I seen someone in a Facebook group claim that after installing the Bravada front axle shaft and tube to do away with the problematic disconnecting front axle, they burnt up not one, but 2 of the 4 button auto 4wd transfercases in just a few months time. They claimed that because the front drive shaft was now always engaged and spinning, it burnt up "clutches" in the auto 4wd transfercase.

Is there any validity to that? Can anyone confirm this would be an issue, or give an argument to why it's not actually a concern?

In my 04 with the 4 button auto 4wd, the 4x4 works fine right now, it's never let me down. But I've got a Bravada axle shaft and tube sitting in the garage for the day that actuator inevitability DOES start giving me issues lol. It would be nice to be reassured that installing it though wouldn't cause any other issues.

 

This doesn't really make sense as when in Auto4wd, the front axle is engaged the entire time as well. Also, the NV136 transfer case used in the Bravada uses the same clutch configuration as the NV236 just without the planetary gear reduction and necessary accoutrement to facilitate the 2 speed nature of the NV236.

I would have thought that you would have heard bad things from the multitude of people that have done this. Who knows, maybe they failed to use AutoTrak 2 fluid, had a bad clutch that was on its way out both times, or were just driving it beyond its means.

 

That's sort of what I was thinking too. And yeah you are probably right about other factors contributing to the failing t-case on their part.