bout to swap in an np205, though! :)

 

Glad to hear it, full time sucks.

 

This is a reasonable question. Hell, I didn't (fully) understand the nuances of AWD/4WD systems until AFTER I bought my truck either! Truth be told, I'd probably have been better off w/ an AWD car as well. It just sucks that they cost ~$5k more than 4x4 Rangers and don't come w/ beds.. oh, and have crappy towing ratings!

Well presented Jey. You've got it spot on from my viewpoint.

Usually '4WD' is used to indicate part time, selectable 4x4, w/ a t-case w/ no differential. Usually 'AWD' is used to indicate full-time 4x4 w/ a center diff.

Most AWD vehicles do not have a selectable low-range or the ability to lock the diff. Subi's system is one such example. Most of the light-duty mini-SUVs you see out there (Rav4, etc) work this way too.

Most 4WD vehicles, including trucks and heavier SUVs have a selectable low range (4Lo) and no center diff. These vehicles used to have a de-facto 2WD low-range option too: because there is no center diff, you could unlock the front hubs, put the t-case in 4Lo, and bam, 2WD lowrange. While I have no experience w/ this, it must frickin' rock when handling a boat on a launching ramp! Sadly manual hubs are no longer offered on most models, so this is not an option. In fact late model Rangers do not even have lockable hubs.. the front axle is always engaged, as if the hubs were locked all the time!

Do not drive your part-time 4WD truck in 4Hi or 4Lo on high-grip surfaces, like pavement. You WILL fawk your drive-train up. At the very best your inside front tire will 'hop' causing poor handling and funny tire wear. At worst you will have so much traction you will tear up your front axle or t-case. My Ranger equipped w/ 31x10.5 tires has so much traction the wheel does not hop; the driveline binds!
Yep! 'Rover and Jeep both make systems like this. Jeep calls it 'Quadra-Trac' and pimps it on the high-end Grand Cherokees. These systems are pretty slick as you've got the best of all worlds:

 

Yeah I just saw the new range rover on TV, I never knew how cool they were until now. They showed the ranger rover has a 5 postions traction setting. Which were :

Road = 2wd
Snow and rain = center diff unlocked and front drive shaft engage for AWD
Off road = center diff locked 4hi
I forget the difference between the 4th and 5th postion but one was a 4lo mode I think the other was a down hill assistance mode or something

Looked like a nice truck, ever had the choice of a 4.4L supercharged V8 that made 400 horsepowered and was 0-60 in about 7 seconds, not bad but it was like $50k-$90K depending on the model and weather or not you got the supercharger.

 

I didn't know they had a 2WD mode or shifter position. I wonder if some models do and others don't.. or if that's a new function.

More and more of this stuff, particularly the AWD stuff is electronic and computer controlled, which I have a large distrust of. It's a product of being a software/computer/electrical engineer I suppose.. Read up on the systems used in most AWD cars and light SUVs, like the RAV4 and the Escape. It just doesn't sound real reliable or abusable to me. Even the Subi gets a computer controlled, clutch activated center diff unless you stick w/ the manual trans.

I hear you on the price. The Jeep is a good alternative, although the price is nearly as bad. Fortunately it's pseudo-American..

 

STI's have adjustable front/rear torque bias for on the fly adjustments...

 

That might be a new feature, this was the 2006-7(I think) Ranger Rover that I saw. The 2wd part might be for better gas and do you really need AWD on dry pavement. They said both motors MPG were ok-good N/A was 15/19 and supercharged was 14/18 (I think).

Thinking about the future, I know I am going to have a kid one day, not anytime soon, but before then I wanna get any toys like a mustang before then, but when the time comes some kind of AWD set up I think would make a nice safe family car.

My brother has an escape and I think the FWD to AWD setup is very nice. It drive like a FWD which do pretty good in rain and snow as it is, then the rear tires kick in when you need them. I know what you mean about the mistrust of the computer controlled stuff. From driving his escape I think the AWD works pretty good and if its really raining hard you can flip a switch and have AWD all the time.

The ford 500 is AWD and I am not sure what all it uses I think its viscus coupled. That looks promising I think. I wonder if it is a version of the Jaguar X-type which has a very good AWD setup from what I have read, even though it has alot of computer controlled traction stuff.

 

Right, but that's big money too.

Subi's regular system in the manuals is called 'Continious AWD', which uses a viscous-fluid center diff to distribute torque. The Autos come w/ a computer controlled transfer clutch system called 'Active AWD'. The system in the STI is called 'Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD)'.

The word I've heard is that the Ford 500 and Freestyle use the Haldex AWD system, which is also computer controlled. DaveandJulie has commented several times about how disapointed he was in the Haldex in his Audi TT. They also have a really goofy belt driven Continiously Variable Transmission (CVT) available. Overall I think I'd rather have the Subi.. especially w/ a manual trans.

Ben, I hear yah. I probably should have gone w/ a more 'tame' car last time around, instead of the truck. I too saw this as my last chance before I get ambushed, put infront of an altar, and issued children. As of such, I figured an overgrown four-bah was just the ticket. Truth told, I'm such a yuppie these days I probably could have bought an AWD Subie and faked it in the few off-road situations I find myself in these days.

Dad's racked up over 175k mi in his Outback w/ an auto. He loves it. The thing is beat, but that's because of the hard miles he's put on it. It's held up better than a lot of other vehicles he's owned.. Helluva car.

BTW: A rusted Subi AWD wagon is pretty much the official vehicle of the state of Vermont.

 

LOL I bet they do pretty good in the snow you guys got up there.

I think the offical car of maryland or at least baltimore county is the late 80 RS trans am, you can't go anywhere and not see 10-20 of them all faded and crappy looking.

 

The Explorers have exactly this type of transfer case. Instead of having a 2wd option, it's labeled either AWD or AUTO and uses clutches to lock the center diff when it senses low traction.

100% INCORRECT.

Subaru's use either a 60/40 or 50/50 split depending on whether the transmission is automatic or manual. I believe it's 50/50 for manual and 60/40 for automatics but I may have that reversed. Trucks with a standard transfer case (no clutches or differentials) use a 50/50 split while the Explorers with their AWD or AUTOmatic 4wd use a 60/40 split. I may be wrong, but I believe that nowadays the EX is 60/40 front/rear whereas they used to be 60/40 rear/front.

 

I almost forgot... Subaru's do not have a "transfer case" instead they have a transaxle which is mounted under the engine so there is no front driveshaft; only a rear drivesahft and two front CVs. This is true of many AWD card whereas AWD trucks use a transfer case which is heavier duty and heavier weight than a transaxle.

 

Tom, I think you're splicing hairs as to what qualifys as a 'transfer case'. But close enough.

Subies run either 50/50, or w/ a slight FWD bias.

The Subi system is 50/50 w/ the stick, unless you get one of the performance models and an auto, at least on the Impreza lineup. W/ an auto you get a computer controlled system that "sends torque to the wheel that needs it", which I interpret to basically mean FWD until the rear axle is needed, then the rear axle is activated by the computer controlled clutch joby, like the system used in the Rav4's and other light SUVs.

W/ the WRX and an auto trans you get a different computer controlled setup that is set to a 45/55 bias (45% front, 55% rear) by default. They call this VTD.

The STI model gets the user adjustable bias. I think it ships at either 40/60 or 45/55 from the factory though. The STI is not available w/ an auto trans.

 

That's interesting but cool. My brother had an Impreza 7 years ago so my data is kinda old.

 

I was seriously looking at the Impreza in '03, when I traded. Half the people I know drive subies, including my dad. I've also been cheating and consulting www.subaru.com..