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There are hybrid type 4WD vehicles that have electronic "Transfer cases", PTU, like the Jeep Patriot and Compass. Technically these vehicles are really AWD but the operator has a switch that initiates a 50/50 split between the front and rear wheels. Of course the brains will still move the power to the wheels than need it and it will disengage automatically when it accelerates over 35MPH.
The Cherokee has an actual transfer case (2 actually). I think you mean "electronically controlled." That's different.
The Renegade and Compass have a "low range" that essentially uses 1st gear. Still more low range than most AWD systems get.
The Patriot is discontinued, along with the 1st gen Compass. But I think they used the same first-gear-low-range thing.
Wrong. Jeep AWD systems come with manual overrides for snow or mud, that force the system into always-AWD mode. And the Cherokee even has an available low range transfer case for the FWD-biased AWD system.
A FWD doesn't have a transfer case. It has a output shaft to a rear differential.
Typically a 4WD system sends power equally to both axles through a transfer case. AWD sends and reduces power to axles . Typically a 4WD system requires driver input as yo what range it should be in. Typically a AWD system requires LITTLE to NO driver input as it dies things automatically either through mechanical or electronic means. 4WD is also typically found in big trucks/SUVs and AWD us more prevalent in cars or crossover type SUVs.
So you can pick one AWD system that's funky like a Jeep and keep using that as your example. I'm speaking in more broad terms as to the main differences
A FWD doesn't have a transfer case. It has a output shaft to a rear differential.
Typically a 4WD system sends power equally to both axles through a transfer case. AWD sends and reduces power to axles . Typically a 4WD system requires driver input as yo what range it should be in. Typically a AWD system requires LITTLE to NO driver input as it dies things automatically either through mechanical or electronic means. 4WD is also typically found in big trucks/SUVs and AWD us more prevalent in cars or crossover type SUVs.
So you can pick one AWD system that's funky like a Jeep and keep using that as your example. I'm speaking in more broad terms as to the main differences
Fine, go check out Land Rover too. Bottom line is that your generalization no longer applies. Granted it used to, but not anymore.
Bottom line is that your generalization no longer applies. Granted it used to, but not anymore.
It used to be simple.
The 4 Wheel Drive of the traditional pickup trucks and the All Wheel Drive of say a Subaru. Subaru used to market/sell both front wheel drive and all wheel drive.
Technology has changed. Now a vast types of technology to get to AWD.
Rumor has it that Chrysler Corp. purchased AMC just for the 4WD technology. AMC was way ahead of its time with the Eagle Wagon. The Subaru market of today. Chrysler in its wisdom just dumped all of the AMC products. Yes, there was an attempt to continue by changing name of all products to Eagle. The whole AMC/Eagle was a fiasco by Chrysler and all were just dumped.
Majority of non-SUV cars uses passive AWD systems that are controlled by a computer program to detect slip then moves power to the rear wheels. It's efficient for typical road going cars that don't ever go offroad and uses less hardware than Active AWD systems.
Some performance based systems can send power to different sides of the car where the slip is happening like Acura's SH-AWD and put power on the inner wheels on turns to help the car rotate better.
I really think if you don't buy an active or performance AWD system, then don't bother with AWD at all. The benefit just aren't worth the price and additional weight.
The 4 Wheel Drive of the traditional pickup trucks and the All Wheel Drive of say a Subaru. Subaru used to market/sell both front wheel drive and all wheel drive.
Technology has changed. Now a vast types of technology to get to AWD.
Rumor has it that Chrysler Corp. purchased AMC just for the 4WD technology. AMC was way ahead of its time with the Eagle Wagon. The Subaru market of today. Chrysler in its wisdom just dumped all of the AMC products. Yes, there was an attempt to continue by changing name of all products to Eagle. The whole AMC/Eagle was a fiasco by Chrysler and all were just dumped.
I agree. The Eagle wagon and hatchback had both 4WD and high clearance, at a time when NO other car had those. Subaru in its early US days did not have much ground clearance.
Subaru did offer true user-controlled 4WD complete with a low range transfer case, by the early 1980s. That generation of them was front-drive by default, and could be put into 4WD when the driver deemed it useful.
