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
Coach-man wrote:Cdash wrote:Coach-man wrote:
As far as the Four wheel drive issue. Older four wheel drive you should not. Drive on dry paved roads. As explained, in those older units, the front diff, locked and the steering wheels would rub hard against the pavement putting a lot of stress on the components. Newer, four wheel drives have two options, either high, or low. Four wheel high, is like AWD, in that all four wheels are turning, but the front Differential performs exactly as the rear one and eliminates the stress'. In four wheel low, it locks the front differential, and both front wheels are applying load. That is where you will have problems unless on loose pavement. But as mentioned, on black ice weather in 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive would not make a difference!
I'm sorry, but this is wrong.
4wd is mechanical linkage between front and rear axles. You are correct that the differential allows for wheels to turn at different speeds, but the problem is that each of the 4 tires travels a different distance while turning. Contact between tires and pavement keeps the differential from being able to do what you are saying.
AWD had a viscous coupling that allows the front axle to too soon at a different rate than the rear axle, preventing the frontline bind.
4 low is differet than 4H, only the gearing is different.
OH, I learn something new! Now explain how that is different from Front Wheel drive? With Front Wheel Drive, the engine, Transmission and differential are incorporated into one unit, but there function remains identical to the separate parts of a four wheel system.
The function remains the same as a rear two wheel drive system with independent rear suspension, except there is no drive shaft between the transmission and differential, plus constant velocity joints in the half shafts to allow the wheels to steer.
