Hi I ran Bedfords for years as passanger carrying overland trucks in Africa.We used to run with the front prop shafts off most of the time we were on tarmac.Never had any transfer box problems.We did it more to save the splines that developed more play when in freewheel as it were.I guess there was a marginal fuel saving not dynamic.It did seem to make for a slightly quieter cab at higher speeds on black top. :-)