The other day I moved my 79 F250 and it was stuck in the snow so I put it in 4 x 4 and noticed that only one of my front and one of my rear tires spun. Is this right? or should both front tires spin?

 

yeah thats right. you've got open differentials in your axles. they send the power to the wheel with the least amount of traction. horrible design but almost every vehicle ever made has used it

 

hey, i live in ellendale, ND!

anyways, yes, this is absolutely correct. its called havin a live axle. factory 4x4 only ment that you were sendin power to the front and rear axles. you have a spider gear in the axles that allows the inside and outside tires to spin different speed when you go around corners. without a limited slip or a locker in your differentials, you can expect this from all of your vehicles with 4x4.

 

Yep that is how it works. I was surprised last weekend when I went and cut wood with my 77 F250 that while I was towing my buddys chevy up to the log deck in some slippy mud that ALL four tires were spining just the same. And the only time I got only one front to spin was trying to climb a hill and put a hard bind on the left front sending all the power to the right front. and that has been the only time I have had a one wheel peel in the truck. Guess I got lucky and have limited slip??

 

As long as I have the wheels straight my Bronco always pulls both front wheels.

 

Limited slip was an option for both front and back axles.

Front Limited slip is rare, but rear not so much.

If the truck has both front and back limited slip, you would be hard pressed to get it stuck. Not impossible mind, but a heck of a lot harder than a 4x4 with open diffs.

 

On my 2008 f-350 King Ranch DRW 4.30 grear. Ford would not put limited slip in front. I had dealer install before I would take truck! Real 4x6 All 6 go strait down! Winter I run less slip additive! Helps with snow plow! Get some chatter on sharp turns.

 

i love limited slip and manual hubs...

 

Thanks for the information guys. I agree that locking the differential helps, I have that option in my Honda Pilot and needed it to get unstuck a couple times and it sure did the trick. Wish my truck was the same way.

 

well, spend a few hundred and put a set of detroits in there front and rear and never look back.

 

Cant detroits be kinda harsh when they engage tho? i heard they bite pretty hard. Ford didnt put many trac-lok's in thier trucks till around 87, then 2wd's and diesel had the most of them. Dodges on the other hand, seems like the majority of them are posi's. And something else kinda odd, my 85 ranger had a open diff in the back, yet a trac lok in the front, was kinda nice cuz once in 4wd you could go dang near anywhere.

 

Detroit lockers don't exactly "engage". They are locked by default. Unlike a Gov-lock which locks when it senses wheel spin. It's the UN-locking of the Detroit that isn't exactly smooth. Off-road, they are similar to a spool. The wheels can slip a little and absorb most of the shock. But, on pavement, you can feel the ratchet action when the unit unlocks on corners. There are many different variables. They can be completely un-noticeable on some vehicles. Very obnoxious on others.

 

We got a 4X4 at work that is like that, It will bore through ANYTHING, and when you back it in the garage, you really feel that ratchet action if it is in FWD. But in the snow it is unstopable, it will bore and bore till it gets through.
They were talking about getting rid of it, but we keep telling them no, it ain't the newest, or prettiest, but it works damn well when we need it.

I had a 4X4 back in the 80's and one wheel on the front and back would spin, and it was NO big advantage to it being a 4X4.

 

old 93 explorer that i grew up with and have back at home has tru-trac out back. dont know bout up front, but that old sucker will go dang near anywhere. on STOCK rubber! ive driven through drifts that were continuously over the bumper and would peak up higher than the hood. had to stop, back up, and go AROUND the giant pile in front it that i was pushin. lol beastie old car...

 

The thing that makes the Exploders so strong....is they have perfect front/rear weight bias. They are also heavier than Heeps and most other small suv's. Just heavy enough to get good traction.....but not TOO heavy. It was nearly impossible to powerbrake my 93 4-door. Not for lack of power.....but because the front tires wouldn't hold it. They simply slid.....