4WD v AWD - I'm so sick of people trying to make this work.

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch) 08/14/2018 at 13:32 • Filed to: None

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The reason that people are confused here isn’t because it’ s a confusing topic, its because people keep regurgitating the same bad information.

This common “this vs that” stuff is what makes conversations like this “whats a REAL truck”? so contentious. Its based on distinctions that don’t really exist in setting up definitions for either.

man this one bugs me.  I do realize that im a special case and it probably doesn’t bother anyone else nearly as much.

Just Jeepin' > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 13:35

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As long as I keep getting professionally-produced videos that include  beautiful XJs, why should I care?

functionoverfashion > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 13:42

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This guy seems to have it right. I even saved the link it was so well done.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 13:42

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I live in a much simpler world: FWD vs RWD

FWD, you see, means that —

Ash78, voting early and often > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 13:43

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I almost never YouTube, but a couple of 60-something lifelong car enthusiasts just shared a video about why the VW VR6 engine is going away in favor of the 2.0t. I pretty much knew the answer, but watched anyway.

It was 2 minutes of information that took 10 minutes to present, and it didn’t cover any drawbacks — complex plumbing, turbo temps and oil, mandatory high-octane gas, and so on.

Nothing kills your argument faster than failing to cover both sides. And I saw absolutely nothing I didn’t already know.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 13:45

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Isn’t this just an excuse to take a press car off roading?

HammerheadFistpunch > functionoverfashion 08/14/2018 at 13:54

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oye, THAT guy...

HammerheadFistpunch > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/14/2018 at 13:54

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yes.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > functionoverfashion 08/14/2018 at 13:55

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Pffft. Like I’d listen to a squirrel.

jasmits > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 13:58

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If it’s body on frame with an old school transfer case and soli d axles front and rear it’s easy to define as a truck with 4WD.

If it’s a wagon with independent suspension, a center differential and no transfer case or locking function it’s easy to define as a car with AWD.

The many  things in the middle can be called whatever you want and the many different combinations of differentials, transfer cases, locking functions, limited slip functions, brake vectoring functions etc can be evaluated on an individual basis to see if they suit a person’s wants and needs. 

His Stigness > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 14:05

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You know what’s even more annoying than that debate: people thinking they always need AWD. I shit you not, people in Southern California think they need AWD because it rained here once, a hundred years ago.

Customers like to ask us (auto technicians) what cars they should buy. But I’m sure you know people ignore us. I have to refrain from rolling my eyes and shaking my head when people say they need AWD here. If I cared, though, I would tell them the many drawbacks of AWD when you don’t need it. You know, like increased vehicle costs, increased complexity, increased service costs (yeah, that HONDA now needs a diff fluid change EVERY 15k MILES), increased tire cost. And I’m sure there are more.

And then people always pair AWD with the shittiest all season America’s Tire and Costco have on hand. 

Tripper > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 14:08

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The color on that Alltrack..

HammerheadFistpunch > His Stigness 08/14/2018 at 14:11

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I don’t want to live in California, but one of the things that would make it awesome would be the ability to live with RWD only.

Tekamul > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/14/2018 at 14:12

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*you mean mid-engine

HammerheadFistpunch > Tripper 08/14/2018 at 14:12

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its true.  VW does color well.

Tekamul > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 14:14

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Just give them this

It says wh atever they want it to say

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 14:15

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You can do that here. Well, our occasional spells of black ice can make it a bit more dubious.

HammerheadFistpunch > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/14/2018 at 14:20

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You can get away with it here too but you certainly can’t live the miata life as easily. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 14:24

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American RWD fullsize sedans from the ‘70s and before have sufficient rear overhang to keep weight on the rear wheels, sufficient ground clearance to not get hung up, stiff enough front suspension to maintain “bite”, and can be equipped with snow tires very cheaply, meaning that they are an ideal vehicle for up to 6" of snow.

Most available rear axles are also converted to limited slip easily.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 15:00

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Duh. AWD is for women and sissy metrosexual, ahem “men” , 4WD is for real manly men with beards and chest hair who fight bears with bare hands.

DipodomysDeserti > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/14/2018 at 15:26

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ateamfan42 > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 15:30

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I don’t want to live in California, but one of the things that would make it awesome would be the ability to live with RWD only.

I live in Maine and live with RWD only. Winter tires are wonderful things. ( A limited-slip diff and ABS help too.)

His Stigness > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 15:34

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What’s not to love about California? A shit hole only starts at $500,000 and t axes are high but I never see any results. 

