Steel cutting advise please!

[markweatherill]

I think I'll try a power saw and/or drilling holes. (I reckon now that it isn't the bearings making the noise but the actual gear teeth wearing due to having had no lubrication). Thanks for all the advice!

[thornburg]

Originally Posted by markweatherill

I think I'll try a power saw and/or drilling holes. (I reckon now that it isn't the bearings making the noise but the actual gear teeth wearing due to having had no lubrication). Thanks for all the advice!

Let us know how it goes.

BTW, I've just been assuming that you know a lot more than I do about the drivetrain of your vehicle than I do about the drivetrain of any vehicle, because I know very close to nothing on the topic. But, before you go removing that shaft, be really sure you don't actually need it. It seems very odd that the manufacturer would put in something that adds weight and drag to the drivetrain (rotating weight, no less) if it wasn't actually necessary. Are you trying to make a 4WD vehicle into a 2WD or something?

[VetteOwner]

if he is just take out the dang driveshaft lol

[theholycow]

Just taking out one driveshaft from a 4wd vehicle may not help with fuel economy, while taking out pieces of the transfer case would, in some vehicles.

I suspect that entirely replacing the transfer case with a straight driveshaft, if possible, would be far more useful.

If it's part-time 4wd then it could be a good idea, but if it's full-time AWD with a center differential then you're probably looking at trouble...but those usually don't have anything called a "transfer case", I think.

[markweatherill]

Yep, it's an AWD to FWD conversion. The transfer case contains a main shaft between transmission and driver's side driveshaft, from this shaft a gear provides drive to the countershaft, and this transfers power to the viscous coupling which is no longer there.
I'd leave it in but the noise is my excuse to get in and remove it. I hope to have got rid of all the needless drag on the drivetrain eventually!