Is the 2011 Explorer full time AWD?

[vulnox]

Sorry if this is common knowledge, but I am having a surprisingly hard time finding the answer. I searched for a few different keywords/phrases, but since 4WD/AWD/and the like are common on here, it was returning hundreds of results.

I wanted to get the 4WD Explorer for Snow and all that, but also because if we are on a longer trip on the freeway and the weather is bad, I want the vehicle to be able to shift power to any of the 4 wheels as required.

I know you can select Snow/Mud Ruts/etc, but if it is on driving mode, so basically nothing specific selected, and the vehicle loses traction, does it engage the rear wheels automatically?

I guess this would be a part-time AWD actually, not Full time, but I was just wondering if it does do this.

Thanks!

 

[Border_Explorer]

http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/features/#page=Feature3

 

[JohnnyDop]

FWD vs AWD

http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/features/#page=Feature3

What are the advantages to having all four wheels spinning on the AWD model?

 

[Border_Explorer]

Better traction for different driving conditions. Power can be shifted to the wheels that need it. When using the terrain system in normal mode the car is essentially providing power to the front wheels.

http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/features/#page=Feature1

 

[vulnox]

http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/features/#page=Feature3

Cool thank you. I read the Ford site but I guess I missed the section that described the different settings of the Terrain Management where it says that it will send them to the rear when needed. My mistake.

Thanks again!

 

[1995E]

Whenever I accelerate hard, I look at the distribution in torque and power gets shifted to the rear wheels when accelerating from 0 to 20. Then it shifts to FWD after that for me. So I guess it's a smart AWD system.

 

[GregV8]

It's a smart AWD system and it has something called "predictive" operation - so in theory it should send power to all 4 wheels _before_ it is even required, e.g. when you jam the accelerator and/or the steering wheel isn't straight, etc.
I drove a Fusion and also an Edge in deep snow and worked like a dream. You can't notice the changes - you just have smooth traction all the time.

 

[JohnnyDop]

It's a smart AWD system and it has something called "predictive" operation - so in theory it should send power to all 4 wheels _before_ it is even required, e.g. when you jam the accelerator and/or the steering wheel isn't straight, etc.
I drove a Fusion and also an Edge in deep snow and worked like a dream. You can't notice the changes - you just have smooth traction all the time.

Apologies but i'm confused.

Answer me this:

With the FWD model, if the truck happens to goes from dry pavement to snow will the rear tires get power if slippage is detected in the front, i/e it'll distribute power to any of the 4 wheels as needed automatically in normal mode?

 

[OneFast440]

Whether the road is filled with gravel, covered with ice or soaked by rain, the easy-to-use, shift-on-the-fly Intelligent 4WD System on the 2011 Explorer helps provide sure-footed traction. Intelligent 4WD is fully automatic, instantly delivering traction to the wheels with the most traction when wheelslip is detected. Working in concert with the 4WD System is the class-exclusive* Terrain Management System, which allows you to easily shift on the fly into one of four settings to match the terrain you’re driving in. Take your pick of Normal, Mud/Ruts, Sand or Grass/Gravel/Snow. The 4WD System also includes new Hill Descent Control™, which makes tackling off-road downhills much easier. Just push a button, tap your brakes and Explorer will maintain a steady speed on its own, letting you concentrate on steering. On top of these features, the Intelligent 4WD System in Explorer weighs less than traditional 4WD systems.

It says that it is used when it rains so what selection should it be put into? The Snow setting?

 

[1995E]

Apologies but i'm confused.

Answer me this:

With the FWD model, if the truck happens to goes from dry pavement to snow will the rear tires get power if slippage is detected in the front, i/e it'll distribute power to any of the 4 wheels as needed automatically in normal mode?

Actually, no. There's nothing transferring the power to the rear wheels. The only adjustments made will be on the front wheels. That's why it has 25 MPG because there are no extra driveshafts and stuff slowing down the Explorer.

 

[JohnnyDop]

Actually, no. There's nothing transferring the power to the rear wheels. The only adjustments made will be on the front wheels. That's why it has 25 MPG because there are no extra driveshafts and stuff slowing down the Explorer.

So the only way to get all four wheels working would be to use the terrain management system?

 

[BethesdaEC]

So the only way to get all four wheels working would be to use the terrain management system?

The only way to get all four wheels working is to get the 4WD version. The front wheel drive does not have the terrain management knob nor the all important drivetrain components to get the power to the back wheels. The difference between FWD and 4WD is about $2K for a reason.

 

[VinceL]

I''m thinking that by FWD, the poster was thinking FourWD, not FrontWD.

