100 Series Part Time Kit

[mr nismo]

Has Anyone Fitted A Part Time 4wd Kit To A 100 Series Petrol?
Does It Save Much Fuel And Does It Improve The Way It Drives?
Also Where Do You Get The Kits From, How Much Do They Cost And Are They Hard To Fit?

[90 Cruiser]

Mr Nismo,
I've got an 80 with all wheel drive. Was mentioning to a friend with a 100 series petrol that I was thinking about the conversion and he advised against it. He had done his 100 and was looking to change it back to all wheel drive, mainly from a handling point of view. Don't know about the economy side of things.
90 Cruiser

[HDJ105]

If you are looking at fitting a part time kit purely for the fuel savings then forget about it and put the $800 in the fuel kitty. From previous discussions in other groups any savings will be minimal - <5%, as much as inflating the tyres to 40psi.

Depending on the model (live axle or IFS) if you have ABS then I don't believe you can legally fit the kit as it will disable the ABS - check with your insurance co.

Marks 4WD (http://www.marks4wd.com/products/part-time-4wd/lc-80SERIESPT4WD.html)

http://www.marks4wd.com/images/products/Part%20Time%20Kit/MFK1210-100.JPG

[mr nismo]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have been led to beleive that it would save more fuel than that, and the abs issue, well I didnt know there was an issue with that.
It is a live axle model and does have abs.
I guess im lucky I drive a Patrol!

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

I've had a few part-time converted vehicles on various tours, and mostly they felt that any fuel savings were minor (if any at all), there were handling improvements only off the bitumen, but the major gains were in the reduction of wear. Most either had worn out or almost worn out the centre diff and installed the Part Time Conversion rather than repair the centre diff! Not one of them considered returning to Constant 4WD, everyone I've asked has felt they are better off, but that the advertised savings were minimal except in the area of reduced wear and off road handling!

From that sort of response and our discussions whilst on the various trips, I've come to the conclusion that lots of Constant 4WD drivers, particularly drivers of Jap constant 4WD's, don't actually realise that until they LOCK the centre diff, they aren't really in 4WD!! Only when that centre diff is locked are they in the same state as the Part time 4WD's after selecting 4H!! And it is thru running without the centre diff locked in conditions that really warrant locking it that most of the damaging wear occurs!

So if you are prone to just driving off the bitumen and not LOCKing the centre diff, consider the extra wear that you are imposing on your centre diff, and consider that you really aren't even driving a wheel at each end! Without the centre diff locked, you are really only driving ONE wheel at any given instant, 'cos the centre diff, (being an open diff) will only drive the easiest wheel (well, END) to turn, the front or the rear, and the cross axle being driven will also only drive the easiest wheel to turn! ONE wheel drive at any given instant!! Yep, and it can change which wheel is being driven as many as 60 times a second, but at any given instant, only ONE wheel drive! It is the choice of driving any one of FOUR wheels that gives the extra stability and road holding of constant 4WD. BUT it needs you to LOCK the Centre diff to get the full traction gains of real 4WD, where you will be driving at least one rear wheel and one front wheel (lockers and working LSD's give it even more drive!)

Food for thought! I wonder how much of the track damage that is frequently blamed on people remaining in 2WD instead of using 4WD should really be blamed on constant 4WD Drivers NOT selecting that Centre Diff Lock feature, leaving wheels spinning where they should be driving?