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 08/14/2018 at 16:01

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By your reasoning I am only 1/3 manly man. Which is pretty much spot on.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 08/14/2018 at 16:02

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Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/14/2018 at 17:50

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And RWD means -

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And...

RallyWrench > DipodomysDeserti 08/14/2018 at 18:09

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“The big car glided forward with murmurous motor, wheels crunching tin cans and plastic picnic plates on the berm, packed bearings sliding in the servile grease, the pistons, bathed in oil, slipping up and down in the firm but gentle grasp of cylinders, connecting rods to the crankshaft, crankshaft to the drive shaft through differential’s scrotal housing via axle, all power to the wheels.”

that was Doc Sarvis’ Lincoln, but still applies... I think there’s a video floating around of Ed in the car off road in the Arches somewhere, and it’s got truck tires on the back. Good shit.

DipodomysDeserti > RallyWrench 08/14/2018 at 18:38

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I think s omeone on a Gawker site commented that Abbey video to me years ago and said he was friends with the guy who made it.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

In one his short story books he talks about buying a new big car and wanting to take it offroad. He got it stuck and just left it in the desert somewhere. Anytime I’m offroad I think about him writing about banning “new” 4wd trucks from the deserts and national parks in Desert Solitaire and Monkeywrench Gang. I need to turn my ‘66 GMC into a camping mobile.

and 100 more > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 19:32

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RallyWrench > DipodomysDeserti 08/14/2018 at 20:57

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Was that the ‘56ish Ford his fiance had that got destroyed somewhere in Utah, I think? Some blocked off road with a bunch of drainage gulches across it, sprung the doors, smoked the clutch, blew tires and had to hike out then she left him ? Good story for sure. That GMC would make an awesome old school camper. I’m selling my ‘94 Ford, eventually I’ll pick up a presmog truck to dial in, I feel the need.

P5guy now GTIguy > HammerheadFistpunch 08/14/2018 at 23:03

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TFL is trash across the board.

HammerheadFistpunch > P5guy now GTIguy 08/14/2018 at 23:20

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I wish they weren’t the only ones doing off road reviews and consistent towing reviews because I agree 100%

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > HammerheadFistpunch 08/15/2018 at 01:03

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Technically if the transfer case on my truck acts up (which it has been known to do), I’m RWD only in Georgia.

DipodomysDeserti > RallyWrench 08/15/2018 at 02:16

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Yep, that’s it :)

Good luck on the truck sale. I love the purple on that truck.

Longtime Lurker > HammerheadFistpunch 08/15/2018 at 02:27

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W hen could Cherokees be spec with a full time transfer case? I thought that was exclusive to Wagoneers.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/15/2018 at 11:21

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Also sufficient dash space for Hula Dancers.

#NotThatIKnowAnythingAboutThat

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 08/15/2018 at 11:23

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HULA GIRLS?

HammerheadFistpunch > Longtime Lurker 08/15/2018 at 11:29

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The NP242

“The NP242 Selec-Trac transfer case debuted alongside the Fuel-Injected 4.0L Inline-6 in the compact Jeep Cherokee in 1987. The shifter has modes 2WD - 4WD Hi Part-Time - 4WD Hi Full-Time - N - 4WD Low. There is a center differential that is open in 4WD Hi Full-Time mode and distributes torque 48/52% front-to-rear. This mode can be used on dry pavement or slippery surfaces with only a small fuel mileage penalty compared to 2WD mode. In 4WD Hi Part-Time and 4WD Low, the center differential is mechanically locked, so these modes are for slippery surfaces only. [3] Low range engages a 2.72:1 planetary gear ratio for increased torque and low speeds. Overall, this system functions very much like the NP228 transfer case above, just with all of the mode and range controls via a single, console-mounted shift lever. It was available in the 1987 to 2001 XJ Cherokee and Wagoneer, the 1987 to 1992 MJ Comanche, the 1993 to 2004 ZJ and WJ Grand Cherokees, the 2002 to 2007 KJ Liberty, and the 1998 to 2000 Dodge Durango. It was replaced in the 2005 Grand Cherokee by the Quadra-Trac II system featuring the NV245 transfer case with 4WD Auto mode and in the 2008 KK Liberty by Selec-Trac II using the MP3022 transfer case.”

sn4cktimes > His Stigness 08/15/2018 at 11:46

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Shitty tires!!!  See that all the time in Canada too. AWD or 4WD is often quite useful here. BUT just using good and appropriate tires would give people so much more traction. AWD with shitty tires is so pointless.