Whoops! (4x4 on dry pavement)

[bucket]

I just got a call from the wife, she had driven about 20 miles and she mentioned the truck "doing something funny while turning"... then it hit me, I had been playing around on the property the other night and put it in 4hi. I told her to look at the shifter, and sure enough it was still in 4hi. I guess I need to get the "four wheel drive" dash light working again for her.

It's a 208 t-case, think it did any real harm?

 

[89Suburban]

Doh! At least the drivetrain got lubed up. I would think a u-joint would snap before any harm is done to a transfer case.

 

[bucket]

I think the front shaft would get hurt before a u-joint. The slip portion of the shafts never seem to hold up real well.

 

[89Suburban]

I never had a slip joint fail, but I am not a hard core off roader either.

 

[towman]

i am sure there is no damage done, even with real light snow i throw mine in and let it four wheel drive even when hitting more dry than snow

 

[Old77]

haha....don't you love those silly kind of mistakes. I hope it didn't screw anything up too bad. I don't even like putting the burb in 4wd in the snow if I can help it. The only time I use it is if I need to get "unstuck" or whatever then as soon as I'm good I put it back in 2wd

 

[HotRodPC]

I'd think if nothing broke already, then it's all good and no harm done.

 

[smurph20]

HA years ago i drove an older Ford F150 almost 120 miles round trip into Kansas City and back in 4 HI. It ran and drove better after i did that. But then again i wasnt worried about the truck it was just the company beater. Scary part was most of that trip was at highway speeds. Ive always been told it wont hurgt the front end aslong as you dont bind it up while turning.

 

[bucket]

It's been fine so I'm thinking everything is OK. Just went out and had fun a little bit ago and all was well. Part of the trail is the edge of a farm field, it had just been tilled and we just got a lot of rain... it was very choppy and sloppy at the same time. Did just fine.

 

[HotRodPC]

The NP208 has a decent oiling system, so I've read, so it was probably just fine and appears to be.

 

[hirschdalechevy]

I would not worry at all , I used to lock my hubs in nov. and unlock them in may ( only in 4x4 when needed) and haul ass down the freeway (in 4x4) in the snow at night (going to plow)at 70mph all winter long.But all my trucks had 205's or converted 203's cases in them (never been a fan of 208's) , never a problem other than worn out front drivelines over time.

 

[bucket]

I run down the freeway in 4hi with the hubs locked several times a winter, but that was with snow covered roads. My wife drove it on dry pavement, which I've always been told is a big no-no. It probably helps that all 4 tires are the same brand/model/size. It doesn't seem to have hurt anything at all.

 

[smurph20]

Aslong as all the tires are the same size you wont have a problem. My grand cherokee is all wheel drive with no 2wd option unless i take out the front drive shaft. If the major manufactures make them in all wheel drive then there shouldnt be a problem with driving it once in a awhile in 4wd hi.

 

[HotRodPC]

Keep in mind, there is a major difference in a 4wd vehicle and an All Wheel Drive vehicle. AWD will differentiate between all 4 wheels, and each wheel can operate independantly as far as driving power, but 4wd will only differentiate between each axle, and if you have lockers or LSD's, they really don't differentiate at all in a 4wd. The NP208 has a good oiling system in it, I think he's going to be just fine. If it were a NP203, they are designed to be 4wd fulltime, but NP208 isn't.

 

[Driver4r]

Not to steal this thread, But how bullit-proof is a 203?