Chaos Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Hi Guys, I have just purchased a 1974 series 3 Light weight and would like to fit free wheeling hubs to the front, I am looking at 2 different sellers on fleabay one is selling 10 spline fwh and one is selling 24 spline fwh and I am unsure which the vehicle has, can any one help me, Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddypaws Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 I asked Craddock's last time they advertised some because I was thinking about it. They advised me that it is 24 spline on a lightweight. It may be best to check with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPR Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Hi Guys,I have just purchased a 1974 series 3 Light weight and would like to fit free wheeling hubs to the front, I am looking at 2 different sellers on fleabay one is selling 10 spline fwh and one is selling 24 spline fwh and I am unsure which the vehicle has, can any one help me, Many thanks Unless the differentials and halfshafts on your ltwt have been modified to a later 24 spline set up (in which case the axles will protrude out from the hub and wheel) you have 10 spline half shafts. That much I am sure of. Of course, if they have been replaced with regular Series halfshafts, they will also protrude and still be 10 spline. As I recall, ltwt halfshafts are narrower than regular Series halfshafts, such that while you can replace ltwt halfshafts with Series halfshafts (and they will protrude) you cannot use ltwt halfshafts on a regular Series truck. The point being, it is my belief that you cannot fit fwh to the ltwt halfshaft because the stub axle is shorter than a regular series stub axle (they had to be narrower for air portability) and closer to flush with the wheel. I could be wrong on this and you should most definitely seek corroboration from others. If that is correct, it is no great issue, but you will need to replace the front halfshafts with regular series 10 spline halfshafts and can then use 10 spline fwh. Again, please wait for corroboration from others before acting on the advice above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Hancock Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Std lightweight half shafts are 10 spline at the diff and 24 spline in the flat ended flanges. The only difference for the narrower vehicle was the outer end of the shaft and the flat ended flanges, complete civvy shafts and flanges will replace complete lwt pattern assemblies. To fit FWH's to a lightweight with the flat flanges is easy as i did quite a few sets when in the trade, you need 24 spline FWH(with the spirolux ring fitted in the spline bore), install as normal on the hubs, retain the shafts into the hubs with a heavy mudguard washer on the center boss and 1/4"BSF(IIRC) HT bolts loctited in the shaft end. If the flanges are normal civvy appearance then its as the enclosed instructions will show that come with the FWH. With civvy flanges to tell if you have 10 or 24 spline ended shafts pop off the tin cap and look at the halfshaft nut, hex castle nut with a split pin = 10 spline, round castelated nut with a split pin = 24 spline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 I'm not sure I'd bother with FWH's in the first place, they seem to be an extra source of breakage / oil egress / water ingress and I'm not sure anyone's ever really found a useful MPG increase with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheeppimp Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 I'm not sure I'd bother with FWH's in the first place, they seem to be an extra source of breakage / oil egress / water ingress and I'm not sure anyone's ever really found a useful MPG increase with them. wot he said - took them off my series one last christmas and not seen any difference in fuel consumption. The only difference is no i'm confident it has four wheel drive when I engage it. running offroad in 2wd is a pain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimfoo Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I always new immediately if my FWH's were engaged or not as soon as I went up a hill as the drop in power was so noticeable. I never drove around with them locked to check my mileage, but a friend with a Toyota truck did accidentally. His mileage went from 22 to 17, then back to 22 when he unlocked them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Thanks Guys, Checked my hubs, As Phil says I have the flat flanges as oppossed to the tin caps, don't know if this gives you any pointers as to whether they are 10 or 24 spline ends, After listening to you're debate whether to fit them or not I have decided to give them a miss, Thanks for your input.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Hancock Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Std lightweight half shafts are 10 spline at the diff and 24 spline in the flat ended flanges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david1701 Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 ive tried both (by accident had them locked on the road) and noticed the steering got a lot heavier, but i never went far enough to check fuel consumption Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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