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Theoretically two, but it's a precarious two at best. For instance, if you were to lose traction (e.g. on ice) only one tire will spin. This is because the device splitting the power (differential) has no preference for which wheel gets the power and thus if one is easier to spin it will get all the power. In normal driving conditions it should be close to 50/50 but it is likely skewed a little to one side due to the drive train not being perfectly symmetric.
Some vehicles will have a limited slip differential to combat this which won't allow one wheel to spin freely so in the ice situation above as soon as there is a specified difference in speed between the two wheels the differential will transfer some power to the opposite wheel. There are also locking differentials which always drive both wheels but are generally only used in certain off-road situations.
^ what he said. in a nutshell, most FWD cars have an open diff. both wheels are powered, but when one wheel loses traction that wheel gets all of the power sent its way.
so when a front wheel drive is raised only one tire will spin??
Depends on the type of differential it is equipped with. The typical pedestrian fwd, like civic, corolla etc. Yes. Something like a high hp turbo fwd some are equipped with a mechanical lsd which will allow for both wheels being powered in that situation, and those equipped with an electronic diff where the brakes basically grab on the faster spinning wheel to give an lsd effect, results will vary.
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And then there is the 'traction control' issue... Computerized 'braking' of the wheel that is losing traction'.
But still... Engine power is being applied to the differential; which distributes the power to drive shafts (usually the ez'st side to spin). IN the Case of AWD, there are various other distribution schemes, usually majority to front (on cars).
It's not a whole number, because the presence of a slip differential, so no wheel receives the full complement of power that is delivered.
How many wheels receive SOME power? Two. How many wheels receive FULL power all the time? None. How many wheels receive power when one of the drive wheels is on ice? One, the one that is on the ice. Unless a special traction sharing mechanism is in place to defeat that.
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