Hello to Mike and others....it's been a while since I've visited the forum.

Before I attempt to act on what could be a bad idea, I thought I’d check in with the forum.

I used to own an all-time 4wd Cherokee and, in the summer months, I’d remove the front driveshaft. I do a lot of highway driving and running the makeshift rwd would improve the smoothness/load at high speed as well as shave down gas consumption slightly. The only drawback was that the vehicle would not be fully secured in park……requiring use of the e-bake.

The aforementioned Jeep was a beater so, again, before I even consider applying the same logic to my 2000 Disco, I thought I should hear the negative ramifications, if any, from those who’d know better.

Any info is appreciated.

Thanks

 

Not a good idea for prologned driving imo, fine if your shaft is out for rebuilding / road testing etc, but the Disco is a 4x4 and thats the way it needs to stay.

You would also need to have the CDL locked all time as you will go no where. I dont think you will gain much from having it in 2wd either. Just my thoughts on it.

 

I drove my DII without the front shaft for a few weeks until I could get the shaft rebuilt. I got about 1 more mpg. According to some people on here you will destroy the rotoflex.

 

Interesting...

it appears that one critical point "may" have been missed! Even if no damage were to be caused by removing the front drive shaft....your fuel mileage is only going to be increased by a whisker

Because

You are STILL turning the complete front axle assembly

Unless you've got locking front hubs you can not disengage the axle - so you are pushing your vehicle around using the rear axle only

Something to think about

 

Those answers are enough to keep me from doing it.

Thanks guys.....appreciated.

 

Not a good idea, it wont save you any MPG and it will speed up the wear in your rear diff.
Or your front diff if you removed the rear shaft. (you would have the only front wheel drive Disco though)

 

as long as you baby accelerating i think you'd be fine.. ( in regards to rotoflex damage)

 

It isn't so much the rotoflex as the rear diff. The diffs are smaller because it is full time 4X4. You are putting twice the strain on a smaller diff. It will wear out 2X faster.

 

one more thing, when the front shaft was out and I would accelerate or decelerate the front diff would make a loud pop..did not sound good.