Stu46

Hi All

Can you get free wheel hubs for a standard XJ with alloys or do you need different wheels etc?

Stuart

Rock Toy

Are asking about lock out hubs? Never heard of anyone giving away hubs.

Stu46

Hi

Sorry in the UK they are called free wheeling hubs like these, but do they do them for the XJ

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MITSUBISHI-DEL...item439af4abb7

Stuart

93SVT

your talking about a set of manual lockouts, so that your not turning the front axle and driveshaft when running down the road in 2 wheel drive. This is the only complaint I have about my jeep. If anyone makes a set of lockouts I would buy them. They would pay for themselves in about 7 tanks of fuel.

Rock Toy

I don't know who makes them but you can buy lock out hub conversions. I think they are about 800.00 a set.
Google search Dana 30 lock out hub conversion. WARN makes them

4.3L XJ

That is a good question due to location. In the US I could go to the wrecking yard and use Ford Ranger parts and make it happen and not have to change wheels. If they have those small pickups in the UK, you could investigate it. Otherwise, there is a kit available in the states for about $1000

Jamie57

More info on this please!!! What years etc.
I only use the 4 wheel option occasionally and think this is a fantastic idea. Rotating all the mass of the front end has to be a huge parasitic loss on gas milage. When I truly need 4 wheel drive I can get my lazy *** out of the truck and turn a couple of *****

4.3L XJ

Jamie, I see that you have a 242 transfer case. This would only work with the 231 tcase because you have full time 4WD. I don't know exact years, but it would be the 80s Rangers with the D30 front axles. You would need the knuckles, spindles brakes, stub shafts and hub assemblies. One thing to do on your 98 which has the larger axle ujoints is check for compatibility there.

93SVT

In my previous years of driving a 84 Ford Bronco with a 4.9l inline 6, If I left my hubs locked in and drove around in 2 wheel It would take my MPG from 13 down to 8-9!

On my 97 XJ the parts are a little smaller and lighter, but your still turning everything when it's not nessicary.... Horrible design IMO.

I have been tossing around the idea of just simply pulling the front shafts out for the summer. I drive 80 miles of highway every day and almost never use the 4 wheel drive in the summer. For the couple hours of work involved, it might be worth it seeing I use my jeep as a DD back and forth to work. I am seeing around 18 MPG with the AC off driving like an old man. 4.0 Has 161k miles New plugs Wires Cap Rotor Air Filter 180* t-stat New Aluminum radiator and 235/75/15 tires on stock wheels.

I bet if I wasn't turning the front axle I would at least see around 21-22 MPG

MORE INFO ON JUNKYARD CONVERSIONS PLEASE!

93SVT

Also forgot to mention that when I bought my 97 XJ last fall the front U joints at the knuckles were a little loose. I had some bad Death Wobble and my jeep is not lifted. I was not aware of death wobble at the time but thought to replace these u joints because they were probably the cause of the imbalance, well I was right. I replaced the U joints at the spindles and Death Wobble was cured. So this constant turning of the front axle is the cause of DW in the first place right? If everything is tight what else would be causing the DW?? It would have to be ether horribly out of balance wheels or loose front axle U joints right? I want to lift my jeep an inch or 2 in the front and 3 in the rear to level it off, but I am leary of doing it now after all the DW info I see on here. My jeep is a lil Rusty and probably not structurally sound to start lifting it and over stressing the unican.

Jamie57

I must have the wrong info on my profile. I DEFINATLY do not have full time 4WD. it's got to be the 231 case with the 2H 4PT 4FT 4LO shifter and it indeed works like that. So I can't use my XJ's brakes. Crap just put new everything on it. Actually I had the smaller ujoints for some reason and I just stole the axles out of my 91 with ABS which had new joints in it. Much bigger joints. the 297 I think. Will the ranger axles work?

4.3L XJ

That shift pattern is for the 242 tcase. But you can make sure by looking on the tag on the back of it. It will have the low range ratio and the number of the case. As far as the ujoints go, I don't know since I have not researched it that far. The Ranger design is better than the unit bearing, but not as strong as the old school D30 stuff which is very strong, so I didn't go any farther with it.

Jamie57

OK now your confusing the crap outa me.
You said earlier the 242 is full time 4WD
I know for a fact it does not have full time 4WD. I also know what my shifter looks like and how it works. It can't be both. When I get some time I'll crawl under there and look. But I'll bet you $20 it's not full time.

When you say old school, how old? Would a Scout have a D30 in it with the proper stuff?

4.3L XJ

The last version of a Scout had a D44 front and rear. A good find for an XJ. But yes much stronger. The earlier version had a D27, which would definitely be a step down.

4.3L XJ

The "4FT" means full time 4WD