JTbo - In alot of the Midwest, we get heavy snowstorms from when the jetstream dips and bring cold air from Canada, then combined with warm, moist air from the Gulf Coast.
Eh, I do not feel like arguing about global warming, but this kind of weather is actually normal. What we have had for the past 5-6 years, at least in Wisconsin and Illinois, is low precipitation and above average temps. Just part of the cycle. Nature seems to balance itself out; in January we had above average temperatures, now we pay for it in February and March.
That's what it looked like at my place about 2 weeks ago. Except for the Ritzy neighborhood houses. We had about 2, maybe 3 feet of snow on the roads and living out in the country in a wide spread township, there is no township trucks to take care of the roads. You either have 4WD, or you wait it out. Me? I must have at least one 4WD at my disposal, which happens to be the wife's new small AWD SUV now. I was missing the ole lockem in 4x4 pickup truck through that snow. AWD just doesn't cut it. Especially with the new fancy automatic 4wd that runs 2wd until it senses slip. I want to KNOW I'm in 4wd by locking the hubs in and pulling the mechanical lever!
Subaru or better versions of Audi have real 4wd, not such fake one that your current seem to be (sorry :shy, it is very unfortunate that they do make those, sometimes when situation is hard they just refuse to connect 4wd on, really annoying.
Not around here they don't, at least the Subaru. I don't know about Audi, that's a rich mans car here. My brother-in-law has a Subaru and he can get one tire on a patch of ice and not be able to move. Well, it may be a true 4wd, but it's open on all ends. Scratch that, they are still AWD's, not 4WD's. You can't run 4WD on dry roads or you will tear up the center differentials. True 4WD locks the front and rear together which is something you definitely don't want running around on dry roads. What they have is all-time AWD, not the automatic stuff that is starting to come out. All-time isn't so good in the summer time when you don't need the excess drag of the drivetrain going to all 4 wheels cutting fuel milage.
Like I said, give me all mechanical stuff so I can turn the hubs and know they are locked in and pull the lever so I know it's locked in 4WD. Screw all this automatic and AWD stuff. Just all stuff to go wrong and you will never know it until it's too late.
Hmm, many Subarus sold here do have some diff lock, maybe not most cheap models. Audi is really expensive indeed, those with proper drive. Here is video that shows you modern AWD vs Subaru.
Hondas are also very bad (same as that Volvo really), they have enough AWD so they can use it in commercial, but not more, those are really FWD, which is too bad as they could be rather ok with some better drivetrain.
Those older systems have been better always, like old Subarus from late 80's, push button and you have real 4wd burns clutches when trying to park with that on
Oh and this is nice too, some say it is rigged, but I don't know, many systems do really suck bad.
So the difference between 4WD and AWD is that AWD has a locked diff on the front wheels, and a separate locked diff on the back wheels. And 4WD has a locked diff on all 4 wheels, so all four wheels are always getting equal amounts of power?
Ive always wondered what the difference between AWD and 4WD is. Sombody could mabey explain it to me?
Here is a good example. My WRX has AWD; thus, all 4 wheels propel the vehicle all the time. Power deliver is 45% to the front, 55% to the rear. The nice thing is that it has an active differential, so if lets say the rears are losing grip, it will send more power to the front.
If a vehicle is 4 wheel drive, it means normally the rear wheels get 100% of the power. If you engage the transfer case, it will send XX% of power to the front wheels. The transfer case has 2 speeds, 4WD high and 4WD low. The downside of 4WD is that you can only go so fast with it because the front axle ratio is very high.
Basically, 4X4's are good for getting you unstuck. Or if you need extra traction, like if you are at a boat launch and need to get up the ramp. AWD can also get you unstuck, but is functional at ANY speed.
And that, is the beauty of All Wheel Drive.
