Rolling resistance in the front axle

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tobyd

tobyd

Member
Posts
88
Location
Brighouse West Yorks
Hello,

I'm trying to reduce the resistance in the LR which I feel will be reducing mpg and working the engine a bit harder.
I have adjusted the brakes on the rear axle so there is little resistance from the brakes (can't quite seem to get none) and also tried to do the fronts.
The front wheels seem a lot less free to spin (with the FWH unlocked) than I would hope. What can I do to make them spin more freely preferably without pulling the whole thing apart? Do the AVM hubs need lubbing or servicing?

Any other tricks to reduce rolling resistance in the transmission/drivetrain?

Cheers
Toby
 
Im more than sure there are more experienced than me on here but I have been doing a lot of work on my wheels and brakes this last month. I dont have any drag on the front wheels at all. With the FWHs unlocked and a wheel jacked up I can get at least one full spin without much of a push.

What model is it?
 
Bobsticle said:
Im more than sure there are more experienced than me on here but I have been doing a lot of work on my wheels and brakes this last month. I dont have any drag on the front wheels at all. With the FWHs unlocked and a wheel jacked up I can get at least one full spin without much of a push.

What model is it?
Click to expand...

Its a series 2a front axle. Takes a good push to get a full spin
 
Some years ago a 4x4 mag did some tests on the benefits of free wheel hubs, initial rolling resistance is 10 lb greater with them engaged, less as vehicle is moving
Sounds good but as there is more than a ton of air pressure[drag] on the front of a landy going 50MPH is it worth having them for anything other than something to stand on to look in the engine bay?
 
I would also be looking at over tight wheel bearings. Bite the bullet drop the oil to see if it is like sludge and strip the hubs. They are an easy thing to do, get new tab washers and a 2"/52mm box spanner for the nuts. Don't over tighten, whilst you are in there change all the oil seals/gaskets and clean up the brakes. Change out of £30 for the job.
 
Think I will do that as got a week off at the end of the month. Did the rear bearings when swapped to later back plates.
Will get the parts ordered in plenty of time.
 
Don't forget that spinning one Landy wheel is not truly indicative of the actual rolling resistance. If you're comparing it with a normal car it will seem a lot.

For one thing, initially you're overcoming the inertia of all the bits (including heavier and larger diameter wheels), so a truer measure is how hard it is to keep it spinning.

More significantly you're also making the diff work, which is making the other wheel spin backwards, and/or turning the propshaft. In the real world your diff isn't doing anything like that much.
 
Well I had the front drums off and all seems ok. the drums are a tight fit over the shoes even with no turn on the adjusters. The hub does spin more freely without the drum in place so they must be causing the extra drag. The shoes, springs and cylinders are all new and seem to be working fine.
The rear wheels are running freer after some adjustment to the brakes.
I am running the tyres at 25psi to improve the ride so might try 30psi now the LR is in regular use and the springs have loosened up a little.
Thanks for the advice.
 
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