Thread: Full-time Vs part-time 4WD

a mate of mine has a 100 series, he considered it as he was looking at reducing wear and fuel usage, i must ask him why he has not done it... i'm always digging him in the ribs about his fuel usage

from memory i think he said he would loose ABS

does removing abs from a car factory fitted make it illegal to drive

From memory, when the 110 was first released it was available with part time 4x4 as well as constant 4x4, but the part time 4x4 was dropped due to lack of interest. If you are using the centre diff lock when appropriate, there should be very little wear in it, the basic rule is, if you're uncertain if the centre diff lock should be in or not, then it should be in!

The part time Landcrusher conversion is a touchy subject amongst the toy community.

If memory serves, the 80 series introduced F/T, & utilised the previous 60 series diffs. Waranty claims sprang up re premature wear etc, coz a p/t diff was now asked to run f/t.

It was someone up in Darwin I think, who developed a conversion kit & advertised widely. The ads referred to the diff problems so the mighty Toyo corporation took him to the cleaners. I can recall the fullpage retraction ads.

I've seen the kits advertised for landrovers on & off over the years, never seen a converted vehicle. Nor do I see the need.

Regards
Max P

LR P/T coversions are simple, in that the LT230 transfer case is manufactured for the Santana derivatives as a part-time box - therefore swapping the parts in is dead easy and no need to design new internals. Why not offer it?

My understanding is that LR axles have more trouble when they don't spin - hence the need to engage the front drive from time to time if you have FWH on your Series LR. The bearings are oiled not greased.

I've heard of CV's and output shafts (the double cardan joints in particular wear relatively quickly) but a swag of front axles compared to rears? I'm no expert, but I've never heard of anything like that.

I'd be asking whether he was referring to the LT230 or LT95 transfer case, and whether it was the input shaft in the LT230 or some other component - after all, the input shaft would not be altered by a PT conversion in an LT230.

Just ask yourself - which will wear more - a component carrying 25% of the torque or one carrying 50%? and then count the number of driven wheels. Properly cared for the PT conversion should not create substantial problems, but it won't eliminate wear on the driven components, just move the majority of wear to the rear.

I recently did a long trip (9000k) in a late model troopy.

The owner generally leaves the hubs locked. It is not his primary vehicle and he can't be bothered. At my insistance we used the bitumen sections to compare fuel economy with hubs locked and unlocked. I have not had time to study the data properly but a quick scan of litres used and kilometres travelled indicates it makes no difference. Cross winds, head winds, whether or how full the water tank on the trailer was seemed to make more difference.

I was surprised by this but there it is.

We had a thread on this issue last year, and eventually someone who had done the comparison in one of the few vehicles that allows shifting between RWD and FT4WD (Mitsu Pajero) chimed in. There was a small gain in fuel economy with the RWD. As JamesH says, other factors would have much greater influence.

Our work ute is a last-year's model Toyota trayback, (whatever it's properly called), with a six-cylinder turbo'd diesel - this is the model before the new V8 diesel - and with only 2wd it can be a pain on a slippery surface. There's too much torque for just one axle, (now there's a slogan for you), and with a low first gear it takes some care to avoid spinning the wheels when driving away.

I think Land-Rover just faced up to the inevitable when they started using the V8 and went with full-time 4wd to avoid that sort of thing. Looking at the late-model Toyotas we have around here, I get the distinct impression the factory is trying to get away with as little as possible when they build their work utes.

I would not bother goin to part time. I see no benefits, unless you like drifting or doin donuts

I have driven one of my old rangies without the front drive shaft and it was an absolute pig in the corners... at low speeds (never did any high speed)!

People may disagree but I say 2wd is for cars