Also, whenever the area I live in has a major snowstorm, it is always the 4X4 trucks that are in ditches, because the drivers think 4X4's are useful for driving speeds. Instead, they understeer badly. I myself have seen Geo Metros driving 60 mph in 4 inches of snow and Ford Explorers go flying into ditches.
You got that all wrong, it is good to get you stuck to much worse place where it is lot harder to pull out
RWD & FWD with open diff is 1 wheel drive, AWD with open diffs is 2 wheel drive, add rear lsd and you get kind of 3 wheel drive, add front lsd and you get 4 wheel drive.
4wd can be also on at all speeds, that is why there is high setting, it is same as 2wd high at least in few Land Cruisers and Mercs which I have tried to put stuck to very hard places.
For example Merc had top speed of 120kph with 2wd hi and 4wd hi.
Also in that article there is noted that AWD term is used from vehicles that are less off road capable and 4x4 then used from vehicles that can be taken to off road, but both means pretty much same there are no any specific technolgy differences or anything like that, car sold being AWD can have more advanced four wheel drive than car with 4wd it is just defining bit of what kind of purpose vehicle is intended, road/comfort (AWD) or offroad/tool (4WD), that is how I get it.
wow man thats a lot of snow, its snowing here right now but its to wet to lay. man i never seen so much snow bet you are having great fun (well i would be haha) yea as duke_toaster was saying when it snows here the big citys all close!
First off, I just want to correct something for you. I can drive 107 mph in my Toyota in 4WD if I wanted to (speed limiter is 107). You are not limited by the front axle ratio. The front axle ratio is in fact the same as the rear. If it was different, you wouldn't be doing anything but spinning out in circles if you tried 2 different axle ratios. A coworker hit a snowy road and flipped his jeep into 4wd. Bingo, he immediately went into a spin, with his baby in the truck with him. Turns out the factory stuck different gear ratio in the front diff. Big mistake that could have cost my coworker as high as the life of his child.
This is somewhat of a joke, but it is very very true, LOL. You aren't going to attempt to drive your WRX in 4 feet of thick mud, but with a true 4x4, you may just be looking at that mud and thinking "hehehe, watch this guys!" Yup, the bigger your 4x4, the worst instances of "stuck" you will be .
This has nothing to do with the 4wd system. It has everything to do with the lack of proper driving skills of those who think "I have 4wd!!" 4wd or not, you still have to have the understanding of the physics of driving a car and what will happen when a variable like snow is thrown into the mix.
Oh yeah, as for the topic of snow? It was 65 F last week. We finally thought spring was coming soon. Friday it snowed another 8 inches . Just can't get rid of this freakin stuff. We finally see the green grass again and everything turns white one more time. Should be the last of it now though. Time to till up the garden hopefully soon and get some veggies started . Going for another 20x20 foot plot of fresh groundbreaking for some strawberries this year. Maybe an extra 20x20 on the other side for more corn. We ran out of garden corn and tomatoes this winter. Can't be making good chili through the winter without fresh frozen tomatoes and corn from the garden.
Nobody expects everyone to know everything, and people learn the "wrong" facts. Thankfully you were nice enough to realize that instead of resorting to flamming which many people tend to do when someone says they are wrong =)
I am so proud of you
ok back to seriousness, Mrodgers is right =)
Been snowing the last couple days here in the UK, still nothing on the ground though.
What we have had for the past 5-6 years, at least in Wisconsin and Illinois, is low precipitation and above average temps. Just part of the cycle. Nature seems to balance itself out; in January we had above average temperatures, now we pay for it in February and March.
. Just can't get rid of this freakin stuff. We finally see the green grass again and everything turns white one more time. Should be the last of it now though. Time to till up the garden hopefully soon and get some veggies started 
. Going for another 20x20 foot plot of fresh groundbreaking for some strawberries this year. Maybe an extra 20x20 on the other side for more corn. We ran out of garden corn and tomatoes this winter. Can't be making good chili through the winter without fresh frozen tomatoes and corn from the garden.
