anyone drive around without the front axle connected?

[flekz]

i know the axle go into the tranny and the tranny fluid can leak out...but has anyone tried this on an x5 because i know of alot of people who do this to there jeep cherokee's for summer... save gas and have that nice rwd effect... im thinking about doing this... of course with something preventing the fluid from leaking out

[swissfrank]

on a '01 all the power to drive the wheels would disappear out the disconnected front shaft. Fluid won't leak out if you disconnect the front drive shaft from the transfer case.

[FSETH]

I have never tried this or even heard of it and I would have to suggest you don't try it.

[motordavid]

OP: You're kidding, right? ...

[skippybigballs]

Originally Posted by FSETH

I have never tried this or even heard of it and I would have to suggest you don't try it.

[flekz]

well considering i do mechanic work on the side and know of alot of people who do this... it would sound common to me but not common to others... and why would u suggest i dont try it? cause no one has ever done it before? i guess its so common for everyone to do as there told so they follow... ok just wanted to see if anyone tried it... i'll let u know how it works when i do it next week... thanks

[BMWLOVER]

Yup let us know how it works out. Seems interesting.

[Tainui]

Its pointless. You may be thinking of efficiency but the transfer case still has the drag of its gears and you're still pushing the front differential gears. You won't see any real benefit worth the effort.

But I'm guessing you're more interested in putting all the power to the rear wheels only...for some other purpose? Just be sure to shoot lots of video.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by flekz

well considering i do mechanic work on the side and know of alot of people who do this... it would sound common to me but not common to others... and why would u suggest i dont try it? cause no one has ever done it before? i guess its so common for everyone to do as there told so they follow... ok just wanted to see if anyone tried it... i'll let u know how it works when i do it next week... thanks

Not trying to be mean or offend anyone here, but that just sounds like a bad idea and a waste of time/money regardless of your mechanical capability, IMO. You know a lot of "Jeep Cherokee" people who do this, but why would you want to alter the way one of the best handling SUV's drives so drastically by removing the drive to the front wheels? The handling on the X5 is far superior than any Jeep Cherokee.

I am fairly capable of doing mechanical repairs and I know many people who are more capable than I and I would venture to say that none of them would recommend doing this to a perfectly good X5. Not only is it pointless, but you are taking a chance doing some sort of damage or causing something else to break that you weren't expecting. Sh!t just happens when doing things like this that aren't proven on a particular vehicle. Just because this has been done on Cherokees doesn't mean you will have the same results on an X5. It is a completely different car. I was just trying to help.

I am not a follower, I just don't do dumb, pointless mods to my car just to say I am thinking outside the box. You said "I know a lot of people who do this" so it sounds like you are the follower my friend. To each his own though. Have fun doing it and let us know the vin number so nobody here accidentally buys your X when you go to sell it.

[RRD]

I don't own an X5 (yet), but is it driftable with 4WD?
I've been told it has 75% power on the rear wheels?

Edit: Because I think that's the only reason the TS wants to have all the power on the rear wheels...