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AWD or 1WD

enyego

Well-Known Member
Joined
November 7, 2002
Messages
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City, State
Kokomo, IN
Year, Model & Trim Level
'97 Mounty/'98 Grand Marq
I'm about to unshroud my ignorance, but my Mounty had its first encounter with a drift last night; and I must say I was sorely disappointed after two years of owning a totally Manual Expolerer. My explorer spun all wheels together in snow, mud, gravel, etc... My Mounty would only spin the rear-left. Am I going to get air lockers to make my truck mud/snow ready?
 



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Originally posted by enyego
Am I going to get air lockers to make my truck mud/snow ready?


Dude I'd totally love to see that in the front end. Just cause it says it's a 4x4 doesn't mean all 4 wheels are gonna spin bro
 






ya, I got that AWD crap too, but when out doing some dohnuts in the snow, it will spin all 4 sometimes, but when in a tight dohnut it will spin just the inside front tire..and last night I tryed to climb a huge pile of snow last night, and half way up the bank, it started to just spin the flexed out tire, which was the right rear, and It wouldnt go up the snow anymore, I was like what the hell, it just started spinning the right rear..to the point of I was really doing a one wheel burn out..lol.but i was pissed cause..its not really 4 wheel drive..
 






do you guys with 5.0s have a Limited Slip or open rear differential? i had almost no problems going up hills covered in 12" snow this past weekend... except for maybe once or twice when i was in reverse and i seemed to have a lot less traction trying to back up rather than going forward up the same slopes. does the system unlock in reverse like some other 4wd systems? other than those 2 times i was very impressed and had no troubles in my little adventures :)
 






Just speaking from experience with LSs and other vehicles, dunno if this applies to the AWD system:

Sometimes light brake pressure helps 4x4, AWDs, and LSs out.
 






I have the LS in mine and I won't complain a single ounce about it. I know first hand what an AWD can do in the snow versus 4WD. If it's going to lose traction going up a pile of snow.. it'll do it whether you're 4WD, AWD, or 10WD. :D AWD kicks ass. SO BACK OFF! :D
 






AWD, its ok..but its not the best..cause if it was all wheel drive, like they say..all 4 tires would spin all the time..but its not awd..its a STTSTT, (sometimes this tire, sometimes that tire)..lol..I dont know what im saying..im tired..lol..
 






There is a clear disadvantage to the AWD transfer case. It doesn't have a 50/50 torque split to each axle. Meaning that it acts as kind of an open center differential and sends all the torque to an axle with both (or even one) wheel off the ground.
 






All that I'm saying is that in order for 4-wheel drive to be any better than 2-wheel drive, more than one tire needs to spin. I didn't expect the new and improved "AWD" to be so much less effective than my old manual-hub ex.
 






I just thought it would be alot better then it really is..and was I fooled..like the new H2, when one tire starts to spin or leaves the ground...it stops that wheel from spinning..and sends the power to other wheels..I wish the explorer was like that..
 






I just thought it would be alot better then it really is..and was I fooled..like the new H2, when one tire starts to spin or leaves the ground...it stops that wheel from spinning..and sends the power to other wheels..I wish the explorer was like that..

The best would be a Torsen differential in the rear, and front with a lockable center differential.. (the same way the HMMWV has) 2nd best would be a front and rear air/electric locker with lockable center differential.. (like the Jeep Wranger Rubicon has)

our limited slip rearend is SLIGHTY better than an open differential, but not much...
 






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