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ECO Hubs Who needs 3:07 gears?

Xengineguy

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So, if I’ve already done the gear upgrade, I can’t also do this upgrade. Is that correct?

I’d love to improve my mileage.


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I haven’t had anyone test the 3:07 setup with ECO HUBS yet. I’m sure it will be done. At this point I don’t see any problem with
installing the ECO HUBS. You might not get into second overdrive and maybe not first overdrive?? I’ve got a couple of guys that’s going to try it and let us know.
 

Xengineguy

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Supporting Vendor
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Ok guys I just received some really nice gaskets for the ECO HUBS! They are made of .016 stainless steel with a Thin layer of
High temp rubber bonded to it. You would still need a small amount of silicone sealant on the half plugs. I will post prices
in the vendor section. I would like to know the interest in these..before I place an actual order. They are a little expensive…
thanks. MikeIMG_2153.jpeg
 

Ronmar

Well-known member
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Location
Port angeles wa
I worked up this information for a FB discussion and thought I would share it here:

Several have reported pulling hills at highway speed better with the new hubs. This actually falls in line with published information. You start running the RPM past peak torque, the available torque falls off drastically. At 2600 RPM it is closing in on half what it is at peak torque…

With RPM increase beyond pk, You have more torque pulses, which is why HP increases(to a point), but they are becoming shorter and shorter. At some point, especially in a longer stroke, the pumping losses overcome the ability to generate torque, basically the engine is tripping over/braking itself. This is a horribly inefficient way to operate.

This 3126 power curve illustrates this very well. If you are rolling down the highway at peak torque, and run up onto a hill, as long as the torque requirements are lower than the torque available at that RPM, you will just drive over it.

If you are rolling along at 2600RPM/~half peak torque, it is far more likely you will have to drop gears(and speed) to lower the engine toward peak torque to pull up the hill…

Some calculated highway numbers that support the same or better highway performance people are noting:

Air resistance notwithstanding…

My 3116 truck stock with 2:1 hubs @2600 RPM makes maybe 350ft/lb of torque? X.78(7th) and 7.8 axle, minus losses, can generate ~755# of thrust@ 59MPH
That is enough to pull 20K up a 2.16deg/3.77% slope.
To get back to peak torque and 1337# of thrust(3.8deg/6.64% grade) I have to drop to 35MPH…

Minus the hubs @1550 RPM(620ft/lb PK Torque), X .9(6th) and 3.9 axle minus losses, can generate ~857# of thrust@ 61MPH.
That is enough thrust to pull 20K up a 2.45 deg/4.28% grade…

i am probably using less torque than I have available on a level road, but minus the 2:1 hubs at highway speed I already have 113% more available than I do at 2600RPM and 2:1 hubs…

If I drop back to 5th @ peak torque, that will give me 1210# of thrust @~45MPH, enough to climb 3.6deg/6.12% slope

If I drop to 4th at peak torque thats still ~30MPH, but a 40% increase in thrust @1694# or 4.86/8.5%@ 620ft/lb sustained rear ds torque. I think there will be a point in 4th between peak torque and peak HP where I will still beat my 2:1 hub truck output(1337#) at a speed greater than 35MPH…

Minus the 2:1 hubs, at pk torque and 61MPH, in 6th, with the 70/30 torque split from the transfer case, that is ~332ft/lb continuous torque into the rear driveshaft and ~142ft/lb into the front. If I recall the specs for the type 16 driveshaft, they are rated for ~2500 or 2700ft/lb continuous torque. (Cant find that spec right now:()…

IMG_3647.jpeg
 
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DeMilitarized

Well-known member
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93
Location
Gainesville, GA
I worked up this information for a FB discussion and thought I would share it here:

Several have reported pulling hills at highway speed better with the new hubs. This actually falls in line with published information. You start running the RPM past peak torque, the available torque falls off drastically. At 2600 RPM it is closing in on half what it is at peak torque…

With RPM increase beyond pk, You have more torque pulses, which is why HP increases(to a point), but they are becoming shorter and shorter. At some point, especially in a longer stroke, the pumping losses overcome the ability to generate torque, basically the engine is tripping over/braking itself. This is a horribly inefficient way to operate.