The AMC Eagles were a bit pricey, if I remember correctly. I wanted one and couldn't afford it.
I agree. The Eagle wagon and hatchback had both 4WD and high clearance, at a time when NO other car had those. Subaru in its early US days did not have much ground clearance.
Subaru did offer true user-controlled 4WD complete with a low range transfer case, by the early 1980s. That generation of them was front-drive by default, and could be put into 4WD when the driver deemed it useful.
The AMC Eagles were a bit pricey, if I remember correctly. I wanted one and couldn't afford it.
I still want one. They're hard to find these days. They really were ahead of their time. That was technically a part time AWD system, but it was RWD-biased AWD rather than 4WD. I don't think you could lock the center differential either.
I still want one. They're hard to find these days. They really were ahead of their time. That was technically a part time AWD system, but it was RWD-biased AWD rather than 4WD. I don't think you could lock the center differential either.
Over the years, I owned several Eagle wagons, a 4 door sedan, a Sport Coupe, and an SX/4. Most had the Chrysler 904 auto tranny, but a couple had the 5 speed manual.
The transfer case had a viscous coupling to transfer power to the front axle, in laymen's terms sort of a torque converter filled with silicone jelly. No, it was not lockable. However, due to complaints from the unknowing, AMC did add a 2 wheel drive/4 wheel drive selector. But, the driver could select 4 wheel drive and leave it there with no noticeable MPG penalty. Originally, the car had to be stopped to shift the selector (in fact, the design was such that it was nearly impossible to move the lever while driving the car). In later years, it was changed to "select on the fly". In reality, it was a solution to a non-existent problem. The ones I had were put in four wheel drive and left there.
I see AMC Eagles on eBay quite frequently. The prices aren't too bad, yet.
The big thing to watch out for is corrosion where the front sub frame is attached to the unit body. the frame has a tendency to rust and break away from the body.
If I were younger and richer, I would buy one (especially the sedan or SX/4) and restore it for a daily driver.
I still have several hubcaps and a set of steel wheels with tires our by the shop...
In fact, there are three wagons on eBay right now. Here is one of them:
There is so much blending now and so many different types of drive systems now days it'll make your head spin trying to diferentiate between them. Basically an AWD system, as mentioned, will transfer power from a slipping wheel to a non slipping wheel and may only have one wheel spinning at a time. Yes, there are exceptions, as I said, there are many diferent systems. An AWD vehicle is a great design for on road driving as the system is good for loose traction situations on the street such as rain and snow but can also be driven on regular, dry paved roads.
A 4WD system, in the traditional sense, is a system that locks the front and rear axles together by a two speed transfer case. In this system, when engaged, the front is always pulling and the rear is always pushing. The left and right sides MAY be locked together as well by way of limited slip or locking differential, but those are ordered more often (especially lockers) if the truck is to be driven off road. These systems can be driven in torrential downpours and snow on the road but do all types of funny stuff if turning on dry pavement as the front tries to pull the truck while the rear pushes it. These vehicles also have low range as well, which doubles the gearing making it only usable for special circumstances, such as descending or climbing steep hills, or other things where extreme torque but not speed (top about 5 to 10 MPH) is needed.
Basically, an AWD system is good for snowy and wet conditions on the highway as well as overall traction on the street. I may get flack for this, but they are not really meant for off road driving beyond a basic dirt road.
A 4WD system, is good for extreme loose traction situations, such as deeper mud, snow, beaches and other off road situations one might find himself in.
Where I live, it hardly snows and I drive a lot on the soft mid Atlantic beaches as well as the occasional treck into a muddy cornfield. I would not consider AWD as 4WD is the only way for my type of driving. One living in a rainy climate ,such as Siattle, and never leaving the road would be better off with AWD.
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Then there are the full time 4WD systems which are kind of a hybrid but have been around a long time. They have the benefits of a part time system but have a kind of limited slip transfer case which will disengage a front or rear axle while turning on dry pavement but can be locked together for more extreme off roading. They were popular on trucks and common SUV wagons like the old Jeep Wagoneer/Cherokees. Since both axles were always engaged the parts weared out a lot more then other systems.
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