Posted by Allen on November 19, 01 at 10:28:08:
Hi folks! As the season is shifting again, I have a basic 4WD question.
My '91 Sub V2500 has some "Warn" brand aftermarket manual hub lock-outs installed on it, unlike my former '89 which still had the factory auto-locking hubs.
My questions:
Does driving with the hubs locked - but 4WD not engaged - do anything harmful to the front axle or system?
If yes, what can happen? I'm not concerned about gas mileage, but more on mechanical issues.
If no, does this apply at all speeds?
My reasons:
On occasion, I'd expect that the wife may drive the Sub this winter. If the weather is getting nasty or has the probability of doing so, I might be tempted to just lock in the hubs before sending her out and tell her to engage 4WD if she thinks she needs to.
There may be times where I would do the same thing when I drive, just so that I react to changing conditions and engage 4WD without stopping, getting out, locking up the wheels, etc.
With that, there would be some running around with the hubs engaged, so I was wondering if that has any negative effects on the system or if there was any reason why it isn't a good idea.
Thanks for any and all input on this question.