That's the trick with open differentials. It sounds like you pretty much
know what you're talking about, so I won't go into huge detail.
An open differential in the axle provides equal torque to both wheels on
the axel. The torque is not equal on both wheels only when one wheel looses
traction.
Peg-legers is a very appropriate term for open diffs... in the racing world.
Because you're constantly feeding more torque to the drive wheels than the
tires can hold on to. Then it'll feel more like a 4X4 is really a 4X2, with
one front and one rear drive wheel.
But for those of us who are just looking to drive through some mediocre snow
drifts while on road, open diffs work just fine. Unless you have the bucks
to spend on locking diffs on the axels.
I read a lot about how open differentials = 1 wheel drive. It's just not
correct.
"g3_josh" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
> Let's not forget that in most stock 2WD/4WD vehicles (such as a 1984
> chevy pickup) the center diff. locks the front and rear drive shafts
> together but there are two more diffs, front and rear, and under most
> conditions these differentials only transmit power to either the left
> or right wheels. "Peg Leggers" in the drag racing world. In certain
> circumstances (when you are traveling perfectly straight with equal
> traction on both wheels) you can get the dif to lock up. So even if
> you have a 4X4 it doesn't mean you get power to 4 wheels.
>
> Today's AWD systems sometimes sense wheel spin and dynamically brake
> the wheels to transfer power "from the wheels that slip to the wheels
> that grip". Its a form of anti-lock brakes for accelerating. In
> effect you do get power to all 4 wheels.
>
> Josh
