Front locker accidently engaged in 2WD: ADD Equipped

[Vermejo]

Last night I accidently hit the front locker and compressor switch simultaneously while reaching for my aux lights. I was going about 40mph down the road (2WD) and heard/felt the loud clunk of engagement. Switching them off I then pulled into a parking lot and tested the 4WD and front locker to find both still working. Compressor was not running any more than usual to keep the locker engaged.

ARB manual states “ADD equipped vehicles must never be engaged while moving in 2WD, as doing so would cause any motion in the internal differential gears to be instantly transferred to you ring and pinion set, potentially causing extensive damage to your rind and pinion gears, CV joints, and to your differential components”

After work today I’ll drain the front diff fluid to check for metal. The question is has anyone ever experienced this situation or the realm of damage caused by such a mistake?

[mastacox]

Well check for damage by draining the fluid, but I have trouble believing an accidental engagement at 40mph would cause damage to the gearset... They put up with a lot more abuse in just one of your off-road trips I would think.

[Cheese]

Drain and check for extra bits in the oil.

I find it somewhat off that this could happen so quickly. Assuming ARB compressor and assuming it was empty, there shouldn't have been enough or much pressure to engage the locker instantly.

Hope it works out.

Used to have a friend who would do this going down the road on purpose with no apparent ill effects. He liked breaking things.

[neliconcept]

Drain and check for extra bits in the oil.

I find it somewhat off that this could happen so quickly. Assuming ARB compressor and assuming it was empty, there shouldn't have been enough or much pressure to engage the locker instantly.

Hope it works out.

Used to have a friend who would do this going down the road on purpose with no apparent ill effects. He liked breaking things.


not talking about me are you?

ive done it going down the road just to make sure the locker is working, but then again my hubs werent engaged and the front diff wasnt turning

[Vermejo]

Thanks for the input guys. The drain plug is frozen, and I'm done with brute force for the night. I wish my 10mm hex socket was 1/2 drive...

Fluid should tell a great deal on the r&p, I'll have to test the locker in the dirt to feel any change (if any). I'd really like to go to manual hubs for more reasons than this.

[neliconcept]

i accidently hit my rear locker when i was slipping in the rear while one tire was spinning and the other wasnt, i heard a loud ass bang, i changed the fluid and nothing out of the ordinary came out, damn truck jolted and made my hand hit the switch, what i get for leaving the compressor switch on.

[Cheese]

No, it was a guy with a hammered T-100.

Guess this is why my compressor and locker switches are away from eachother to prevent accidental bumping.