AMBOT has cause to use 4WD during a midwest snowstorm.
Just a quick trip to test my abilities while staying close to home base on a snowy Sunday morning before the roads are fully cleared. My parking location is on a side gravel driveway on a slight decline. There is 14-16 inches of snow. Operator engages 4WD (hubs are not locked at this point, Operator has forgot). I move about 3 feet and there is sudden severe grinding and forward movement stops. I'm unable to determine the cause of the failure.
Operator sets me back to 2WD and manages to get me out on the road and boy do I wish I had all 4 tires providing traction as I had trouble tracking my angular momentum and trajectory at times. I did manage to perform an intentional full rotation, I believe "Doughnut" is the term, behind a Walgreen's.
Upon return all attempts failed in returning to my parking location, being uphill, even with some compacted snow tracks to follow.
Operator notifies Chris @ Ujoint Offroad. I do not know what was said but soon I was being diagnosed to narrow the problem, methodically.
My issue appears catastrophic. While I can operate in extreme conditions, my Operator was ill equipped to perform major axle work in this climate, this is why he had Chris do the install in the first place...but he is 10 hours away.
Within days, I found my self just 45 minutes away at
Attitude Performance. My axle was examined and a faulty pinion bearing had seized up and wrecked my gears.
Matt @ Attitude fixed what needed fixing and installed a steering stabilizer at my Operators request.
After a full road test by Matt I was on my way back to home base in a week.
Operator issued a currency payment of $187.50 for my new steering stabilizer.
All my new parts and Matt's labor were covered by Chris under warranty.
There is an apparent human induced flaw with businesses not standing behind their work after they receive currency for the work performed. Operator was very pleased that Chris provided such great support both prior to and after currency exchange.
Now with my 4WD engaged and hubs locked, I effortlessly plowed through mounds of snow to return to my home base.
The end.