Better 4wd handling?

[Karpov]

Thanks again to RangerX to help fix my banging problem (auto hubs to manual)


Now its still winter and snow coming. I have m+s suv stud styres and i bet that you cant find many better tyres.


When i engage 4wd now its like "low range" because manual hub locks but front axle solid.


Curvy and snowy village roads and even highways are bretty #### to drive this vehicle.


Its stiff to handle because front is solid and driveability is pretty unexpected. First it pushes and when certain limit of push is reach then rear swipes easily.


Okay nobody says that drive 4x4 on highway but there is so bad roads that 2wd is pretty unsafe in road speeds. Normal car no problem to drive high speeds.

 

[colintrax]

Leave it in 2wd unless you need 4wd to get moving. When turning the front and rear tires take different paths. So they need to spin at different speeds.

 

[Karpov]

If i drive slippery road 40-50mph and it spins out 2wd then its too late to but 4wd

 

[colintrax]

Sounds like you just need to slow down. I didn't need 4wd last week and I'm rolling on mud terrains. Taking turns in 4wd makes you more likely to spin out. It can help pull the rear back inline, but the point is you shouldn't be cruising around in 4wd. Unless traction is so bad 20mph is about all you can do. Or you're on dirt

 

[Karpov]

Just comes one word on my mind: JEEP

 

[colintrax]

I don't get it? A jeep has the same 4wd design as your explorer.

 

[MrShorty]

When i engage 4wd now its like "low range" because manual hub locks but front axle solid. Curvy and snowy village roads and even highways are bretty #### to drive this vehicle.

I'm trying to envision what you are describing and not succeeding. I cannot recall this kind of behavior in any of my part-time 4wd vehicles. In tight turns, I can tell that my turning radius is diminished because the front and rear cannot differentiate. But most of the time, on normal, straight, snow covered roads, I can barely tell that I am in 4wd (except, of course, that it is harder to spin on take off). Even in my Suburban which has the ARB in the rear, the only main thing I notice in 4wd with the rear locked is some rather severe understeer on cornering, but otherwise it seems to drive smooth.

 

[FR-425]

Sounds to me like it has a locker in the front.

 

[RangerX]

...but front axle solid.

Its stiff to handle because front is solid and driveability is pretty unexpected.

Karpov, can you explain what you mean when you say front is solid?

FR-425 makes a good point. Maybe previous owner put a locker in the front axle?

 

[Karpov]

Locker is probably the word that i mean.

So now i think front wheel spins same speed and same time at any speed. Not like rear wheels, example:

Rear isnt locker, if rght wheel spins it stucks and left wheel is steady.



Front spins same speed. So when i lock both hub locks its locker.

Old auto hubs and only 4x4 was like rear? So front wasnt then solid? Only low range did it solid like then?

And normal 4x4 was good to drive higher speeds and not so sensitive to traction surfaces? (i know that normal 4x4 isnt feeling doog in pavement etc but not feeling so bad than low range)


Hope someone make sense of my writings


And about j**p, eh it has central differential system and visco or something like audi quattro style that you can use 4x4 at any speed and many jeep has only 4x4 without change of even switch 4x4? But it doesnt help my problem now

 

[Karpov]

And why normal 4x4 disappears when you change auto hubs to manual?

 

[FR-425]

The hub change didn't cause the change. it's just working now.

Previous owner made some modifications. Probably a "Lincoln Locker"

This means that the gears in the differential have been welded. (permanently locked)

This is not a bad thing, ,,, unless you drive in snow. Not so good for snow.

If this is the case just lock only one front hub and it will run snow just fine.

The front "Locker" was probably done for snow plowing. Or previous owner had the need for deep mud.

You can test:

Jack up both front wheels.

Leave it in 4wd

lock both hubs.

Turn one wheel by hand.

If you can't turn it you have a locking differential.

If it turns you have an open diff.

 

[RangerX]

.
You can test:

Jack up both front wheels.

Leave it in 4wd

lock both hubs.

Turn one wheel by hand.

If you can't turn it you have a locking differential.

If it turns you have an open diff.

I thought you keep one wheel on the ground for this test?

 

[Karpov]

The hub change didn't cause the change. it's just working now.

I dont get that? Many 4wd work push button/stick and hub locks are from bad situation and about deep snow mud positions. Now i have but them on if i even want drive 4x4 that is not clear to my mind why???



Ill check that!

 

[FR-425]

Or you could keep one wheel on the ground that will work too.

In this case I was looking for all the info, it is hard to read Kapov's Finishenglish.

No offense intended Friend!

 

[Karpov]

Yeah no problem

Today i tried. Jack up only one side, 4x4 on, neutral and locks on. Wheel was solid, i didint get it spin when another tire was ground. When i release hublock then it spinned.


So front is solid when locks are on.

 

[RangerX]

That does sound like somone installed a locker into the front differential, or maybe welded it together.
Are you able to ask the previous owner about that?

 

[Karpov]

It wasnt that ho sells car to me, and before him it was 60 year lady and before that 60year man...

And ive heared that those are all owners in finland and car is 94 registered here (1993 manufactured by vin).


94 was lama and here land of toyota and poor armament this kind of ford was luxus car so sounds funny that someone buts it lock in front.


But lock is now in front and no can do

 

[cgbier]

Get a new differential.

 

[RangerX]

To swap in a different diff, or even to look at what is in there, is a LOT of work. Almost the whole front axle needs to be removed...