Different 4WD systems

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Originally Posted by weeds

opps, hope i explained it right ot the boys, i'm no motor mechanic so i didn't want to get into the technical side of things, i was more trying to point out what happens to the drive train when a wheel is lifted or has minimal downward pressure, the boys were at the understanding that all wheels would still drive even if one is hanging in the air

yep reading my post again and its not worded too good

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made perfect sense to me but you werent really pointing out that it was 4 wheel drive, just how the torque biasing (or lack thereof) worked.

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Originally Posted by scrambler

The "proof" that the 110/Defender is constant 4wd is that it would spin any of the 4 wheels which was jacked. A 2wd will only spin the driven (front or rear) wheels.

A Subaru Imprezza WRX will drive with 1,2 or 3 wheels off the ground (with wheels spinning - it has LSDs not lockers) - does that make it a "real" 4wd when a Defender isn't?

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from a wheels driving POV Technically yes.. but IMHO articualtion, driveline setup + tractive effort are what make a "real" four wheel drive rating any one of those by itself is pretty pointless (same as if you take one out of the equation) as they are all related to the overall motive effort picture.

There is another four wheel drive system everyone seems to have forgotten - full time four wheel drive with a (lockable)free wheel in the front drive. Used by Landrover from 1948-50. It is actually difficult to see why it has not been used more often - the drawback of not working in reverse could be solved these days by automatic locking when you engage reverse.

John