emergency FWD

[hudlenutz]

My buddy has a 60 series land cruiser.  He put an arb in the rear, but didn't replace the crush sleeve spacer when he removed his pinion to clean the housing/replace seals.

To make a long story short, he knows he needs to rebuild his rear end again, but he wants to pick up his girlfriend at the airport, and doesn't have time to tear into it.

I thought he could pull the rear shaft and go in front wheel drive.

Is that something that's ok to do, or am I cracked out.

...seem to remember a post about Big Mike running the freeway in FWD with the newest marlin rear disconnect box.

Thanx

[brainlessfool]

It can be done. don't know of any bad side affects.

[BLUCRUZ]

It's still going to be turning so it would be risky. Personally, I wouldn't do it. 

[86 4runner]

be a good friend and take him

[84runner]

Do not do it. It will wear the pinion bearings and could let it drift into the ARB housing, past the ring gear. Not a good ideal to run in front wheel cause the back is still turning .  The pinion bearings need to have the proper preload on them. If you friend plans on doing the gears himself and does not know this maybe he shouldn't be setting his gears up. Not trying to be a smart 

[BigMike]

Yup, even with the rear driveline off, the differential and the pinion will still be turning..

How much play is there on the pinion? If we are correct to assume that it doesnt have the correct preload, then I guess it just depends on how unloded it really is.

Maybe if you can not move the pinion in or out by hand then its ok? I dont suppose the bearings would overheat if it was just a bit loose?

The harm could be that if the pinion is loose enough to move sideways, then it could bind with the ring gear and break some teeth.. But I think it would have to be pretty loose for that to happen...

[BigMike]

and could let it drift into the ARB housing, past the ring gear.

Im not saying thats impossible, it could very well happen, but if the flange is on correctly and torqued down and the tang is hammered over into the slot on the pinion, then the pinion isnt going anywhere, even if the bearings wear out.

However, since their is no preload, what is the flange bottoming out onto? Would the flange be enough to affectively preload the pinion since its pulling the pinion into the bearing, which is pressing against the crush sleeve, which is pushing against the 2nd bearing and its race? (I might be wrong on this as I've never rebuilt a diff before)

I guess if its not preloaded, then it could vibrate and cause the flange to come loose and then the nut could walk itself off.

[84runner]

I'm just giving worse case scenario.  But in no way should he drive it down the road like this, if it was on the trail and you had to get out that is a different story.

[kyle_22r]

there isn't going to be any load on the pinion, it'll be perfectly fine.  my rear end blew up last year(sheared 3 pinion teeth ) and i drove it around in front wheel drive.  it definitely didn't make the noise that it was making when i had the rear driveshaft attached.

[84runner]

there isn't going to be any load on the pinion, it'll be perfectly fine.  my rear end blew up last year(sheared 3 pinion teeth ) and i drove it around in front wheel drive.  it definitely didn't make the noise that it was making when i had the rear driveshaft attached.

But the pinion and pinion bearings will still be rotating with uot the proper preload on them.  this will subjuect the bearings to improper wear and could over heat them or make the pinion start to walk in or out. This is worse case scenario and it's not my ride so what the hell put her to the wood tell the vavles float and side step the clutch tell you start rolling smoke 

[hudlenutz]

Thanks for all the opinions guys. 

I agreed with '86 4Runner, and I offered to let the guy drive my truck, but he turned me down.  He's going to drive his cruiser in FWD for about three hours at highway speeds.  I showed him this post, so he knows what he might be getting into.  Looks like Darwin will prevail.  I'll let you know how it went when he gets back.

[kyle_22r]

my dad blew up the 9" in his f150 about 25 years ago, drove it in front wheel drive all the way to asotin to the house we live in today in olympia, about a 7 hour drive

[donkeykong]

BORROW SOMEONE ELSES CAR!!!!!