Series 3 AVM free wheeling hubs

Hi peeps does any body know about a v m manual 406 - 1 hubs are they any good can you get spares for them or would you recommend another type

I wouldn't bother to be honest, nice period feature but apart from that they seem a bit pointless. How much fuel will they save, 2 mpg?
Sure other people have different opinions.

Make a step to look in the engine bay. AVM still make hubs so parts may be available.

I've got em on mine, I leave them permanent on 4x4 as I do a lot of fields and forests etc never had any issues with them at all

One tree said:

Hi peeps does any body know about a v m manual 406 - 1 hubs are they any good can you get spares for them or would you recommend another type

Click to expand...

I always take them off and fit standard driving members.

Freewheel hubs were a bit of a gimmick around the time fuel prices spiked in the 70s.
I don't think they save much fuel, they do mean you have to get out before engaging 4wd.
As stated ^^^^^^, they are useful for standing on on occasion, and some of them help to locate the wheel on the studs when you are putting the wheel back on.

The AVM hubs I have are period correct, have no plastic parts and do make a big difference.
They give you use of low and high range when on tarmac, ideal for towing or low speed shunting and totally
prevents any chance of transmission wind up. Using 4WD on Tarmac will strain half shafts and diffs, and with a Rover Axels
you don't want to be tempting fate.
Fuel saving may well be negligible, but being able to disconnect the front drive so simply, can have benefits.

tony109 said:

The AVM hubs I have are period correct, have no plastic parts and do make a big difference.
They give you use of low and high range when on tarmac, ideal for towing or low speed shunting and totally
prevents any chance of transmission wind up. Using 4WD on Tarmac will strain half shafts and diffs, and with a Rover Axels
you don't want to be tempting fate.
Fuel saving may well be negligible, but being able to disconnect the front drive so simply, can have benefits.

Click to expand...

Suspect you are over playing the benefits unless you use the vehicle primarily for shunting on sealed surfaces.

High 1st is still pretty low and Series engines are fine at low rpm. I'm not saying it couldn't occasionally be useful, but I'd guess for an average owner it might be once every 2-5 years for maybe 190 seconds at a time.

So I'm firmly in the camp of them being somewhat pointless and just another thing to maintain. Plus being a pita if you need 4wd and forcing you to have to jump out and walk round the vehicle re-engaging the hubs.

tony109 said:

The AVM hubs I have are period correct, have no plastic parts and do make a big difference.
They give you use of low and high range when on tarmac, ideal for towing or low speed shunting and totally
prevents any chance of transmission wind up. Using 4WD on Tarmac will strain half shafts and diffs, and with a Rover Axels
you don't want to be tempting fate.
Fuel saving may well be negligible, but being able to disconnect the front drive so simply, can have benefits.

Click to expand...

All of the above^^^^^^^^. and also not convinced about using 2wd in low range, as it can put excessive load on the rear halfshafts.

My fwh are WARN if i recall, they might not help fuel consumption much but they do reduce some noise at speed.
I'm sure there was a sticker warning not to use 4wd with them disconnected as it can damage them

I Live on a Farm, in the hills.. There are extremely steep hills, so if towing heavy trailers, Low box is essential.
Pulling away in high range, with trailer would involve riding the clutch and with low range there is no need, or excuse. As with shunting and low speed maneuvering, low range without Clutch riding is a great benefit.
So I am stating that being locked in 4WD on tarmac will cause the front axel and steering to scrub, and this causes transmission wind-up. On a dry tarmac road this will place more strain on the transmission than it can reliably cope with..
With FWH, using low range 2wd is now possible and perfectly reliable with a 4 pinion Salisbury rear axel..
Now I agree a Rover Axel can break from just a days off road playing, let alone towing, but transmission Wind Up will cause breakage and FWH will help prevent this.. For me, FWH's are essentual.

How heavy? Isn't a Series only rated at 2000kg with overrun brakes on a trailer?

Are you refering to 2000KG as it's GTW (MAM) or its total towing capacity?
The vehicle weighs 1600KG empty, the trailer can weigh 500KG empty. Now add a 1000KG on the trailer, it starts getting heavy.
Pulling away in high range will burn clutches, hence you need Low Range. Shunting, hooking up, manoeuvring up steep inclines,
you need low speed control and the lowest gears available.
Fighting with the steering while being locked in 4WD does not help... Hence the need for free wheeling hubs.

300bhp/ton said:

How heavy? Isn't a Series only rated at 2000kg with overrun brakes on a trailer?

Click to expand...

Dunno. I do know I have pretty often towed 3500kg with my 109".

Turboman said:

Dunno. I do know I have pretty often towed 3500kg with my 109".

Click to expand...

I did too.

FWHs save on propshaft wear, and consequent u-joint and transmission/diff pinion bearings and seals, even if the fuel savings aren't noticeable...

I have AVM on mine, well more accurate.y in the garage, and I have used the refurb kits but they don't have all the seals in them. The bit you turn to engage and disengage 4 wheel drive has a v section seal around it that isn't in the kits so don't rip it out.

Yes, I had that seal problem too, and replaced one with an O-ring; now it doesn't ooze, but is tough to turn... at least I know it won't let water in!