Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/130418
YUKONSPINFREEINSTALL SPINFREEINSTALL By Larry Walton, Photos by Tim Walton The Yukon Spin Free kit replaces hub and axle components for improved fuel mileage – and sure-footedness off-pavement UNLOCKING MPG M ost of us use fourwheel drive only for the small percentage of time we are on dirt, with some winter driving thrown in. But when we need that bump in traction, we really need it. Most four-wheel-drive pickups employ a transfer case that lets the driver decide whether or not to put power to the front wheels. There is a mechanical connection from the engine, through the transfer case to the front drive shaft into the front differential, and out through the axles and hubs to the wheels. This mechanical connection, with all of its strong steel gears, shafts and U-joints, represents some rolling resistance even when the transfer case has disengaged this part of the system from the engine. Automatic and manual locking hubs have been in use for decades in order to reduce that resistance by disengaging the wheels from the front drivetrain, improving fuel economy. But not all 4x4 pickup models have hubs. This should strike a familiar chord with Dodge RAM pickup owners who have had to look to the aftermarket for locking hubs since 1994. That's where Yukon Gear & Axle comes to the rescue. 4 1 With the pickup off the ground, remove the wheels, brake calipers and rotors. Support the caliper so you don't stress the brake lines while you finish the rest of the install. A dead blow hammer can help get the unit bearing to move – on this truck the front end had been serviced so the unit bearings weren't seized into the knuckle. If it is seized you can use the Snap-on DHPI or a socket on the outer axle along with using the power steering to break it free. 2 RAM TOUGHER Jason Smalley of Mobile Diesel in Oakland, Oregon, cited concerns about the integrity of the stock unit bearing as the main reason for installing the Yukon Spin Free kit on his 2006 Dodge Ram 2500. Since installing the kit, he feels a lot more prepared for how he uses his truck. "I've got a lot more peace of mind knowing this potential weak link in the four-wheel-drive system is taken care of," says Smalley who hauls everything from replacement parts to entire diesel engines for the shop his family owns. He also tows a loaded toy hauler on trips to the dunes on the weekends. Remove the axle nut. 5 3 Remove the ABS sensor and set it aside. It will be reinstalled in a new location. And not just to the dunes but out on the dunes. Sand camping with RVs is not for the faint of heart, but the Smalley brothers are up to the challenge venturing well off road with fully Remove the axles, being careful to pull them out straight and support them so you don't damage the oil seals, which live well inside the axle housing near the differential. With the axles out, disassemble the U-joints. Using a standard screwdriver, you can remove the retaining clips which hold the cap and seal in place. 6 loaded pickup and travel trailer combinations. Having a truck you can count on in tough terrain and traction 26 PROPICKUP June 2013 PP0613_Yukon install.indd 26 5/13/13 1:12 PM