4WD or AWD?

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Nov 2, 2022 | 11:00 AM

#16

solidstate

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Joined: Aug 2022

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 99F150

Correct. Maverick is a Front drive by default. AWD cars like the Maverick do not have a Transfer Case like a full time 4x4. The full time 4x4 like I described earlier 1977 F-250 sent power to all four wheels all the time. Due to fact that my truck had open differentials both front and rear, if any one of the four tires lost traction it would spin and if you were in mud snow slime etc. you would sit until you locked the transfer case into either high or low range. Thus, giving equal power to both front and rear differentials giving me one front and one rear tire to pull. IF I would have had limited slip in both front and rear with Transfer case locked, I would have had actual four-wheel drive!

Of course, just like there are all kinds of tires and types of beer, there are several different FULL Time 4x4 systems, if you owned a Jeep quadra trac system, a full-time four-wheel drive system, you wouldn't need to lock anything, as it would automatically do it for you! Jeep offers a very short and easily understood explanation of their quadra trac system: The available Quadra-Drive®II with rear electronic limited slip differential is a full-time 4x4 system so it’s always active. It is our most advanced 4x4 system and delivers superior all-weather capability by transferring up to 100% of available torque to a single rear wheel if needed. If you are familiar with an AWD, maybe you've been driving a subaru, then an AWD system may be the best for you. If, on the other hand, you are familiar with a full time 4x4 or a vehicle with a manually selected transfer case, allowing 2wd, 4wd Hi, and 4wd Low, you may not be as happy with the performance off road, in the S*(* capability of that little unibody subaru. I hope which ever you decide to own, you are happy with it.

Nov 2, 2022 | 09:27 PM

#17

solidstate

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One of the best, best ever made, full time four wheel drive vehicles is the Toyota Land Cruiser, not much else to say, they are amazing vehicles, go anywhere, last forever, extremely reliable, and they have plenty of power, from a mill that just doesn't breakdown.

Nov 3, 2022 | 07:40 PM

#18

00t444e

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Joined: May 2017

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From: Southern OH

Engine sideways with a transaxle that can put power to the rear = AWD

Engine straight with a regular transmission and a transfer case that puts power to the front axle = 4x4 Could be full time or part time depending on the transfer case.

Nov 3, 2022 | 07:49 PM

#19

00t444e

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Joined: May 2017

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From: Southern OH

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conanski

Older 4wd vehicles typically had open front and rear differentials so even with it locked in 4wd there really were only 2 wheels doing all the work... one front and one rear.

That is not how an open differential works, and open differential is a 50/50 torque split that always sends the same amount of torque to both wheels. What happens when one wheel looses traction like on ice, snow or mud is the required amount of torque to spin that wheel goes down so it spins while the tire on the other side with traction is still getting the same amount of torque it isn't enough to spin that tire so it doesn't move.

Jan 23, 2023 | 11:56 AM

#20

MarkJordan

4wd High

Joined: Jan 2023

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This is all great info with some excellent detail. Depending what you want to do, Ford's different AWD modes are pretty capable for some basic offroading. I took the company Transit van camper on a few trails in St George UT and was impressed (just don't tell the bosses...haha). My friend has a Maverick and for the money, it's been a really good truck for him in the PNW, especially with AWD.