CAD/Disconnect Debate: Why Not..lets have em.

posi-lok cables are ok but good working vacuum for me works way better and smoother. The weak link is more on the u-joints than CAD for the off road crew but regular drivers with them...the fork brakes because of improper use and malfunction of the vauum piece. i would guess they done away with it for simplicity of design and costs...probably takes half the time and money to make D30 straight then it would the CAD. having this said, i've noticed a lot of trucks/suvs still use this design but usually are electrically operated but still same system.
i ran vacuum off the intake to mine and the smoothness of the Disco with stronger vacuum is night and day.
 
It seems to me you really know your CAD! I'm still using it but it is slow to engage and I have to rock the vehicle back and forth to click it in. I like your idea of direct manifold vacuum. Do you control it separate from the transfer case vacuum switch now?
 
Frankendimestein said:
It seems to me you really know your CAD! I'm still using it but it is slow to engage and I have to rock the vehicle back and forth to click it in. I like your idea of direct manifold vacuum. Do you control it separate from the transfer case vacuum switch now?
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yep. it is night and day difference. run one line from one port of disco, another from the other port of the disco and then one from the intake manifold. u leave the line hooked up that has it disengaged all the time and when you want to lock it in, just switch the lines. i've heard some older fords and tractors have electric switches that would do this but i don't mind my setup. It works flawlessly and because of "constant strong manifold vacuum" the collar can never disengage or engage "accidently" or "partially" which is the #1 cause of breakage. The vacuum that the T-case switch supplies to the CAD is very weak compared to actual manifold vacuum and that is the culprit. i had a jeep that i replaced all the lines, vacuum switch on T-Case, new CAD module on axle, and new collar and still this setup engages 100times faster and you don't even hear a "click" ever. Once you do this, weld the carrier and you now have a free street friendly locker and unless you beat the hell out of it, it will hold up just fine. on 39.5" tires still never broke an axle, just joints at WOT lol. been wheeling with this now on 35s aggresive tread and mild wheeling with some rpms (really tested it at Flats a week ago) and has held up just fine with new HD joints. if you ever do choose to get rid of your CAD axle, pm me first dibbs on the axle shafts for spares i guess since they're kinda hard to come by. thanks
 
ohh i forgot: run the lines through the firewall inside the cab and i have em mounted right next to the 4x4 stick so it's very convenient.
 
Well, I do have an NP231 with the vacuum switch... but it's on an S10! I doubt you will want any parts from my front end as it is currently IFS. Vacuum principles are still the same with minor variances. S10s don't use vacuum to disengage the 4x4 so that is one less line I won't have to route into the truck. But this is a really neat idea! Sure beats the pants off of that posi-lok cable. Same outcome but much much cheaper. Thanks for sharing
 
Just make sure you get the correct manifold vacuum. depending on the engine, at WOT it may tend to pull very little vacuum at the intake, thus potentially trying to disconnect the CAD. This is where the cable comes in handy.
John Fuller said:
yep. it is night and day difference. run one line from one port of disco, another from the other port of the disco and then one from the intake manifold. u leave the line hooked up that has it disengaged all the time and when you want to lock it in, just switch the lines. i've heard some older fords and tractors have electric switches that would do this but i don't mind my setup. It works flawlessly and because of "constant strong manifold vacuum" the collar can never disengage or engage "accidently" or "partially" which is the #1 cause of breakage. The vacuum that the T-case switch supplies to the CAD is very weak compared to actual manifold vacuum and that is the culprit. i had a jeep that i replaced all the lines, vacuum switch on T-Case, new CAD module on axle, and new collar and still this setup engages 100times faster and you don't even hear a "click" ever. Once you do this, weld the carrier and you now have a free street friendly locker and unless you beat the hell out of it, it will hold up just fine. on 39.5" tires still never broke an axle, just joints at WOT lol. been wheeling with this now on 35s aggresive tread and mild wheeling with some rpms (really tested it at Flats a week ago) and has held up just fine with new HD joints. if you ever do choose to get rid of your CAD axle, pm me first dibbs on the axle shafts for spares i guess since they're kinda hard to come by. thanks
Click to expand...
 
hate to revive old thread: we all know D30 is a D30....so is it really "worth it" switching to the non disco for the increase in ujoint size? i have one or two now but easier to sell em than swap lol. mine is holding up great, new lifetime warranty hub bearings, joints are still like new, the disco works flawlessly with manifold vacuum so was just wondering if the little bigger u-joint is really that much an upgrade and such. is it safe to say mine will keep doing just fine for my uses if i keep being "mindful" of its uses. i mean, with the bigger jointed shafts, how much more 'abuse' can they really take?
 
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