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AWD VS 4WD

Aug 28, 2023 talha seo

Many people wonder what difference between AWD and 4WD is. Although both type of cars drives all four wheels. But AWD uses all of the four wheels all of the time. In 4WD, as it is SUV sport utility vehicle it provides selectable system to the driver that mechanically engages the driver to all of the four wheels.

Detail about AWD:

It stands for all wheel drive that is capable of shifting power between front and rear wheels to maintain traction inn inclement whether like for lighter duty winter driving and off pavement use. It is best options for suburban drivers.it powers all of the four wheels and meant for serious off roading. AWD systems have different modes such as snow/sand/mud etc. it has electronically controlled clutch to allow rotational difference between front and rear axles. AWD system has a lock button to shift torque 50/50 between front axles and rear axles but this button is not present in all vehicles with AWD system.

Direction of Torque:

In AWD torque is directed from engine to front and from rear axles to all the four wheels through differentials.

Types of all wheel direction:

There are two kinds of AWD as follows:

Full time all wheel direction.
Part time all wheel direction.

Full time AWD:

As its name tells the function that in AWD system torque is send to front and rear axles all the time.

Part time AWD:

In this system, driving behavior and road condition is monitored in order to make a decision about when to send torque to front axles.

Example:

AWD system is available in KIA Sorento.

Detail about 4WD:

Four-wheel drive is traditional 4*4 drive train. 4WD sends power to front and rear axles as well as between left and right wheels. This system is specifically designed for off road prowess and built in vehicles with truck-based platforms. 4WD has a transfer case with low gear that helps in hill climbing and also in rock crawling. There is no mechanism in this system to allow any difference in number of rotations of front and rear axles. So, when the vehicle turns a corner, as the radius of turn is different for front and rear axles, the tires with smaller radius of turn susceptible of slipping on slippery roads. Low speed can decrease this chance of slipping. This means that 4WD vehicles are driven on normal roads with two-wheel drive system to ensure maximum safety.

Difference between All-Wheel Drive And 4-Wheel Drive:

All of the features are same in both system but in 4WD there is selectable mechanism to choose whether you want to engage all of the four wheels or two wheels. On off roads AWD is preferable while on normal roads 4WD is suitable for smooth drive but on slippery roads there are chances of losing traction. When AWD came, 4WD system had on and off control based on need. All wheel drive is generally exclusive system now adays with so many updated features.

talha seo

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