I've done it here (start question threads) and I think your luck in getting responses depends on your question and on how much background reading you've done.
If you put in effort and try to research a topic, but get stuck, that's a good time to ask a question. Or if it's a question that different people have different answers on, that's a good one.
Beware of asking questions without searching Google or without laying some foundation.
But otherwise, I've done it. And there's varying levels of success in getting responses.
Oh one more thing:
It seems most threads are started with clear understanding of what the original poster knows about the subject.
You should do that for your question thread too. Outline what you know, what you don't know, and even why you're asking. But you probably know that's the best way to ask.
Well, just my suggestions from my experience.
Ben