Destroyed Transfer Case
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 523
Likes: 9
From: Carrollton, Ga
I've done thousands of miles in 4Hi with the front hubs locked in. During the winter I never unlock my front hubs. My first case lasted 380k and the replacement has 270k on it. As long as you are not making sharp turns on dry surfaces with good traction you could stay in 4x4 year round without damaging anything.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 10,750
Likes: 1,065
From: Douglassville, PA
My $.02. When I was just a little nipper my father (Korean War Vet) gave me a quick lesson in 4WD. He said that when they first came out there was no unlocking the hubs, the jeeps just had 4WD and that the constant binding due to turning tore them up (I don't think he was pulling my leg in any way). The fact that the hubs all unlock today lends credence to the story.
Locking the hubs but not the transfer case will make the front differential and the driveshaft into the transfer case spin and my truck knows when this is done because it changes up the shift points (I have manual hubs). I would expect a small drop in fuel mileage as well but I never checked it. Other than a little extra wear for spinning the rear I don't think that this should hurt anything but I know nothing about the inside of that transfer case other than the pics I have seen here of them busted open.
Having the whole system locked in and driving around that way is not something that I would do. I do not know enough about that transfer case to make a determination as to whether or not it is made for that BUT knowing that there is nothing extra added to anything anywhere today, I would expect that it is not designed or built to withstand constant use and/or highway speeds. I do see a chain through the holes in those transfer cases that were posted and one thing I can guarantee is that if that chain malfunctions in any way at highway speeds the results will be ugly.
Locking the hubs but not the transfer case will make the front differential and the driveshaft into the transfer case spin and my truck knows when this is done because it changes up the shift points (I have manual hubs). I would expect a small drop in fuel mileage as well but I never checked it. Other than a little extra wear for spinning the rear I don't think that this should hurt anything but I know nothing about the inside of that transfer case other than the pics I have seen here of them busted open.
Having the whole system locked in and driving around that way is not something that I would do. I do not know enough about that transfer case to make a determination as to whether or not it is made for that BUT knowing that there is nothing extra added to anything anywhere today, I would expect that it is not designed or built to withstand constant use and/or highway speeds. I do see a chain through the holes in those transfer cases that were posted and one thing I can guarantee is that if that chain malfunctions in any way at highway speeds the results will be ugly.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville, FL
Originally Posted by Bill Kay
This is comforting to me because I was worried about driving 400 miles with the hubs locked. I figured it was a ticking time bomb now but that was two years ago with no issues since.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,502
Likes: 2
From: Bend Oregon
When my case started to fail with close to or over ( I don't remember the exact mileage it acted up)400k on it I caught it early.
I had a " new " sound coming from under the back seat. I checked the carrier bearing, and ujoints.....they were fine. So I drained the tcase and filtered the oil through a blue shop towel. I found lots of nice shiney chrome flakes in the oil so I knew a race or bearing was on its way out.
If I had let it go I know it would have ended in a catastrophic failure much like the one pictured.
I think when this sort of failure happens it is generally because the subtitle warning signs were missed. Large mud tires, loud stereos, failing hearing can all make a driver oblivious to impending doom.
I had a " new " sound coming from under the back seat. I checked the carrier bearing, and ujoints.....they were fine. So I drained the tcase and filtered the oil through a blue shop towel. I found lots of nice shiney chrome flakes in the oil so I knew a race or bearing was on its way out.
If I had let it go I know it would have ended in a catastrophic failure much like the one pictured.
I think when this sort of failure happens it is generally because the subtitle warning signs were missed. Large mud tires, loud stereos, failing hearing can all make a driver oblivious to impending doom.
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