FWD vs. 4WD

[PUAhokie]

I haven't had a car with FWD before but am considering one. How much control/traction actually exists on FWD to say- drive on snowy roads and/or go off the paved road (but not exactly to OFF-ROADING)

[MEHOKIE]

I haven't had a car with FWD before but am considering one. How much control/traction actually exists on FWD to say- drive on snowy roads and/or go off the paved road (but not exactly to OFF-ROADING)

Depends on where you live, how much/how often you get snow and how badly you drive. I owned a RWD Mercedes in New Hampshire and had no problems driving in the snow. I had a FWD car in Blacksburg and the big icestorm in 1993ish made it very dangerous to drive, more drive wheels would have been helpful to some extent.

[Brown Water]

Depends on where you live, how much/how often you get snow and how badly you drive. I owned a RWD Mercedes in New Hampshire and had no problems driving in the snow. I had a FWD car in Blacksburg and the big icestorm in 1993ish made it very dangerous to drive, more drive wheels would have been helpful to some extent.

You owned a Mercedes? Say it isn't so.

[avhokie]

the big icestorm in 1993ish

During that ice storm, I had a RWD Honda Accord and was trying to make a U turn on Washington Street right at the entrance to the little service road between Lee and Pritchard. I slid right down that little road and down next to the dumpsters. It took probably 30 minutes and at least 15 guys to push me back up to Washington St

[MD11Fr8Dog]

Having lived in Steamboat Springs for 7 winters, personally, I prefer 4WD. You just need to know when to engage the transfer case into 4WD. In a FWD scenario, you could end up with all the power transferred to just 1 front wheel. In a 4WD scenario, you could end up with power transferred to 1 front and 1 rear. In an AWD scenario, you could, potentially, end up with all power transferred to only 1 of the 4 wheels, which is why the newer AWD Land Cruisers have a center differential locker, to keep some power to each axle. Other of the newer high tech systems use other traction/limited slips systems to prevent this.

With all at said, my brother in law loved his FWD Subaru Outback for driving around Steamboat. He also loved my 4WD drive vehicles too, especially when I showed up to yank him out of a ditch or snow bank. My favorite was rescuing him with my wife's Navigator with my daughter in the car seat in the back.

[Triad Hokie]

In an AWD scenario, you could, potentially, end up with all power transferred to only 1 of the 4 wheels, which is why the newer AWD Land Cruisers have a center differential locker, to keep some power to each axle. Other of the newer high tech systems use other traction/limited slips systems to prevent this.

Just a point of clarification, Land Cruisers (100 and 200 series) are full-time 4wd, not AWD. They have a transfer case (high and low range) with, as you indicated a center locking differential. The real thing of beauty is Toyota's A-TRAC system which uses the braking system to redistribute power side to side to the wheel with traction. With the center differential locked two wheels with traction will always have power.

With that being said, I have a Land Cruiser and a FWD Volvo wagon and the Volvo wagon has gone 99% of the places the Land Cruiser has gone in snow and ice; the 1% being my driveway.

[MD11Fr8Dog]

Just a point of clarification, Land Cruisers (100 and 200 series) are full-time 4wd, not AWD. They have a transfer case (high and low range) with, as you indicated a center locking differential. The real thing of beauty is Toyota's A-TRAC system which uses the braking system to redistribute power side to side to the wheel with traction. With the center differential locked two wheels with traction will always have power.

With that being said, I have a Land Cruiser and a FWD Volvo wagon and the Volvo wagon has gone 99% of the places the Land Cruiser has gone in snow and ice; the 1% being my driveway.

You're absolutely correct, I kept getting ahead of myself with my AWD, FWD and 4WD mixed up writing that on my iPad, I corrected one of them. I have an 80 series as my airport car in Memphis, its full time 4WD as well. I've had all 3 of my Land Cruisers in places where your FWD Volvo wouldn't get past the parking area!

One last point, the real only difference between an AWD system and full time 4WD is the transfer case, my point was in pointing out the center diff lock to keep power to each axle.

[Triad Hokie]

I've had all 3 of my Land Cruisers in places where your FWD Volvo wouldn't get past the parking area!

Agreed, that's why we have the Land Cruiser as the family vehicle. But for your typical North Carolina winter, driving to and from work the Volvo has really surprised me over the time we've had it in terms of winter driving; it does stop better than the LC (better brakes/a lot less weight).

The 80 series is great a truck, just watch out for the head gasket. I'd love to get one and transplant a diesel in it to use primarily as an off-road rig.

[MD11Fr8Dog]

The 80 series is great a truck, just watch out for the head gasket. I'd love to get one and transplant a diesel in it to use primarily as an off-road rig.

Same motor in my '92 FJ80 (3FE), really, as my 40 series and 55 series(2F), just fuel injected and shorter stroke (+20hp). I have all the top end stuff to convert my 2F to a 2FE, just need to do more research and find the time! Way less power than the later FZJ80s have.

[Edgeman]

During that ice storm, I had a RWD Honda Accord and was trying to make a U turn on Washington Street right at the entrance to the little service road between Lee and Pritchard. I slid right down that little road and down next to the dumpsters. It took probably 30 minutes and at least 15 guys to push me back up to Washington St

Guessing you meant FWD Accord, since Honda's only RWD automobiles have been the S2000 and the NSX.