The Four-Wheeler's Bible by Jim Allen

Author:Jim Allen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Motorbooks
Published: 2021-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

FRONT AXLE WEAK LINKS:

Up front, the axle universal joints and sometimes the locking hubs are weak points on solid-axle rigs. For IFS-equipped vehicles, the CV joints may be the first item to go. Other weak links would include the CAD axle disconnect devices on both solid and IFS front axles, not so much from breakage as from engagement problems.

As for coolers, an oil-to-air cooler can knock off a good deal of heat. If you live in a warm climate, mount the new cooler so that the radiator (oil-to-water) cooler outlet feeds into the oil-to-air unit and then returns back to the transmission. If you live in a consistently cool or cold climate, reverse this so the outgoing oil from the trans enters the oil-to-air cooler first and then feeds back into the radiator cooler. This prevents overcooling in cold weather, which is also detrimental over the long term.

In tests I found that the factory radiator oil cooler on my old Blazer could knock at least 40 degrees off trans oil temp. With a medium-sized oil-to-air cooler, another 50 degrees of capacity was added. Bear in mind, though, that an oil-to-air cooler’s efficiency is relative to ambient air temp and airflow. It is more efficient on cooler days and with more airflow.

Traction-Aiding Differentials. The most logical first step here is a rear limited-slip or locker. A “loose” limited-slip or an on-demand locker meets the demands of day-to-day driving. A limited-slip with really smooth characteristics on the street, however, would be easily overcome in rough terrain. In mild terrain, especially where traction is relatively even for both tires (i.e., no lifted tires, radical side-to-side weight transfer, or one tire on solid ground and the other in goo), a limited-slip would be an acceptable choice. Brake pedal modulation to encourage lockup would be a useful technique in this case. Also, a set of wider, stickier tires would be an asset, holding off tire slip as long as possible.

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