True 4wd? Or awd?

[MikB]

Sorry, not going to read through all of this thread although I have read a good portion of it and I get the gist of it. Is the Explorer with 4WD option AWD? I look at it like this. Since we have a terrain management system, in the 'normal' position, I consider it AWD which operates part time when needed on normal road surfaces. The rest of the terrain management features I consider the 4WD part of the equation which deals with sand, mud, ruts, snow and so on off road stuff.

So, my answer that works for me is the Explorer is both AWD and 4WD depending on selection of the terrain system and conditions of the driving surface.

 

[Old Iron]

try climbing slippery rocks the rubicon trail and you will understand why it isn't 4 wd

 

[Old Iron]

I have a 4wd suv and it can't go half the places my 4wd truck can go and they are both stock and neither can go to the places my 1952 stock CJ3A can go. go to 4wd parts or other off road dealers and try to tell them you want off road accessories for your suv won't happen.

 

[MikB]

try climbing slippery rocks the rubicon trail and you will understand why it isn't 4 wd

You're right, the Explorer is not a rock crawler...er...yup.


Don't try this at home folks!

 

[Ohsix]

I bought the Sport to tow,a,Camper in the Merry month of May
On I hope dry highways

 

[dewu]

AWD, 4WD, FWD and 2WD

What are the differences between AWD, 4WD, 4x4, FWD, 2x4 and 2WD?
How does a mud/snow mode work in 2016 Explorer FWD version?

 

[orangesoda123]

What are the differences between AWD, 4WD, 4x4, FWD, 2x4 and 2WD?
How does a mud/snow mode work in 2016 Explorer FWD version?

One could almost write a book on this topic. There are varying types of Four Wheel Drive and AWD, but I'll just hit a couple of key points on each.

First an foremost I will differentiate each of these. AWD, 4WD (Four Wheel Drive, same as 4x4) accomplish additional traction by sending power to all wheels. FWD (Front Wheel Drive) only sends power to the front wheels. 2x4 and RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) only send power to the rear wheels. TECHNICALLY 2x4 could also refer to FWD, but most of the time it refers to RWD.
.
4x4/4WD: Power can delivered to rear wheels only or all four wheels via a transfer case. The user must engage Four Wheel drive by pushing a button or pulling a lever, though a few vehicles are automatic. Back in the day you used to have to get out of the vehicle to engage the hubs on each front wheel. 4x4 is a bit more heavy duty than AWD. Its good for off-roading, deep mud, snow and very severe road conditions. Most 4x4 systems, though not all, have a low range setting as well. However it is quite heavy, doesn't work well at highway speeds and often isn't very refined (you can feel additional vibrations in the vehicle after engaging, though this has been engineered out quite a bit lately). When turning with 4x4 engaged, a vehicle can actually hop around which can be quite alarming if you aren't used to it. Its not very good for varying road conditions as driving with 4x4 engaged on dry pavement can cause damage to the system. You typically find this system in trucks and full size SUVS.

AWD: Power can be sent to all wheels. I won't get into all of the different types of AWD because they vary between manufacturers quite a bit. AWD is good for vehicles that see varying road conditions such as ice and snow. It requires no input from the user to turn on. Often AWD vehicles will deliver power to the front or rear wheels only to save on fuel and automatically move power to other wheels in cases of low traction. It is more refined than 4x4 as you can't even tell its on for the most part. However, AWD does not typically perform as well in deep mud or snow as a 4x4. Also there isn't much restriction on calling a vehicle AWD. If it sends power to all 4 wheels it can be called AWD, but many vehicles will only send very small amounts of power to the non primary end which doesn't improve traction very much. Always do your homework on AWD systems to see how well they work before purchasing.


FWD: As stated above, power is only delivered to the front wheels.

2x4/RWD: Again, power is only delievered to the rear wheels.


To answer your other question, snow mode on a FWD explorer basically limits throttle response. It will take much more pedal travel than normal to get moving. The goal of this is to eliminate abrupt acceleration to the wheels, allowing them to gain traction easier. This mode may also make the traction control more aggressive, but i'm not 100% on that.


FYI: Even though the newer Explorers say 4WD on them, they are NOT 4WD. Its a marketing gimmick. All new Explorers use an AWD system. It actually irritates me that they are allowed to put 4WD on it when its clearly an AWD system.

 

[4FordFamily]

One could almost write a book on this topic. There are varying types of Four Wheel Drive and AWD, but I'll just hit a couple of key points on each.

