant, Koni Heavy track dampers, Custom SS exhaust, Voodoo Doll, Adventure Rack with LED ight bar, vintage ERIBA caravan usually attached (yes it's slow)

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22 Mar 2018 10:51 #190728 by Busta
Replied by Busta on topic Front wheel drive
It will be fine. Don't worry about the hubs taking the load, they are mechanically very strong.

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27 Mar 2018 15:50 #190917 by Dom
Replied by Dom on topic Front wheel drive
Thanks guys, I'll give it a go and see how it is.

The front hubs operate just fine but my concern was that they're designed to be left in the disengaged position, and prolonged use with them engaged may cause wear to the mechanism.
Hopefully I'll get it sorted before there are any issues...

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27 Mar 2018 19:18 #190928 by Stumpjumper
Replied by Stumpjumper on topic Front wheel drive
I've been driving around all week with the rear prop removed & 4wd selected to shed light on some resonance I've been suffering.
Apart from a tendency to torque steer like an RS Focus, the experience wasn't much different than normal. However I'm glad the props back on...having not solved the resonance probs.

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27 Mar 2018 20:58 #190936 by Busta
Replied by Busta on topic Front wheel drive

Dom wrote: The front hubs operate just fine but my concern was that they're designed to be left in the disengaged position, and prolonged use with them engaged may cause wear to the mechanism.
Hopefully I'll get it sorted before there are any issues...

There is no mechanism that wears when they are engaged. Prolonged use in front wheel drive will have no negative effect on the vacuum system.
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27 Mar 2018 21:32 #190938 by Dom
Replied by Dom on topic Front wheel drive

Stumpjumper wrote: I've been driving around all week with the rear prop removed & 4wd selected to shed light on some resonance I've been suffering.
Apart from a tendency to torque steer like an RS Focus, the experience wasn't much different than normal. However I'm glad the props back on...having not solved the resonance probs.


That leads into another train of thought I've also had relating to the 'death wobble'...
My Jimny starts shaking from the front end at about 65mph, and becomes really bad at about 85 (and I've had more out of it!*).
I've checked the tyre pressures and balancing, even put the rear wheels on the front (no change)
To be honest, as the fuel economy is so bad over 60 I don't generally push it that hard so it's not bothered me.
My Jimny is completely stock on the drive-train side, but with 70K on the clock there will probably be some age/mileage related slack in the linkage,so I was wondering how having the front wheels driven would affect that..
I'll give it a go and report back...

*On a side note if you're interested, I had in issue with the exhaust silencer fouling the tow bar bracket, so had it replaced by a 'custom/performance exhaust specialist', and lost the intake muffler after some accident damage so straight piped the intake, it goes like stink now!!!

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27 Mar 2018 21:35 #190939 by j999pre
Replied by j999pre on topic Front wheel drive
I've a rear diff for sale if you need one?

Other mechanical bits too from a 2002 that I broke.

Gold Jimny the best colour (sold) :(

Big red Jimny 32" tyres, arbs, cage 5:1 transfer etc. (Sold)

Grey pick up Jimny
Turbo m13a, arbs, floating rear shafts, disc conversion rear, vented front conversion. 245 70 16. Winch, 3" lift, 4:16 trans hd shafts and CVS
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16 Jul 2018 10:11 #194325 by Dom
Replied by Dom on topic Front wheel drive
OK, so the issue got shelved for a while as I was mostly using another vehicle, but I finally got around to looking at this at the weekend.

The problem was the CV at the transfer-box end of the rear prop, so it's running in front-wheel drive while I source a replacement.

I thought I'd put some comments up here though in case any of you are thinking of or are forced to do the same.

When only the front axle is driven the vehicle drives quite differently, it's quite clear that the front axle set-up is just not designed for on-road use, hence why Suzuki decided to make it RWD when on the road, not FWD or AWD.

Observations when in FWD:
Steering pulls to the centre under acceleration in low gears.
Body rolls (front sway bars are inadequate) under acceleration in low gears
Front wheels scrub when pulling away with steering on/near lock
Manoeuvring stability is reduced when under power.
Front diff gets rather warm

On a positive note, for just pootling around town it drives just fine, actually the FWD helps pull the front around tight manoeuvres nicely as long as you don't use too much power when doing so.

The only thing that bothers me is that I don't think the front diff is rated for use 'at speed' as such.
I drove it to work this morning in FWD, a 2 hour trip involving some 60MPH cruising, and the front diff was rather warm afterwards,
I could touch it but couldn't hold my hand on it for more than a few seconds.
This is probably OK but defo need to keep the top speed down, and avoid flooring it up hills I think...

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18 Jul 2018 22:37 #194438 by helijohn
Replied by helijohn on topic Front wheel drive
That's very interesting. I'd love it if it could be made FWD like peeps do with Freelanders. I wish the new Jimny would have had FWD as the primary drive.

Do it right - use Hammerite
When the blue light is flashing I am kidding.

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19 Jul 2018 04:07 #194440 by Lambert
Replied by Lambert on topic Front wheel drive
Sorry but I don't get this obsession with front wheel drive. Understeer, wrong. Torquesteer, wrong. Lift off oversteer, wrong. Wheel spin through weight transfer off the drive axle, wrong. Everything about front wheel drive in any car is wrong.

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