This 3126 power curve illustrates this very well. If you are rolling down the highway at peak torque, and run up onto a hill, as long as the torque requirements are lower than the torque available at that RPM, you will just drive over it.

If you are rolling along at 2600RPM/~half peak torque, it is far more likely you will have to drop gears(and speed) to lower the engine toward peak torque to pull up the hill…

Some calculated highway numbers that support the same or better highway performance people are noting:

Air resistance notwithstanding…

My 3116 truck stock with 2:1 hubs @2600 RPM makes maybe 350ft/lb of torque? X.78(7th) and 7.8 axle - losses, can generate ~755# of thrust@ 59MPH
That is enough to pull 20K up a 2.16deg/3.77% slope.
To get back to peak torque and 1337# of thrust(3.8deg/6.64% grade) I have to drop to 35MPH…

Minus the hubs @1550 RPM(620ft/lb PK Torque), X .9(6th) and 3.9 axle - losses, can generate ~857# of thrust@ 61MPH.
That is enough thrust to pull 20K up a 2.45 deg/4.28% grade…

If I drop back to 5th @ peak torque, that will give me 1210# of thrust @~45MPH, enough to climb 3.6deg/6.12% slope

If I drop to 4th at peak torque thats still ~30MPH, but a 40% increase in thrust @1694# or 4.86/8.5%@ 620ft/lb sustained rear ds torque. I think there will be a point in 4th between peak torque and peak HP where I will still beat my 2:1 hub truck output(1337#) at a speed greater than 35MPH…

Minus the 2:1 hubs, at pk torque and 61MPH, in 6th, with the 70/30 torque split from the transfer case, that is ~332ft/lb continuous torque into the rear driveshaft and ~142ft/lb into the front. If I recall the specs for the type 16 driveshaft, they are rated for ~2500 or 2700ft/lb continuous torque. (Cant find that spec right now:()…

View attachment 898953

Very nice write up and explanation for all of those guys that say "well 2:1 delete means that you loose half your torque"
 

BigMontana

Member
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Location
Polson, MT
Devil's advocate here. I used to drive super heavy oversize trucks. When you get to the huge stuff you end up calling the truck a "prime mover" that's when they switch from 56k lb axles to the planetaries, that can handle stuff over 300,000lb gvwr.

The thing with planetaries is, yeah at low speed they are indestructible when hauling HUGE weight at low speed..but they self destruct and overheat because of speed.

An bobtail planetary truck still couldn't go over 55 mph without burning out the axles. 35 mph up a hill with a load that would break a regular heavy haul truck? Yeah fine, speed, not fine.

So...check meritor thinks spinning a planetary axles like that is a good idea.

I don't know, reducing tire radius AND increasing overall speed is gonna be a drastic change on the working conditions, maybe re-assess oil weights?
 

Ronmar

Well-known member
3,859
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Location
Port angeles wa
Devil's advocate here. I used to drive super heavy oversize trucks. When you get to the huge stuff you end up calling the truck a "prime mover" that's when they switch from 56k lb axles to the planetaries, that can handle stuff over 300,000lb gvwr.

The thing with planetaries is, yeah at low speed they are indestructible when hauling HUGE weight at low speed..but they self destruct and overheat because of speed.

An bobtail planetary truck still couldn't go over 55 mph without burning out the axles. 35 mph up a hill with a load that would break a regular heavy haul truck? Yeah fine, speed, not fine.

So...check meritor thinks spinning a planetary axles like that is a good idea.

I don't know, reducing tire radius AND increasing overall speed is gonna be a drastic change on the working conditions, maybe re-assess oil weights?
Well thats just the point, this mod removes/takes the planetary gears in the hubs out of the equation… in doing that it also cuts axle, differential driveshaft and transfer case RPM in half, and drops the engine to near peak torque RPM(or less) at highway speed…
 

BigMontana

Member
58
50
18
Location
Polson, MT
Was there a mechanical drawing somewhere for the mod? I seem to misunderstand it.

