Is this true? Drive flanges needed for proper tcase lubrication?

On the 2A page, a member started a myth that you have to have drive flanges on your front axle in order to the transfer case to receive proper lubrication and that hubs are a big no no. Like on my '53, I drive it around all the time with the hubs unlocked and very seldom put it in 4WD, unless I use low range for parades. I don't agree with this at all. There are still gears spinning around at that end to slosh the oil around. I think the reason why Willys used drive flanges is so the 4WD is synchronized in high range.

Hopefully you guys here can shed some light on this?

 

That guy is full of garbage. All the drive flanges do is accelerate wear, lessen fuel economy, and make it so you don't have to lock in the hubs to have front drive. All the components effected in an 18 transfercase are submerged in oil anyway. The lubrication still travels just fine from the rear output turning.


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Thanks Nick. I was thinking the exact same thing. It didn't make any sense like you said, will all those parts being submerged in oil.


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I have to agree with Nickmil, I can't think of a single reason that would be true.

 

Maybe he doesn't mean the transfer case?

I could see how unlocking the hubs would not allow lubrication in the knuckles. Drive flanges would force the u-joints in the knuckles to spin, and lubricate them.

 

No, it was definitely the transfer case he was talking about. I guess when he took his transfer case apart to rebuild it, there was some bushing or something that was really worn out and he blamed the hubs being unlocked for it wearing out.

 

There is a bushing in the rear output shaft that the pilot if the front output shaft rides in when in a mode the two shafts need to turn at different speeds (I.e 2 wheel drive).
There also are oiling passages for this bushing and the whole assembly is submerged in oil (assuming the transfercase is at the proper level).
Nate, I read that guy's post. He is apparently has not closely looked at the design of the transfercase parts. I think after 60 plus years of locking hub use on these Jeeps if it were an issue it would have shown up and locking hubs would not be so prevalent. Also, using drive flanges does accelerate wear. Of the axle and driveshaft u-joints, front differential bearings and gears, spindle bushings/bearings, etc. having all that being driven all the time how could there not be extra drag and wear?
Drive flanges were simply a vestige of the WW2 Military Jeeps when locking hubs were neither wanted or needed. Remember, the life expectancy of those vehicles was very short. Plus locking hubs for Jeeps weren't even invented until the late 40's or early 50's when Arthur Warn manufactured a set. And the first sets werent even true locking hubs. They were basically a set of drive flanges without the splines.

It's far more likely his transfer case was run low on oil at some point and that caused his issues.

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It is true that the top bearing in a closed knuckle axle relies on a turning axle to fling lube up to it. This can be achieved by simply locking in the hubs on a regular basis. The transfer case however has no need as long as it is maintained at the proper level.

 

The guy mis-spoke.

It isn't the TC that is effected, it is the differential gears.
With flanges the gears are always turning while the vehicle is in motion,and always have gear oil on them. And if you have unlocked locking hubs the gears don't turn, so no oil is splashed around to lub the gears, spiders, bushings and all.

That is why you should get out and lock in your hubs for a mile or two or maybe three a couple of times a month to get that gear oil circulating and lubing everything up in side the differential case.

 

Why do you need to lube your gears if they are not in use? If you pack your knuckle bearings you wont have to relie on Knuckle lube to be flinged up there. If you havent had it locked in for a long time and were going to inter a mudpit were you would be going all out it would be a good to lock it in and drive a ways in 4wheel drive.I have owned and worked on several 4x4 and the bigest thing is a bad seal or something that lets all lube out.

 

There are posts about not towing your jeep around with one axle on the ground, referencing this bushing as the place that will take all the abuse. Is this a concern with a properly filled case? Seems like the only difference between driving around in 2WD with hubs out and towing with front wheels up, is the transfer case gears are still rotating in 2wd but not when towing.

 

Exactly. Just pack them like you would a wheel bearing with wheel bearing grease; then pump the knuckles full of chasis lube.
The rest will be taken care of on its own.

 

It is recommended for all four wheel drive vehicles to periodically drive them with either the hubs locked in but transfer case in 2 wheel drive or the transfercase locked in and the hubs in the free position. Condensation and acids build up in all the gear boxes. This heats up the oil and grease in all the gear boxes to help lubricate the components and helps the condensation and acids to be dispelled.


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