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You are here: Home / 4wd Vehicles / Free Wheeling Hubs: Even Toyota Dealers Seem Confused.

Free Wheeling Hubs: Even Toyota Dealers Seem Confused.

Published June 23, 2014 By Mick Farmer

It seems even  Toyota dealers are confused about the benefits of Free Wheeling Hubs.  I guess I will not be coming off this soap box any time soon.

A client of ours asked the Toyota dealer if it would be possible to have their Toyota Landcruiser 70 series delivered without Free Wheeling Hubs fitted.

Toyota Free Wheeling Hubs
Toyota Free Wheeling Hubs

This was the reply:

… All Toyota Landcruiser 70 series delivered by Toyota Motors Co. to Sub-Saharan markets are factory fitted with free wheeling front hubs which is the original specification approved by TOYOTA … considers it as more efficient and more reliable system on those specific markets rather than fixed hubs. Having front hubs disengaged when 4×4 drive is not necessary will reduce fuel consumption as well as half front drive shafts and bearings wearing …

My Soap Box

The Toyota dealers are grabbing the wrong end of the stick.

  • It has been found that running hubs free on road infrastructures that are poor cause non-moving parts to vibrate and wear flat spots in bearings and gears which gives issues when you go to use the front axle.
  • Plus the fact that the important parts don’t get any lubrication when they don’t turn, also leading to possible future related problems.
  • ICRC and all the MSFs run their 70 series without free wheeling hubs fitted.  If they get any donated to them, then they retrofit or self tap.

So, lots of pros for LOCK and very few for FREE.

  • Free would be good on the Autobahn for instance. I would agree then that there would be a possible fuel saving … but maybe not on the M25.

But I have to ask – does anyone in Sub-Sahara buy a 2T Toyota Landcruiser 70 series because they want to be economical with fuel consumption?  If that was a priority, wouldn’t a saloon car be more suitable?

I guess the only real solution without self-tapping, would be to convince the drivers to check they are locked as part of pre-driving inspections.

The debate continues. To free or not to free?

Related

Filed Under: 4wd Vehicles Tagged With: 4wd, free wheeling hubs

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About Mick Farmer

For the last 20 years, I have been the lead trainer /director for OnCourse. Have played a leading role in developing their courses into, probably, the best off road training courses, globally.

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