4WD High/Low: Hubs unlocked, lockers engaged. Damage?

[SAF]

Did some digging (that has to be a good 2wd "I sunk the rear of the jeep" pun), but I haven't found great answers on lockers being used in 2WD.

For example, I was testing out my new axles in the pasture this evening and I switched to 4 high, then to 4 low, then engaged the lockers to make sure everything was functioning properly. Drove maybe a few hundred feet in this configuration. Upon pulling back in the driveway, I noticed I forgot to lock in the hubs.


So, my main question is... can activating the lockers front and rear do any major damage without the hubs being locked? How about t-case damage? I can see how someone forgetting to lock in the hubs might run into this issue.

My other question is... is there ever a time or place when one could engage 4 high/low and activate the rear locker only?

Just trying to save myself some unnecessary wear in the future and do things right the first time. Thanks!

 

[OverlanderJK]

I’m guessing D60’s? You don’t have rear hubs so when you engage with a driveshaft in you’re locked. As for the front, you won’t do damage since the driveshaft isn’t spinning and there is no power to the wheels.

 

[SAF]

I’m guessing D60’s? You don’t have rear hubs so when you engage with a driveshaft in you’re locked. As for the front, you won’t do damage since the driveshaft isn’t spinning and there is no power to the wheels.

That's what I was hoping to hear. I just wasn't sure if there might be a power bias since nothing is being engaged up front and it's all sent to the rear wheels. Kind of like when trucks or cars are airborne and the engines are still being revved out, but there isn't any resistance

 

[OverlanderJK]

That's what I was hoping to hear. I just wasn't sure if there might be a power bias since nothing is being engaged up front and it's all sent to the rear wheels. Kind of like when trucks or cars are airborne and the engines are still being revved out, but there isn't any resistance

If you locked the hubs while the wheels were spinning with the locker engaged (I don’t think that would even be possible without the how of getting to the wheels) then it might do some damage.

 

[SAF]

If you locked the hubs while the wheels were spinning with the locker engaged (I don’t think that would even be possible without the how of getting to the wheels) then it might do some damage.

Wait, you don't pay people to lay on your hood and engage the hubs while driving?

 

[GP NOIR]

@SAF, running the locker with the hubs unlocked will not hurt anything. Assuming your Jeep has part time 4wd, the t-case will spin front and rear driveshafts when in 4hi and when in 4lo. The front axle shafts will simply spin inside the axle housing. People have always, at one time or another, forgotten to lock their front hubs before shifting into 4wd. In fact, it was a common practice for drivers with spools or Detroit lockers in the front axle, to unlock one front hub to allow them to turn more easily on slickrock in 3wd- or so the magazines of the day would have us believe!