Well thats just the point, this mod removes/takes the planetary gears in the hubs out of the equation… in doing that it also cuts axle, differential driveshaft and transfer case RPM in half, and drops the engine to near peak torque RPM(or less) at highway speed…
 

GeneralDisorder

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Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Portland, OR
Was there a mechanical drawing somewhere for the mod? I seem to misunderstand it.
What is to misunderstand exactly? Do you understand the stock reduction hubs? They provide the 2:1 and in conjunction with the 3.90:1 ring and pinion used by all FMTV's this results in a final drive of 7.80:1,,,,, do you understand this?

OK. The ECO hubs remove the 2:1 reductions so the final drive now becomes 3.90:1.

Does that correct your lack of understanding?

There are no drawings. And as-of yet there are no installation videos. For the time being this requires the ability to visualize the results of removing the 2:1 reduction in your minds eye with the available information and mathematics.. If you are unable to do this you will need to trust our collective judgment and experience..... beyond that I'm not entirely sure how to convince you......
 
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BigMontana

Member
58
50
18
Location
Polson, MT
What is to misunderstand exactly? Do you understand the stock reduction hubs? They provide the 2:1 and in conjunction with the 3.90:1 ring and pinion used by all FMTV's this results in a final drive of 7.80:1,,,,, do you understand this?

OK. The ECO hubs remove the 2:1 reductions so the final drive now becomes 3.90:1.

Does that correct your lack of understanding?

There are no drawings. And as-of yet there are no installation videos. For the time being this requires the ability to visualize the results of removing the 2:1 reduction in your minds eye with the available information and mathematics.. If you are unable to do this you will need to trust our collective judgment and experience..... beyond that I'm not entirely sure how to convince you......

Where is the reduction hub? In the planetary part that is "inside" the wheel?

It was my base assumption that this was the part that needed to be protected from the abuse of high speed operation, but of course everything is probably different for these little axles.

Has anyone put a hub temp sensor on, and or do your mid trip checks show a significant increase in hub operating temp? (Eg. Back of the hand check)?
 

DieselAddict

Well-known member
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Efland, NC
Where is the reduction hub? In the planetary part that is "inside" the wheel?

It was my base assumption that this was the part that needed to be protected from the abuse of high speed operation, but of course everything is probably different for these little axles.

Has anyone put a hub temp sensor on, and or do your mid trip checks show a significant increase in hub operating temp? (Eg. Back of the hand check)?
Give this a look. You will see how the hub comes apart. The planetary is outboard in the hub itself.

 

chucky

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
TN .
Question and it may have already been coverd if you have to be towed does this mean we have to pull all the drive shafts now or is there something i missed ?
Or can the hub be designed to let the axle still come thru the hub and have a plug to hold oil inside ?
 

TomTime

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Steel Soldiers Supporter
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MD.
Question and it may have already been coverd if you have to be towed does this mean we have to pull all the drive shafts now or is there something i missed ?
Or can the hub be designed to let the axle still come thru the hub and have a plug to hold oil inside ?
Wow, that's an excellent question chucky! I never thought to ask that. I'd also like to know the answer to that.
 

coachgeo

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Location
North of Cincy OH
Question and it may have already been coverd if you have to be towed does this mean we have to pull all the drive shafts now or is there something i missed ?
Or can the hub be designed to let the axle still come thru the hub and have a plug to hold oil inside ?
search in this thread for my name..... I asked about bolt sizes in the ECO .. In OEM setup you can use one to stick in axle end to help pull it out. He said same bolt sizes are in ECO so one can still do this. Those few post on that part should answer your questions. Think it was pretty early in this thread
 

Ronmar

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Location
Port angeles wa
Yes the towing process is still the same, as that process(pull rear axles and lift front, or pull both driveshafts) is to protect the transfer case. This is the same for any AWD vehicle. Flat towing may be a little more forgiving now as we have halved the axle and DS RPM for any given road speed…
 
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