Driving around with locked hubs?

I'm sure this question has been asked a hundred times already but I have never owned a 4X4 vehicle so I am asking. My truck will be sitting for at least half a year and wont be driven much. I plan on starting it every week to keep the fluids circulating and all that stuff, my question is, when I drive it through bad weather or go wheeling or even normal driving, is it okay to leave the hubs locked so I can switch from 2H to 4H anytime? Will it hurt anything in the long run or is it better just to manually get out every time and lock and unlock?

Thanks!

 

I left my hubs locked on my '88 yota thru the winter months, had no problems except steering was tighter.

 

It won't hurt anything. Might lose a little MPG and feel a little bit more vibration from the front driveshaft. I used to leave the hubs locked if I planned on using 4WD during a trip on my last 4X that had hubs on it.

 

Yea you can.

I wouldn't do it if you plan on going faster then like 55..but thats just me.

other then that, just leave locked isn't going to hurt much.

 

Even if you were just in 2H?

 

yea, well you'll get better mpg with them off at that speed. And the logic to me is that you shouldn't do 4x4 higher the 55..then the hubs shouldn't be locked either. But thats just me

 

Used to do it all the time in my 86 Toyota. The transfercase would not shift from 4hi to 2hi while driving over 50MPH. If I wanted out of 4hi, I had to slow below 50MPH. Not a problem, the only time I used 4 wheel drive on the highway was just to see if it would do it. But no issues running around at 70MPH with locked hubs. I could feel a little extra vibration, but nothing real noticeable.

 

I would never do that. It is lots of unnecessary wear and tear on the cv joints boots and differential.