Whats the difference in AWD and 4wd
 

I know some cars are part time 4wd and full time and i know some cars are full time AWD but whats the difference between 4wd and AWD...dont they do the same thing?

4WD drive is part time. I can be engaged or diengaged either manually or by an automatic system.

AWD is engaged all the time. There is no system to engage or disengage it.

Full time 4WD is just another name for AWD.
(Don't let the marketing guys confuse the issue)


Hope this helps.

Thanks Larry that helped

Soobie,

I noticed your signature block.

So here I go.

I'm proud to be an Italian-American (keep those canolis coming)
I'm proud to be a New Yorker (born & raised in West Side Story)
I'm proud to be a NY Yankee fan (Lawrence Peter Berra/Singer)
I'm proud to be a Larry (Leisure Suit Larry or Lounge Lizzard Larry)
I'm proud as all get out to drive an SVX (bring on more snow)

:D :D

Actually Full time 4wd and AWD aren't entirely the same thing. Some Jeeps at least the best of them from the 80s and 90s came with a full time and part time 4wd system. Of course it wasn't meant to be in it all the time unlike Subies full time 4wd of the same era (like the XT6). The Jeep system was pretty much designed to be used in the sometimes wet, slushy conditions then you hit dry pavement. It actually let enough slippage occur so on dry it wouldn't bind up so noticable as with a part time system. Much safer than your typical part time system in these type conditions. Probably similar to today for ya if you got hit with the Noreastern. Now the subie system is pretty much exactly the same as awd.

Hope I didn't confuse ya too much:D

My XT and XT6 had a button that would take them OUT of AWD and IN to 4WD. Basically locking the hubs. 40% power to the front two wheels, 60% to the back if I remember right.
In AWD, the power is not necessarily equal to all four wheels- the hubs are not locked. On a Subaru the power shifts depending on conditions.
On a 4WD car the hubs are locked, power goes to a wheel no matter if it is off the ground or getting good road traction.
When you go around a tight corner in a 4WD vehicle the inner tire will skip because it is moving less distance and slower than the outside tire, that does not happen in an AWD drive car.

Oh yah- proud to have been born in White Plains:D

were you really?!

Re: Whats the difference in AWD and 4wd
 

Essentially, 4WD does not allow driving on dry pavement for extended periods of time (it will damage any/all 4WD drivetrain components). It may or may not be engaged full time. If it is engaged full time, then there is likely some way for the transfer case to allow slippage between the front and rear end components: Little or no damage will ensue.

AWD is a full-time only thing. Most have a center differential instead of a transfer case. The center differential almost always allows slippage to occur between the front and rear ends, allowing you to drive on dry pavement.

my old Justy was 4wd..engaged via the shift knob button..if you took a u turn too fast it would bind up..cant say the AWD does that

Hehe, it will if the AWD clutches and/or Duty Solenoid C are acting up :D

AWD won't bind if working properly.

What's the matter with you all Indians-Americans, do you love the impreza more than the SVX !!! i chat daily on msn with Pavan (pavanbabut), he asks me more questions about the impreza WRX and STI's more than the SVX. And you know have the WRC impreza as your avatar......
COME ON INDIANS, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN OUR BELOVED SVX!!!
STAY FOCUSED!!! :D :D :D :D :D

Yep. born in White Plains hospital and lived in Armonk, NY. Still have family in the area, though I have not seen them in awhile. We moved to Binghanmton (where I joined the Army) and on to Ithaca.

haha!! How awesome is that....i was born in white plains hospital too !!!

hehe we are focused....im just a rally fanatic and love the STi exhaust. I think i could listen to sound clips of that exhaust allllll dayyy long!!:D