FWD = Front Wheel Drive

AWD = All Wheel Drive

4WD = Four Wheel Drive, with a locking differential (right?)

The Explorer comes with AWD, no locking differential or low mode.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[BethesdaEC]

I''m thinking that by FWD, the poster was thinking FourWD, not FrontWD.

FWD = Front Wheel Drive

AWD = All Wheel Drive

4WD = Four Wheel Drive, with a locking differential (right?)

The Explorer comes with AWD, no locking differential or low mode.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

The Explorer is labeled as a 4WD, but really it is an AWD+. Back in the day you had a 4 speed transmission and a high/low transfer case for a total of 8 gears. The final gear ratio of 3-4 low usually overlapped 1-2 high so in the end you did have about 6 distinctive gears. I am pretty sure that 1st gear is a much lower gear that 1H of yesteryear but probably more like 2L. The AWD drive system can send 100% to any one wheel, so even with 3 wheels on ice it can power forward. Many of these older 4WD had up to 3 differentials which means if 1 or 2 tires loss traction then all power is lost.

Remember this system can send power at anytime to any wheel without concern for damaging the drivetrain. When in the snow we often go from clear roads to snow and back again repeatedly, with a traditional 4WD system you should be turning it off 4WD on dry pavement. Often times you will get stuck before you turn on 4WD where as with the Explorer prevents that from happening in the first place.

In the end it is a very capable system that will do everything but the most extreme rock crawling and will run circles around a traditional 4WD system in the snow.

 

[GertR]

I would like to understand the 4WD system a little better.

If you look at this article : http://gwsford.com/_webapp_3224095/2011_Explorer_First_Ride , they speak of the PTO (Power Take Off) unit. This sends power to the rear wheels.
The way I now understand it is that this PTO engages when there is slip or the potential of slip on any wheel. So it should be electrically actuated by the CPU of the Explorer.
What I don't understand is how it works. Is it a fully engaged device, no slippage? It is either in or out. In the article they say it gets hot, then it sounds like a limited slip diff?
In the Jeep Grand Cherokee's Quadra Drive 2 system, they have a partially engaged system (this is Rear Wheel Drive), if any wheel slips, power is transferred to the front wheels also. The partially engaged system helps so that there is no "backlash" (for lack of a better word) when it engages. And it makes it faster.

What makes our system different (from the Jeep) is that if any wheel spins, it is braked, so that power is transferred to the other wheels.

Hope someone can help clear my errors and expand on this.

 

[1995E]

I would like to understand the 4WD system a little better.

If you look at this article : http://gwsford.com/_webapp_3224095/2011_Explorer_First_Ride , they speak of the PTO (Power Take Off) unit. This sends power to the rear wheels.
The way I now understand it is that this PTO engages when there is slip or the potential of slip on any wheel. So it should be electrically actuated by the CPU of the Explorer.
What I don't understand is how it works. Is it a fully engaged device, no slippage? It is either in or out. In the article they say it gets hot, then it sounds like a limited slip diff?
In the Jeep Grand Cherokee's Quadra Drive 2 system, they have a partially engaged system (this is Rear Wheel Drive), if any wheel slips, power is transferred to the front wheels also. The partially engaged system helps so that there is no "backlash" (for lack of a better word) when it engages. And it makes it faster.

What makes our system different (from the Jeep) is that if any wheel spins, it is braked, so that power is transferred to the other wheels.

Hope someone can help clear my errors and expand on this.

This Explorer has no limited slip/ locking differentials at all. It uses the brakes to simulate limited slip differentials. I also would like to know how 100% of the power can be transferred to one wheel. I wonder if it's by braking all the other 3 wheels or what.

 

[Sgt1411]

Do what I do and drive in Sand mode, not the best for fuel consumption but very responsive. This setting is very much like the way they have tuned the Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) AWD.

 

[backinford]

Do what I do and drive in Sand mode, not the best for fuel consumption but very responsive. This setting is very much like the way they have tuned the Police Interceptor Utility (Explorer) AWD.

+1 on sand mode. one day the car was much more aggressive and responsive and LOUD. looked down and saw it was in sand mode, I wonder if its bad to drive it in sand mode on the highway at all speeds?

 

[BethesdaEC]

This Explorer has no limited slip/ locking differentials at all. It uses the brakes to simulate limited slip differentials. I also would like to know how 100% of the power can be transferred to one wheel. I wonder if it's by braking all the other 3 wheels or what.

Yep, that is what it does.

 

[OneFast440]

Yep, that is what it does.

Seems like we will go through brake pads a lot faster then most then....