Why is there a printed  warning on the console beside the hi-lo shifter that says not to use the vehicle with the shifter in between the two positions?

 

Is it because it may cause mechanical damage or because it means you're in a neutral position between gears?

Pretty sure it's the neutral spot. In Oz it is illegal to coast in neutral as you can't power away from danger

In neutral. Stay there long enough and oil won't be moving around the box, you could damage the input shaft bearing when stationary. Dunno how true that is. Either way if you're moving and sitting in this neutral position you're effectively not in control of the vehicle and could be in danger.

 

Good thing about the neutral position is that Subaru in their wisdom put it there in the first place and added synchros to the high and low range gears. This means we can change between hi and low range on the fly if you know what driving gears you should be in when changing from high to low range

 

Cheers

 

Bennie

Edited April 14, 20188 yr by el_freddo

the danger is that there is no detent poition for the "nuetral" between high and low range.  there is just a dead spot between the detents for the hi/lo

 

That's why they don't refer to it as nuetral.  Many trucks with hi/lo transfer cases DO have a nuetral to be used for towing and such.  BUT........they have a detent that holds them there.

 

With no detent to hold it, it could easily, suddenly engage the very edge of either of the gears.  no bueno.

Thanks guys, I had briefly (about 100 feet) put my shifter into this neutral position, there was no funny noise from the transmission or anything but as you said, I was freewheeling down a slope.