AWD vs 4WD

[ski_resort_observer]

Ok...so this winter will be the first time in 30 years that I do not have 4WD to get me to the mountain. I now have a Subie Outback with AWD. I really like the car but am alittle wary that AWD won't do the job I am used to with 4WD.

Is AWD as good as 4WD? Can I cruise in the winter with the same confidence? Enlightem me all you AWD owners.

 

[bvibert]

You'll be fine. The only difference you'll likely notice is that you won't have to remember to switch to 4WD when the going gets tough.

 

[hammer]

Unless you are going off-road in deep mud then AWD will be just fine.

I think that the Subaru would even do a decent job off-road...

 

[ALLSKIING]

Having some fun in my 4WD:

 

[Marc]

You won't notice too much difference if any for the type of driving you'll be doing.

The only time you might notice a difference is if you should get both your front wheels in a very low traction situation. Because Subaru's all wheel drive system uses a viscous coupling from the front axle to the back, should you lose traction under both front wheels, torque will only increase to the back wheels when there is a speed differential between the two axles. In other words, you won't advance until you're slipping already. It's kind of a quirk of the Subaru all wheel drive, since the system is essentially front wheel drive with the VC and rear diff and half shafts added to it.

This wouldn't have happened with a 4WD system because the front and back, when the front hubs are locked, always get equal torque (or constant torque, it's close to equal, just whatever the difference in driveline loss is).

Audi's quattro, by comparison, is more comparable to a part time 4wd system, except instead of a transfer case with locking hubs, it uses permanently attached hubs (to the half shafts) with a Torsen differential in the center splitting torque back to front. The nice thing about this system is it reacts to a torque difference, as opposed to a speed difference. So in the same situation that both front wheels begin to lose traction (and torque) the Torsen differential, as a function of its design, begins transferring several times the torque (usually 5, but depends on the gearing of the diff) to the wheels already getting more traction. It can be said to be a proactive system, where as the Subaru system is more reactive.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

you'll be fine and wont notice a difference.....I have a Nissan Armada (4wd....also has an all wheel drive setting) and an Audi Quattro....just make sure you have good rubber and you;ll go anywhere you want...the Suby is a great AWD car

 

[noski]

I had the same reservations as you s_r_o_. I wondered if I could "trust" my AWD to know when I wanted 4WD- did it know that my blinker flashing meant we were turning off Rt 100 heading up Center Fayston Road and it better be ready to pull me up and through?? Magically, it does...

 

[AHM]

Tires and skills are the key...........

SRO: it comes down to tires and do you know how to drive in the snow. I have an outback now and a saab. Both work fine, each has a set of nokian hakapilittas w/o studs and that is the ticket. Should be no problem..........during my undergrad my roomies kingswood estate wagon got over App gap every time.

 

[dmc]

HAven't we had this discussion before??

Shouldn't we use the old thread?

 

[bvibert]

HAven't we had this discussion before??

Shouldn't we use the old thread?

I thought we did too. I searched for similar threads before responding to this one and couldn't come up with anything. I couldn't very well lock up this one without having another to point to.

I couldn't remember if the discussion I was thinking about was from this board or one of the others I frequent...

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

hey Dave....where do you take your truck out on the beach?? I also want to get mine out on the sand....where do i get a permit!!!!

 

[ALLSKIING]

hey Dave....where do you take your truck out on the beach?? I also want to get mine out on the sand....where do i get a permit!!!!

There are tons of places although I am not sure where you live on the island. You could get a permit ( Green Key) at Smith Point http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/webtemp3.cfm?print=true&dept=10&id=804 They have lots of parks you can go to. I usually go way out east...Westhampton, Southhampton or even Hamptonbays....In a few spots like the place my pic was taken you can get away with not having a permit.


Although you can't even tell I am moving, I was doing about 65 to 70 mph in that shot.