I'm not sure what you mean. Basically there are models out there where AWD is an option and those cars weight about a couple hundred pounds more than the RWD models. So one of the drawbacks of the AWD models is the extra weight and slightly worse gas mileage. But you could be parked on snow or ice and you put the car in drive and it just goes.
Winter wheels and tires
- Thread starter Jarlaxle
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As already stated, I was speaking only about same tires/no ABS.
My comments are already out there.
Let me ask you this, once your vehicle tires have transitioned from static to dynamic friction, what does it take to transition back? And which vehicle is more likely to do that, and why?
But there are vehicles that you can switch into 4WD hi from 2WD or from FWD to AWD (like older Mitsubishi Outlanders).
But many of the FWD until slip AWD systems, under braking unload the multiplate clutch so it's FWD during braking.
I was thinking more of Mercedes. They always have 4matic models and RWD models. They're always full time AWD and they add about a 150 pound weight penalty between having it and not having. They're set up as longitudinal engines so no FWD.
Oh yeah, I only look at E class and S class models. CLA/GLA isn't a real Mercedes.
Longitudinal engines don't always signify a RWD layout. The older Audi A4 convertibles with the CVT were longitudinal with FWD as well as the old Acura Vigor and the original 2.5/3.2TL... longitudinal with FWD.
A vehicle that can select between 2WD and 4wd/AWD makes perfect sense to test braking claims of 4WD/AWD vs 2WD.
I've driven both TJs and XJs with the inter. The TJ takes the cake for the absolute worst vehicle I've driven in snow, even with snow tires. 4.0L TJs have a slight rear weight bias. They like to swap ends, and quick, in the snow.
My Subaru is far superior than either. Now, if we're talking going on a trail or through snow that's 2 feet deep, I'll take a Jeep. But for daily driving there is no comparison.
My father bought my F350 new and he used it as a daily driver for many years. With studded snow tires. It's sprung so tight and relatively light for what it is, it won't consider moving in the snow in 2 wheel drive and even in 4x4 just gets stuck way too easily.
Lots and lots of people (not most all BITOGers though I am sure) up in snow country use all season tires all year long. Are snow tires better, yeah sure but not everyone goes with the absolute best 100% of the time.
Not just Canadian. We slow down but still, long straight stretch of highway, not going to go 20mph, not when I have to go 20+ miles...You realize you’re talking to a Canadian.
One year they tried to do that tandem plowing thing on the highways. I got stuck behind them one night, doing... 15mph. Maybe! I checked the mile markers and it was at least 15 miles left to go. I got off the closest exit and took the back roads instead at 45mph, felt perfectly safe.
Some people might blow a vein contemplating that.
We do pretty well with our winter tires up in Canada but the folks in Quebec are still having a few problems. Enjoy the video.
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This typically is only applied to your true AWD/4WD setups where the front and rear wheels are locked together so that no one set of wheels is free to just lock up while the others continue to rotate. Think of your typical FWD setup where the rear is lighter and so on a slippery surface those wheels can lock up, engaging the ABS where as the fronts didn't need it. With true AWD/4WD, the front wheels rotating mean the rear wheels rotate so things are kept "in synch", warding off ABS engagement until it is actually needed more globally.
I believe that's the theory.
The rears tend not to lock up in the snow with typical fwd vehicles. There's very little weight transfer as the decelaration is low and the brakes are biased toward the front a LOT. Things are different if you help a bit with the parking brake though...
In my experience a 70/30 brake proportioning like he says is about as much rear bias as you will ever see in a FWD car. 80/20 is much more common and if you have a car with big brake kit it can be 90/10 or lower.
Aside from studded tires?
I thought about that, but I'm not sure. Help but fully stop what we see in that vid? Most studs are really just "point contact", several on the contact surface. A non-ABS vehicle would just lock up and draw lines in the ice; not sure when an ABS vehicle would give up and lock a wheel too. The studs themselves are only a mm or two tall, not like they are digging deep.
Chains, simple ones, might not be much better. Long surface to glide? They make ones with square metal bits welded on, but I'm sure those would be torture to drive on.
Maybe studs would do better than most chains, you could be right. But that much glare ice, it wouldn't take very much to outdrive "typical" studs either, IMO. Just my wild guess.
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