4WD or AWD

peasant

which do you prefer?


for the purposes of this discussion a short definition:

4WD commonly refers to vehicles with selectable four wheel drive. Usually only the rear axle is driven, on selection of 4WD a straight connection to the front wheels is made (no centre diff) and a reduction gearbox provides the 4WD low

AWD commonly describes a vehicle that has permanent drive to all four wheels (All Wheel Drive) with a centre diff of some sort (mechanical, electrical, viscous coupling) that may or may not be lockable.


While owning the Jimny I was (of course!) of the staunch opinion that there's nothing better than selectable 4WD ...now that I have yoke with a viscous coupling I'm not so sure any more. I really like the fact that I can now have (automatic and constant) four wheel drive on road without having to worry about breaking something and I can feel the added safety that his gives. Plus it works offroad seemingly just as well, if not better.

Max_Damage

Hmm, I never knew there was a difference in the names, I just thought they were different names for the same thing. Learn something new every day!

Now looking at it, it really depends on the environment you intend on taking the vehicle. Proper off-roading would really require 4WD, while if it is for racing purposes, I reckon AWD would be more suitable

peasant

What annoyed me about the Jimny was the fact that there I had a 4x4 capable of competing with a mountain goat, yet when it came to driving a typical Irish country road (flooded, mucky and full of holes) I had to constantly engage/disengage 4WD for fear of it binding up on the non-slippery bits. Also your typical 4WD setup with live rear axle and leaf springs (or normal springs) is only one step removed from the old ox cart when it comes to handling and you really could do with four wheel drive on most of the time.

Maybe those SUV/softroader guys are on to something after all ?

Max_Damage

Wouldn't have thought viscous coupling would have been very effective for going up the side of a steep mountain.

peasant

Neither would I ...but it has proved me wrong.

The day after I got the courrent yoke, I took it up a particularly nasty hillside track (water running down in muddy ruts) that i had negotiated in the Jimny (with 4WD) previously. The Syncro made it up with less fuss than the Jimny, even though it's about 500 kg heavier and only had normal road tyres. The operation of the viscous coupling was absolutely seamless.

But I guess having a near 50/50 weight distribution in the Syncro helped.

Max_Damage

This would make you think aswell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAg4DdXAp7Y

CJhaughey

The Landcruiser KZJ90 onwards is Awd, I prefer it to the other selectable 4wd's that I have driven, Hilux,Pajero etc.
It is a no fuss system and the proof is in the fact that 90% of owners have no idea that all 4 wheels are permanantly driven.
Most people say: No it's not there is another little gearstick to select 4wd, and it takes a long time for them to become aware that there is no writing on the stick that says 2wd.....
Then of course there is the people that insist on locking the diff on tarmac and trying to turn :rolleyes:

Slig

personally I like the selectable 4x4, start off in 2wd and if you get stuck put it in 4wd and reverse, its a good tester if you have no back up, also saves on tyres