Got to thinking... Confused
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Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 27
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Got to thinking... Confused
Hey folks. I was bumming around today playing with four wheel drive making sure it all worked and got to thinking. What makes the front wheels spin at the same speed on a part time 4-wheel drive vehicle. There is the transfer case that makes the front go as fast as the drive shaft but isn't that speed different than the speed of the rear tires because of the differential? I have a 4.10 rear axle so wouldn't that mean the front is going four times as fast as the rear? I went to howstuffworks but it just isn't clicking for me. Maybe one of you guys could explain how they end up spinning at the same speed. Also, how does the low-range make all the wheels spin so much slower? Sorry if this is a n00b question. I just never really thought about it before.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2003
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Its all in the gears! You have a front differential to go along with the rear one. Yours is a 4.10 in the rear and there is also a 4.10 in the front. If you ever go to change the differential gears they both have to be changed and MUST be the same ratio. the transfer case is kind of like a 2 speed transmission. Your transmission drives it at 4-5 speeds and it then drives the differentials at one of two speeds high or low. So you have all 4-5 speeds in high or low range. Hope this is readable and makes some sense.
Dave
Dave
