4x4 engaged.... Did I screw up?
- Thread starter JohnnyT
- Start date
ClockWork
Banned
Rock crawling, snow, mud...anywhere where you need the ability to spin wheels when in 4hi or the use ATRAC in 4lo.
empty403
New member
No biggie. It's when you do a lot of tight turns as it will be hard on the front differential. You'll hear your tires screeching on tight turns.
MistrWebmastr
New member
My best guess would be that most 4WD systems it's a problem, and they don't look close enough to see what the difference is. We have a center differential, which is rare in our type of car. It's usually found in the "AWD" type cars. Usually (and it's more so the case with 5th gens and possibly 3rd and below), a car geared more towards off-roading would have part-time 4WD since it tends to work better than full-time 4WD since it locks a specific amount of power to the front and rear wheels. This is better in crap conditions where you have little traction. We just got lucky with the 4th gens with having BOTH part-time AND full-time 4WD.
//Getting off my soapbox now. I just am totally thrilled with it. Didn't know quite what I was buying when I got my 2003!
empty403
New member
The V8 full time 4WD has a limited slip front diff so when you turn it allows the one wheel to rotate faster. The V6 4WD doesn't have this so when you do a tight turn it will stop the inside tire from rotating - a locked front diff.
A locked front diff? 4th gens have open diffs in front & rear, some models (09 I believe in V6 came with the option for a Electronic locking rear diff, when in 4 lo). As stated above driving 4wd alone, no locking of center diff on a v6 4Runner will do no hurt but to your wallet at the gas pump
The whole purpose of a center diff is to allow the operation of a 4x4 system on all conditions. It just happens that the components in our 4runner are more robust that a light duty AWD system found in cars and some SUV's.
4runners can have the 4x4 system of say a Tundra (locking center diff) or AWD like a Subaru (unlocked center diff) and use our 4x4 on any road condition. Pickup trucks usually don't have a center differential (cost savings) thus the binding of tires front to back (not side to side) when turning as the differentials are not locked but the front and back axles get 50/50 power split with no give.
ClockWork
Banned
LOL you literally have no idea how the 4x4 system works in either car. The front and rear diffs are open 100% of the time. Only the center differential can lock - which is when there is binding when turning on certain surfaces. There is no binding between in the front or rear diff. If the front and rear diffs would lock - we wouldn't have ATRAC.
When the V6 is in 4hi - it operates exactly the same way as a full-time AWD V8 does. Then the V6 is locked, is operates exactly the same was as the V8 does.
Learn24runner.
ClockWork
Banned
You're probably right but you asked - empty was flat out wrong.
Presta24
New member
i agree man, i love my awd, cant spin em if i tried in the rain, and if u dont drive with it on the floor its great in snow too. My only complaint is braking, sux on the snow
MistrWebmastr
New member
Here's where it gets funny. We don't have AWD. If you search on here there were threads not too long ago on this. Best people can figure, AWD means 100% of the power to the rear wheels, and power is transitioned to the front if the rears start sliding. That's not ideal, and can lead to worse situations since the car is already in trouble.
We have Full-Time 4WD (Part-time, Full-Time on V6) on the 4Runner 4th gens. We have anywhere from 70%rear/30%front to 49%rear/51%front (or something like that). We ALWAYS have power to all 4 wheels. That's why it's so hard to peel out in our cars (asside from VSC), because of this fact. Also from what I've found, having the full-time 4WD helps in handling on crazy windy mountain roads. I'm still no expert in it, but hopefully this helps clear up the whole AWD/Full-Time 4WD question.
No. On the 4th gen, both the V6 and V8 have an open front differential. The only difference between the 4th gen V6 and V8 systems is that the V6 has a 2H mode and the V8 does not.
Actually, that's not quite correct. When in 4WD, we always have power to both driveshafts (front and rear). But since we have open front and rear diffs (excepting the rare 4th gen TE with a locking rear diff), we don't necessarily have power to both wheels on an axle. If you have one wheel in the air spinning, the other wheel on that axle will get little, if any, power -- that is a situation that a locking diff solves.
That is controlled by your tires. Get a set of real snow tires.
I think this is the best description of AWD/4WD/etc. I've see so far...
Of course, any one (or manufacturer) can twist the words around...
all 4WD/AWD on one page - a simple, easy to understand overview - all available 4WD, all wheel drive and 4x4 systems and their differences - 4WD concepts, their function, their layout, their purpose, their advantages
Of course, any one (or manufacturer) can twist the words around...
all 4WD/AWD on one page - a simple, easy to understand overview - all available 4WD, all wheel drive and 4x4 systems and their differences - 4WD concepts, their function, their layout, their purpose, their advantages
MistrWebmastr
New member
But if one wheel is spinning, I thought that was what ATRAC was for, and would use the ABS system to brake that one wheel to force power to the other wheel. Not as good as real lockers, but for what most of us do it's nice. Since my 4th gen is also my daily driver, I like the fact that I have the part-time 4WD power for off-roading, but full-time 4WD for when the roads get wet.
I still have yet to go play in the snow with it. Gotta love California. We get Sun, Rain & maybe fog sometimes. But even then the fog isn't terrible.
ClockWork
Banned
ATRAC is only available when the center diff is locked and you are in 4lo.
sonerick
New member
Torsen center diff=AWD.
4Runners have a torsen center diff.
Therefore, when the center diff is unlocked and the 4Runner is in 4HI, it has AWD.
Same system as audi's, etc. See here: http://www.vehicledynamics-expo.com/06vdx_conf/pres/day_3/sacchetini.pdf
kavalis
New member
All you want to know about 4WD is here:
Driveline bind, binding hubs, axle wind up, axle bind, drive line wind up - all terms for one thing: stress due to part time 4 wheel drive
