Permanent or full-time 4WD employs a mechanism called a differential to split the power from the engine evenly between the front and rear axles. All full-time 4WD vehicles use differentials, although the layout may vary significantly; they all employ front, rear and center differentials. These differentials not only split the engine’s power between front and rear axles, they also provide power to each individual wheel flexibly, depending on the conditions present. Most modern full-time 4WD vehicles use electronic traction control systems to make the 4WD as efficient as possible. In a permanent 4WD system, the power is always split between the axles via the differentials.
Manual 4WD systems require that the hubs on the vehicle be locked in manually while the vehicle is in park in order to engage the 4WD system. While the manual 4WD system also uses differentials to split the drive power, it is very different from full-time 4WD systems. The drive is permanently allocated to a single axle in manual 4WD systems and can be split between the front and rear axles when the hubs are locked in.
Automatic 4WD systems work almost identically to manual 4WD systems, except that the hubs do not need to be manually locked in to engage the 4WD. This is often called “4WD on the fly,” meaning that the 4WD can be engaged while the vehicle is in motion. Again, the differentials are employed and the drive power is permanently allocated to a single axle, allowing the second axle to be engaged when the system is needed.
The whole point of having a 4WD system is to help you get out of sticky situations, handle slick conditions with more surety and increase your safety when driving in nearly any unexpected situation. If you’re looking for a 4WD vehicle to handle winter driving conditions, you might choose something a little different than if you were looking for a vehicle to handle off-road or rough terrain on a daily basis. Since there are cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles and crossovers available with 4WD capability, knowing your requirements before you start shopping for a 4WD vehicle can help ensure that you’re making the right choice for your needs.
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