Why did Ford go to the live axle setup?
#1
#2
A live-axle (also called solid-axle, beam, or dead-axle) suspension is an automobile suspension that uses a single-piece axle to connect the front or rear wheels, side-to-side. This contrasts with an independent suspension (IRS) design which uses constant velocity joints to link the wheels, allowing the wheel on one side to move vertically while the other does not.
Live-axle is considered inferior to independent suspension because the drive components (shafts, gears, etc) are part of the suspension and move with it, thus greatly increasing unsprung weight and decreasing traction. Until the 1980s it was the most common form of driving axle found in the average rear-wheel drive car.
A typical live axle consists of a solid tube with a central casing containing the differential, with the wheels mounted on each end of the tube. The drive shafts (for driven wheels) run inside the tubes. The whole assembly is connected to the vehicle body or chassis by links and springs. Because the axle follows the road, with the vehicle body moving above it, drive is supplied to the axle via a swinging propeller shaft and universal joints. While relatively cheap to manufacture due to its simplicity, its weight (which is part of a vehicle's unsprung weight) can lead to handling problems.
credit given to www.madabout-kitcars.com
Live-axle is considered inferior to independent suspension because the drive components (shafts, gears, etc) are part of the suspension and move with it, thus greatly increasing unsprung weight and decreasing traction. Until the 1980s it was the most common form of driving axle found in the average rear-wheel drive car.
A typical live axle consists of a solid tube with a central casing containing the differential, with the wheels mounted on each end of the tube. The drive shafts (for driven wheels) run inside the tubes. The whole assembly is connected to the vehicle body or chassis by links and springs. Because the axle follows the road, with the vehicle body moving above it, drive is supplied to the axle via a swinging propeller shaft and universal joints. While relatively cheap to manufacture due to its simplicity, its weight (which is part of a vehicle's unsprung weight) can lead to handling problems.
credit given to www.madabout-kitcars.com
#3
#4
found this on a website makes a little sense
"In Fords wisdom that knowing eventually the hub seals or the vacuum won't work they gave you a overiding way of getting the hubs to work.
Some people will tell you that the manual hub is there because if your already stuck. in a snow bank or ditch.You need to have movement to alow the system to shift into 4wh.If that is the case then you get out and lock the hubs.
ESOF can be a bad thing or a good thing depends on when it works".
"In Fords wisdom that knowing eventually the hub seals or the vacuum won't work they gave you a overiding way of getting the hubs to work.
Some people will tell you that the manual hub is there because if your already stuck. in a snow bank or ditch.You need to have movement to alow the system to shift into 4wh.If that is the case then you get out and lock the hubs.
ESOF can be a bad thing or a good thing depends on when it works".
#5
#6
#7
actually it does not lower MPG enough to even matter. your foot does most of the MPG stuff.
it has been proven to not wear the parts any faster either. moving that fluid all the time and turning the CVs are keeping them loose, free and well oiled.
live axle isnt that bad, and i think PVH stinks. now if it was a true manual hubs that would be awesome.
it has been proven to not wear the parts any faster either. moving that fluid all the time and turning the CVs are keeping them loose, free and well oiled.
live axle isnt that bad, and i think PVH stinks. now if it was a true manual hubs that would be awesome.
#9
#10
#11
Then it was discovered that the PVH hubs could be modified and locked in permanently (removing vacuum from the equation), essentially putting them on par with the '01+ "live axle" setup. This helped to ease the anxiety of many a PVH Ranger owner.
Then, after a very long wait and many broken promises and false alarms, the AVM replacement hubs from Brazil finally became available here in the US. Which means that nowadays a '98-'00 4WD Ranger owner has the option of going with a "true" live axle/manual hub setup.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post