2wd Low Range

Ummm. That is exactly how freewheeling hubs work. The hub body turning with no relative rotation of the axle shaft. That is the design and point of free wheeling hubs. To reduce drag and wear on all the front end components. The bearings In The locking hubs are designed to exactly allow this difference in speed. Otherwise we would all still be using drive flanges.

 

but... but... mine's a '61 with a twin stick??? was the twin stick optional?

 

To get true 2wd low range the transfer case need to come apart and the interlock pill needs removed between shift rails. I run all my 18 transfer cases like this but also am well aware that puts extreme loads on the rear axle as the load is no longer split between the front and rear axles. You can also do as some have said and simply not lock in the front locking hubs if equipped but that is not true 2wd low range. It is still 4wd low range since power is still sent though the front axle. I have auto locking differentials front and rear so even with locking hubs disengaged in the front, with power sent to the front differential the front locker engages making it harder to steer due to axle U-joint bind. With true 2wd low range this is not an issue.

 

To remove the interlock pill in a twin stick D-18 all you have to remove is the front part of the transfer case where the shifters are. If the transfer case is out on the bench and you don't have any trouble with the shifter pivot pin. The first time you do it might take 30 min after that 20min.

As to this talk of leaving your hubs unlocked and just putting the transfer case in 4wd low as a way to get 2wd low YEP that work. But the idea that some how this will wear on the Hub bearings is complete nonsense. The front wheels will turn at the same rate as the rear wheels the rear drive shaft and the front drive shaft will turn at the same rate as will the axle shafts. SO if you going in a straight line transfer case in 4wd LOW the axle stub will be turning the same relative speed as the hub SO no bearing rotation involved.

NOW on the other hand you have the Hubs not locked in and the Transfer case in 2wd High then the HUB is turning at the speed of the front tire rotation while the stub axle is motionless. SO technically you would get WAY more Hub bearing wear in 2wd with the Hubs in FREE

My dad put Warn WL-2 hubs on my Jeep in 1963-64 He drove that jeep to work every day for 7+ years round trip was about 28 miles a day. We used the jeep for all sorts of family outings he was part of the Salem Jeep club and went on all the outings he and my mom went to at least two BIG Jamboree's in Yakima WA. The jeep was driven to town when ever dad needed to go. The Wagoneer was moms car. I later drove the Jeep for 3 years in High school mostly for work as well as a more then a couple 300-400 mile trips as well as one monumental 800+ mile trip in 3 days. I drove the Jeep 55-60mph A LOT in those 3 years.

And when I went to rebuild the front Axle I could find no wear in the Hubs that would have called for any new parts or replacement. Nor could I find anything wrong with the Bendix axle shafts I did replace the Bronze bushing as due course.

So the idea that the Hub bearings not being able to hold up to spinning on the end of the axle shaft is NOT my experience.

And after having one of the most experianced Willys Gear box guys in the country build me a 1.25" Transfer case before I put it on the transmission I pulled the interlock pill out. Of course I have a 1971 D44 30 spline flanged rear axle now and maybe 80 HP out of my souped up 134L (now making 140cuin.) So I couldn't break the rear axle if I spent all week popping the clutch.

 

This is what the "pill" looks like.

 

If it's really something you have to have, pull the front driveshaft.
You'll have all the 2WD low you can handle...……

 

then re-install it when i want 4WD?

 

No, all CJ's in 61 were twin stick

 

so when did they do single stick?

 

I believe the '64 Tuxedo Park introduced the single-stick in the CJ5. It was used in the rest of the CJs with the introduction of the Dauntless in '66.
-Donny

 

what was the shift pattern on a single stick?

 

Exactly-you cannot hurt the hub bearings when they are sitting still!
The only problem we ever had using 2 low was if you were not easy on the clutch on take off the sudden jerk of the rear wheels would break an axle. the little small axles of the full floater rear ends of the MB were much more easily broken than the newer 2 piece axles of the 2A's and later. We never did break one of the 2 piece axles. Although we did break the axle spider gears in the 3B once in 2 low with a heavy load in the jeep.

 

X2
If you think about it, low range with a 3 speed is pretty much like 1st gear with a granny 4 speed.

 

With proper maintenance, they will work as designed. The clutches and the "drag nut" they ride on must be in good condition but the rest of it is pretty bullet proof. I recently came across replacement nuts for those hubs someplace. Herm? I just used several sets of them to make one really nice pair. Warn used two different sizes of nuts, 2.125 and 2.250" OD. They are still interchangeable if you use the paired locking rings. I actually believe the Lock-O-Matics are stronger in the auto mode where it is steel on steel driving the axle rather than the dowel pin "splines" in the aluminum cap. I still lock mine for any real wheeling because those hubs obviously disengage when there is no load.

 

Never felt the need for 2wd Low, i guess...even with the T90. Easy enough to engage 4low? I guess those with front lockers might disagree.

I feel like my 4speed swap with 7:1 first, 4.27's and a rear detroit should cover all my 2wd traction needs? it's not cheap, for sure, but it's also all working like designers intended, which is my goal - to create a system in harmony.

 

i do have a locker/traction device in the front, so i'd like to do it. i wanna pull the transfer case apart and look it over as well.

 

I just leave the ol hubs unlocked and put the t-case in low when I want some lower gearing without 4wd. Like when I'm tooling around the property hauling feed and hay and what not. Even with a front locker in place with the hubs unlocked you'll still get differential speed between each tire.

 

2WD low seems like what you'd need if you used your Jeep as an airplane tug or such. The only advantage I can see is you avoid 4WD binding when in low range on pavement. Off the pavement, it seems pointless.

Note the CJ-10A tugs did exactly this, using a NP208 (IIRC) transfer case locked in low range with no front output. Jeep CJ - Wikipedia

 

2-low comes in handy on tight greasy trails where 4wd wants to push, or when traction is too good and you can feel it binding. I’ll usually leave it in 2-low until I need (or presume I will need) 4wd.