First an foremost I will differentiate each of these. AWD, 4WD (Four Wheel Drive, same as 4x4) accomplish additional traction by sending power to all wheels. FWD (Front Wheel Drive) only sends power to the front wheels. 2x4 and RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) only send power to the rear wheels. TECHNICALLY 2x4 could also refer to FWD, but most of the time it refers to RWD.
.
4x4/4WD: Power can delivered to rear wheels only or all four wheels via a transfer case. The user must engage Four Wheel drive by pushing a button or pulling a lever, though a few vehicles are automatic. Back in the day you used to have to get out of the vehicle to engage the hubs on each front wheel. 4x4 is a bit more heavy duty than AWD. Its good for off-roading, deep mud, snow and very severe road conditions. Most 4x4 systems, though not all, have a low range setting as well. However it is quite heavy, doesn't work well at highway speeds and often isn't very refined (you can feel additional vibrations in the vehicle after engaging, though this has been engineered out quite a bit lately). When turning with 4x4 engaged, a vehicle can actually hop around which can be quite alarming if you aren't used to it. Its not very good for varying road conditions as driving with 4x4 engaged on dry pavement can cause damage to the system. You typically find this system in trucks and full size SUVS.

AWD: Power can be sent to all wheels. I won't get into all of the different types of AWD because they vary between manufacturers quite a bit. AWD is good for vehicles that see varying road conditions such as ice and snow. It requires no input from the user to turn on. Often AWD vehicles will deliver power to the front or rear wheels only to save on fuel and automatically move power to other wheels in cases of low traction. It is more refined than 4x4 as you can't even tell its on for the most part. However, AWD does not typically perform as well in deep mud or snow as a 4x4. Also there isn't much restriction on calling a vehicle AWD. If it sends power to all 4 wheels it can be called AWD, but many vehicles will only send very small amounts of power to the non primary end which doesn't improve traction very much. Always do your homework on AWD systems to see how well they work before purchasing.


FWD: As stated above, power is only delivered to the front wheels.

2x4/RWD: Again, power is only delievered to the rear wheels.


To answer your other question, snow mode on a FWD explorer basically limits throttle response. It will take much more pedal travel than normal to get moving. The goal of this is to eliminate abrupt acceleration to the wheels, allowing them to gain traction easier. This mode may also make the traction control more aggressive, but i'm not 100% on that.


FYI: Even though the newer Explorers say 4WD on them, they are NOT 4WD. Its a marketing gimmick. All new Explorers use an AWD system. It actually irritates me that they are allowed to put 4WD on it when its clearly an AWD system.

Could not have said it better myself.

 

[Sixonemale]

I've owned two Explorers in the past, 1991 Eddie Bauer 4x4 and a 2002 Eddie Bauer 4x4, in addition the FWD XLT I own now. Although the 1991 was first generation, it was great in snow, nothing could stop it. The 2002 was a bit heavier, not as agile and as good as the 1991 in the snow. I was extremely hesitant to buy a FWD, but since I use the 4x4 function less than 5% of the time I gave it go. I recently encountered a snowy day in a national park and was surprised at how well it ran in the snow due to the majority of the weight on the fairly wide front tires. I tested it several times in areas with a few inches of snow and it was always able to move from a dead stop and was very controllable. Of course in a blizzard or heavy snow I would be much more comfortable with a 4x4, but it ran remarkably well especially when compared to my other two Explorers when running on rear wheel drive only, a disaster.

 

[CraigK]

OrangeSoda123, great description of the different drive modes. I do have a question. How do you engage "snow mode" on a FWD Explorer?

Craig

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

How does a mud/snow mode work in 2016 Explorer FWD version?

To answer your other question, snow mode on a FWD explorer basically limits throttle response. It will take much more pedal travel than normal to get moving. The goal of this is to eliminate abrupt acceleration to the wheels, allowing them to gain traction easier. This mode may also make the traction control more aggressive, but i'm not 100% on that.

Correct. Because it forces the tranny to start in 2nd gear.

 

[peterk9]

What are the differences between AWD, 4WD, 4x4, FWD, 2x4 and 2WD?
How does a mud/snow mode work in 2016 Explorer FWD version?

Using the Forum's 'Search' program I found this existing thread and merged yours with it.
The 'Search' function is your friend to many questions.

