shifting to 4HI (full or part-time) is fine on the fly at normal speeds. Shifting to N or 4LO requires you to be stopped or moving less than 5mph.

 

If you are concerned enough any chance of damage could be eliminated by running one new tire in the front and the other in the rear.

 

Yes, they can, and they do unless you have lockers in both diffs.

And its quite a bit more stress. You are trying to force both ends of the truck to spin at different speeds, but they are connected and really can't. This isn't like trying to turn while in 4wd.

You aren't going to eliminate anything by doing that. Its still unneeded stress.

Bottom line, its fine to run like you are, as long as you never engage 4wd.

But since he has part time, its impossible to lock in 2wd if I'm not mistaken.

 

A 231 locks in 2wd same as a 242 does. He would be fine if he left in in 2HI, but i don't think that's the plan...

 

Yeah, wasn't sure if it did or not.

I think someone needs to re-evaluate the plan, then. I don't see this ending well if its kept as is.

 

x2