Converting 4 wheel drive to 2 wheel drive

[Ron]

Is it possible to convert your bongo from 4 wheel drive to 2 wheel drive? And is it worth doing for the extra MPG? Is there any downside to doing it

[francophile1947]

I believe you just remove the front propshaft (or rear one if you want front wheel drive), but I doubt it will do much, if anything, for your fuel consumption, unless you actually remove the axles etc, to cut down the weight.
You're probably only talking about a couple of mpg anyway

[wormey]

There is a fact sheet in the members area.

[Ron]

Thanks for that, Just that I met someone a couple of weeks ago saying that he has done the convertion and he was getting around 50mpg sounds a little exaggerated.

[francophile1947]

sounds a little exaggerated.

A little exaggerated Not a hope of getting 50mpg, no matter how you modify the transmission He probably thinks his odometer is reading in miles, instead of kilometres

[munroman]

Thanks for that, Just that I met someone a couple of weeks ago saying that he has done the convertion and he was getting around 50mpg sounds a little exaggerated.

Yes, did he have a unicorn in a trailer behind the Bongo?

If he experienced a big improvement in fuel consumption by changing to 2 wheel drive (forget the 50mpg fantasy!), it might have been that he had the wrong sized tyres, and the transmission was being affected by this, causing friction.

I have a 4wd, and did not really appreciate its benefits until the snow and ice of last winter, it was very good to have and now would not consider disabling it for the sake of using a little less fuel.

[wormey]

Thanks for that, Just that I met someone a couple of weeks ago saying that he has done the convertion and he was getting around 50mpg sounds a little exaggerated.

Coasting down hill, I think there isn't much difference between the 2, I'd leave it alone.

[gmaczbongo]

I would have thought 4wd would get you a wee bit extra when you sell.
I would pay a wee bit more.

[M 80NGO]

Keep the 4 x 4 buddy its that little extra bit of safety to help protect the family and you can't put a price on that, mpg will be better on a 2wd but no more than 5mpg on a long run as for 50mpg, not while i have a hole in my a**e

[mister munkey]

When new, fresh out of the factory, the difference between 4 & 2WDs is a marginal 2mpg.

10 or 15 years later, those same two vans have had a variety of owners. Some have been gentle with it & stuck to a rigorous maintainance regime, some have spanked it, neglected servicing & sold it on when problems occur.

By the time we get them, chances are a pukka 4WD is going to perform better than a ragged 2WD.

Whipping out a propshaft is only going to lose a teeny percentage of weight with a consumate piddly/un-noticeable increase in MPG.

Don't bother.

Stick with the surefooted system unless something serious fails & you have no option.

If you want two wheels & 50mpg, buy a motorbike.

[Ron]

Thanks for the help,and information will be sticking to 4 wheel drive

[rustyp]

It is a bit more than removing the front propshaft -also the front diff is removed as well, so saves a chunk of weight as well as a bit of friction