Peter

 

[orangesoda123]

OrangeSoda123, great description of the different drive modes. I do have a question. How do you engage "snow mode" on a FWD Explorer?

Craig

On AWD Explorers there's a dial right next to the gear lever/cup holders. I'm not sure if you can get this feature in FWD models. Someone else will have to chime in on that one. If you don't see a dial in this position I'm afraid you're out of luck.

 

[peterk9]

On AWD Explorers there's a dial right next to the gear lever/cup holders. I'm not sure if you can get this feature in FWD models. Someone else will have to chime in on that one. If you don't see a dial in this position I'm afraid you're out of luck.

I don't think so. Part of what the Terrain Management System (TMS) does it to transfer power to the rear wheels when required. You can't do that with a FWD.
Also, from the Manual;
USING YOUR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) SYSTEM
The 4WD system is always active and requires no driver input. It is
capable of handling all road conditions, including street and highway
driving as well as off-road and winter driving. The driver can optimize
more 4WD control by moving the terrain management switch for the
correct terrain. See the Terrain Management chapter for more
information.

Peter

 

[dewu]

One could almost write a book on this topic. There are varying types of Four Wheel Drive and AWD, but I'll just hit a couple of key points on each.
[..]
FYI: Even though the newer Explorers say 4WD on them, they are NOT 4WD. Its a marketing gimmick. All new Explorers use an AWD system. It actually irritates me that they are allowed to put 4WD on it when its clearly an AWD system.

Thank you for a detailed answer. I was just a bit confused cause I used to have a Sport Trac 2003 and I had this manual switch between 2x4 and 4x4 hi&low. And in my papers this vehicle was described as FWD. But maybe they made a mistake while registering (I am from Poland). Now I have just bought a Ford Explorer 2016 (AWD) but I don't really like all its features like a basic cluster (not a fancy one), so I am thinking about selling it here in Poland and buying a new one - maybe with FWD not necessarily with AWD.

 

[MikB]

This topic seems to have become an obsession for some.

Having a traditional 4WD and a modern 4WD, I have no problem understanding the direction these new systems have gone. Whether you want to call it AWD or 4WD, it still takes 4 wheels to accomplish both missions. The newer systems are geared more around driving safety in nasty conditions rather than getting you to the 'outback'. The new systems can handle more moderate conditions off road rather than more extreme conditions with few exceptions.

Most folks who buy these vehicles with the newer systems will almost never drive their modern 4WD into extreme conditions but, feel confident they can handle moderate conditions with the occasional venture into extreme conditions such as snowy and/or icy conditions.

Even though you see some of these newer 4WD being seen in adverts going through extreme conditions, it's still an advert and they always have the disclaimer in there somewhere that says it was driven by a 'professional' and should not be attempted by the inexperienced or some such. It's an Ad. They are exaggerated for an emotional response to the consumer. However, it is possible that you may get lucky using yours in these type conditions. Anything is possible. But, for the most part, most people will rarely find themselves in these spots.

So, what we have here in this thread are those that have some or much more off roading experience than others along with their understanding of what a 4WD is and those with not this kind of experience trying to understand the differences in some acronyms. What it comes down to is limitations really and that's what you need to understand in my view. So, with that in mind, I will not take my Ex into places I can take my Ranger into because I understand and know my Ex's limitations and why it is designed as it is, driving safety and moderate off road use. With my Ranger, it can go further in rougher terrain but, I also understand it also has it's limitations.

 

[wilexplorer]

It is very simple.
The 4wd Explorer is just an AWD vehicle.

It is the same as the Mazda CX9 I traded in. It is FWD, with an added transfer and shaft to send power to the rear. This transfer case blew up and was very weak in the Mazda made by FoMoCo. You should only see a shaft going to the rear, no front shaft as it is integrated as a regular FWD transaxle. This is design for on road. The electronics make it better for snow.

In my Jeep, there is a shaft going to front differential and one going to rear differential. This is a system design for off road. Mechanically are very strong.

If you look around you'll find videos a Subaru explaining their AWD vs others. These should help you understand better.

