[MV] Propshafts query?

Gentlemen,

 

Another first-time post for a long-time lurker:

 

I’m running a petrol (gasoline…) ‘44 Ward La France M1A1 heavy wrecker and working on a friend's ’56 petrol M55 cargo truck, along with various smaller wheeled and tracked vehicles. I’ve been reading a bit here about removing ‘spare’ propshafts to increase fuel economy and I’d be interested to know a bit more about people’s experience with this. Each truck does around 1000 – 1500 miles per year (at 4mpg, UK prices – you do the maths, we prefer not to!) so anything which will make this foolish hobby cheaper is good by us. I’ve removed the front prop from the WLF but I’m going to leave the rear intermediate one on as I need to be able to tow. The M55 has about 1 ton of load (display kit) which lives permanently in the back so I think we could probably remove the front and intermediate rear props without any problems. The question is, is it worth it? Also the M55 is occasionally used to tow other trucks in emergencies. Are we likely to damage anything with just one powered axle? Any thoughts or comments would be very welcome.

 

Best regards – Mike Gillman, London, UK

 

’44 Ward La France M1A1

’83 F350 + S250

Ben Hur trailer

30” carbon-arc searchlight