truck and trailer total loss due to black ice
So it's been almost 3 weeks since we totaled our truck and fifth wheel. We were an hour from home enroute to Florida from Hamilton, Ontario when we hit black ice, lost control, went down an embankmen...
Forum Discussion
Rbertalotto wrote:4 wheel drive can be used at any time, on any road conditions, whether the conditions warrant it's use or not. No damage or harm will come to the vehicle for using 4 wheel drive, ever. I have learned that when using 4 wheel drive, it just feel more comfortable to run slower.
This is terrible advise. If the 4 wheel drive vehicle does not have a center differential, you can not operate it on dry roads. As you turn, the front left wheel and the rear right wheel will be traveling at much different speeds. If the tires don't break free of road traction, the transmission, universal joints, half-shafts, etc will experience serious abuse. You may lock the whole system up and not be able to shift out of 4WD. A very light weight Jeep or other 4WD vehicle will simply spin the rear tire. But a heavy tow vehicle, especially with the weight of a trailer on the rear axle and lots of torque and horse power will break something.
Only vehicles with "Full Time" four wheel drive can be operated on dry surfaces in 4WD. These vehicles have some type of differential in the transfer case to allow such operation.
Not only this, but the gearing is different for an AWD vehicle. On most selective 4wd applications, where 4wd is used on demand, the front wheels turn just slightly faster than the rear wheels do. Not sure of the % difference, but could be up to 5%, in some cases. AWD, from what I've read, is almost a 50/50 split, but not =exactly= 50/50; maybe 50.5/49.5. I do know that our old 4wd tractor had a 10% difference between front and rear and you could =see= the difference while pulling. :-)
Lyle