 

[need-a-cage]

Well, the two drive shafts vs one is not whether it is AWD vs 4WD, but the fact that it is FWD biased vs RWD biased. (but yes, I would never consider something with a transaxle as being 4wd) This is the reason I almost bought the Durango. Not because I wanted a more rugged off roader, but because I wanted RWD biased and not FWD. I HATE torque steer! Our 02 did not have a 2wd selection. It had 4x4 Auto, which sent power to the rear wheels and then to the front on demand when the rears spun. I liked this setup a lot. I could also remove a fuse so it wouldn't engage the transfer case which allowed me to do donuts. LOL! It also had a locking 4x4 and a low range. I definitely don't need low range for our Explorer's duty, but I like rwd bias awd systems. I said I would never buy a car with a transversely mounted motor with a transaxle, but I REALLY wanted the 3.5 Ecoboost and figured it must use more of a 50/50 split with all that power from the Taurus SHO setup. Up to half throttle, I don't feel torque steer, but it will wander a little at WOT. It is acceptable for the performance that we got, but I definitely prefer a RWD biased setup. The Expeditions are just too big for my wife's daily driver and I didn't want the Dodge with less power and worse mileage...If you watch the gauge, it does throw about 50% to the rear when you take off slightly aggressively, but it does taper off quickly. I need to try the other terrain management modes and watch the gauge to see if it does more of a 50/50 split. I think sand mode is supposed to and also allow wheel spin, so that is the mode I'll use at the drag strip when I get it out there to baseline its performance.

 

[MikB]

This should make everybody happy or at least informed as to the topic question. Courtesy of the '15 Ford Ex repair manual:

********************
"All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
The vehicle is equipped with an AWD system that continuously monitors vehicle conditions and automatically
adjusts the power distribution between the front and rear wheels. The system is always active and only requires
the operator to select terrain.
During normal operation, most of the torque is delivered to the front wheels. If wheel slip between the front and
rear wheels is detected, or if the vehicle is under acceleration, the PCM commands torque delivery to the rear
wheels to prevent or control wheel slip. When the AWD system is functioning properly, there should be no
perceived speed difference between the front and rear axles when launching or driving the vehicle on any uniform
surface. Traction should be similar to a part time 4WD system in 4H (4X4 HIGH), but have no binding in turns.
All AWD control logic resides in the PCM . The PCM continuously calculates if torque is required at the rear
wheels and when torque is required, sends a low-current PWM signal to the AWD relay module over a hard wired
circuit. The AWD relay module then outputs a high-current PWM signal which varies the current and duty cycle
sent to the ATC solenoid, which is located inside the rear axle.
The PWM current supplied to the ATC solenoid increases as demand for rear wheel torque increases. The AWD
relay module returns a signal to the PCM throughout AWD operation over a hard-wired circuit to monitor system
capabilities.
AWD faults are indicated by the powertrain malfunction (wrench) warning indicator in the IPC as well as the
CHECK AWD warning indicator in the message center.
A spare tire of a different size other than the tire provided should never be used. A dissimilar spare tire size (other
than the spare tire provided) or major dissimilar tire sizes between the front and rear axles could cause the AWD
system to stop functioning correctly. If the incorrect spare tire or dissimilar tire sizes between the front and rear
axles is installed, the AWD system disables automatically and enters FWD only mode to protect driveline
components. This condition could be indicated by an AWD OFF message in the message center. If there is an
AWD OFF message in the message center from using the spare tire, this message should disappear after
reinstalling the repaired or replaced normal road tire and driving a short distance. It is recommended to reinstall
the repaired or replaced road tire as soon as possible."

***********************
With this explanation, you still need to deal with the 'Intelligent 4WD' reference in the info monitor in your Ex equipped AWD MPV/CUV/SUV. That and the '4WD' badge on the back. I'm sure if you do not feel comfortable with any reference to '4WD', you can at least change the badge on the tailgate using something off a Honda CV or some such.

Oh, one more thing. Back in the day, many years ago, they sold Ford, Chevy and Dodge P/U's, Blazers, Ramchargers, Bronco's, etc., with 'Full Time Four Wheel Drive'. Much the same as what we call AWD these days although AWD is more associated with a FWD vehicle. They had a 'fixed' hub on the front wheels to make this so rendering these vehicles in 4WD high all the time. They didn't have a computer to tell them what wheel was slipping and which one should take up the traction duty yada, yada. You fixed this by either getting one with manual locking hubs or get a conversion kit to fix it so you could render your truck a RWD at your command. Then, they came up with the 'automatic locking hub' so you wouldn't have to get out and lock them. And then, they came out with....you get the picture. So, the real conundrum for folks is perception. Driveline configuration at the core of the issue even though each type results in virtually the same result. It's really a matter of Semantics.

 

[peterk9]

At least the repair manual got it right......AWD.

Peter