MTGunNut

What I mean is, since there is no lokcing hubs, how does the front axle connect? For instance, On my Jeep YJ it uses A CAD system. Does dodge still do this?

Raspy

The front wheels are always connected to the front axle shafts (no hubs). The axle shafts are always connected to the front differential. The front differential is connected to the rear diff, and the engine, at the transfer case. They are just locked together at the case for 4 WD, or unlocked for two wheel drive. Everything is always turning, but the front end is only connected to the rear, and the engine, when in 4WD.

Wetspirit

DrDiesel

The only problem with this setup is, your alway`s running the diff., axles and front drive shaft. The front diff. has no locker. So if your truck has no LTD Slip rear diff. and you shift into 4x4 what you have in reality is, one front and one rear wheel that drive. If you have a LTD Slip rear diff., then you can get 3 wheel drive. both rear and one front.
For $600.00 they sell a front diff. with an electric lockup that will make both fronts drive. This is as close as you can get to a real 4x4 without changing your axles. The rear diff. LTD Slip works OK but this style of lockup is limited, you can force it to operate by brake application to lock it. I find it works good for what I use my truck for. Heavy Diesel`s really don`t make good off road trucks, but will work great for the average user. Eventually I`m going to get the front diff. locker kit. $600.00 is a good price for the carrier, ring and pinion with electric lockup less the harness and switch.

Raspy

DrDiesel,

There is no such thing as 3 wheel drive on these trucks. Do your homework on differential design. Open diffs ALWAYS have EQUAL torque to each wheel. One can be spinning and one can be stopped, but they are putting EQUAL torque to the ground.

Lockers have equal speed at the wheels but different torque. One wheel in the air turning with no torque to the ground, and one on a rock with heavy torque pulling the truck along.

Wetspirit

jrussell

With a true locker, both wheels receive the same amount of torque. The only difference is there is no slip allowed between the two like there is with a differenetial. The wheels are "locked" together.

No such thing as 3wd?? Go get stuck and you'll see exactly what he meant!

DieselDo

so how does the chevy 4x4 work different than dodge.on my last truck 04 chevy D/Max it had a locking diff code was G80 if I recall. to be honest I think the chevy 4x4 was better, but I haven't much call to use the 4x4 on the dodge,but I have been in some situations where I thought the chevy would have done better. these were not off road situations but at muddy constuction sites.

rustyshakelford

anyone have a link for the $600 elocker? i think that would be a pretty inexpensive mod to make the old girl get around some soft land a little better

brett

DrDiesel

The G80 spec is a governor activated locker for the rear diff.
It activates when the wheel speed of the rear diff. change from on wheel to the other. This is a true locker setup. But it`s for the rear diff. only.
The G80 will not let the wheels rotate separately. One can be on a roller and one on pavement and it will pull forward, where others will not. On the Dodge you need to activate the LTD Slip with brake application to engage the lockup for that same situation.

chucktuna

Yea, I'd like to see this....now if I could only get one for the rear

chas

DrDiesel

I think you may wish to retract that statement. Get your truck stuck and you`ll find out about 3 wheel drive. That is if you have a LTD Slip rear diff., other wise it`s 1x1 wheel drive. Try it, you`ll hate it...
I have done my home work on diff. design, repair and overhaul.
I`ve even done some field testing to prove my statements are correct.
Now maybe you should take your own advise. Also add the field testing to the book work, and report back to us with your findings and data. Let the education begin. That is All.

Festus

I can't speak for the '07 yet, but I can for my '98. Ask my brother how many times his chebby was hooked by a tow strap to the back end of a Dodge no less, or winched backwards out of a situation, around hunting camp and wet fields on the farm.

Everytime he speaks of my slushbox tranny issues in the '98, I just remind him of his chevy 4x4 capability - yes, he had MT tires.

Raspy

Imagine one wheel off the ground and one wheel on the ground with a locked differential. Now drive forward using the traction of the wheel on the ground. The wheel that is moving the vehicle is transfering ALL the torque to the ground while the other wheel just spins in the air (at the same speed). Now, how can you say both axle shafts are transfering equal torque? They are not. So I say again, locked diff means equal speed and unequal torque.

In an open diff with one wheel off the ground and one wheel on the ground, the wheel off the ground will spin and the vehicle goes nowhere because both wheels experience EQUAL torque. One is spinning and one is not , but they are applying an equal force to the ground. And either wheel can be off the ground and spin. Open diff means EQUAL torque to each wheel but not equal speed.

The bottom line is: Open diff means equal torque and unequal speed.
Locked diff means equal speed and unequal torque.

These trucks do not have three wheel drive. They have open front diffs that will spin one front wheel while applying equal torque to both front wheels at different speeds.

For further information and diagrams you can look up "differential" on Wikipedia, or Google it, and see how this marvelous machine works.

Wetspirit

fredbert

While it is possible for a 4X4 to have 3 of the 4 wheels spinning at the same time, especially with an anti-spin rear differential, that is not "3 wheel drive", mechanically. Wetspirit knows his differentials.

DieselDo

I"m dumb, so how do I do that exactly?

redeyedracer

Dr.DI agree with Fred, this has been debated to death before and Wetspirit's explination is correct, however I believe that some people may be confused by the difference between "torque" and "power". Hopefully someone more articulate and patient than I will come along and clear things up for you and others...or better yet research it ur-self.

As for the G80 or "gov-loc", it is a real locker, but like mentioned before in this thread it opperates like an open diff until engaged by wheel speed differences. Which brings me back to Dr.Diesels imaginary "one tire on a roller and one tire on pavement" senario with the g80 "locking" diff you would be spinning the tire on the rollers until the locker engages making a bang and lanching the truck forward, they are good units for emergencies but not the best for real offroad use.
Ohh yeah Dr.D I also got my 06 stuck on new years, it has the LSD in the rear and I still had only 1 front and 1 rear tire spinning even with brake modulation!!!!(I had it twisted up crossing a deep rut). My point is that a limited slip diff. will not give you what you would call "true 3 wheel drive". Maybe do a little more research before you try to call people out.