4WD or AWD?

[Cruising68]

You nailed it. I don't know why it's so hard for people to understand! It's a Ford product, designed by Ford engineers and they label it as 4WD because that's exactly what it is. Period!

I will say this about it. While it is not AWD, it handles pretty damn good in the snow. Just got back from a trip to northern New England. It was snowing the two days I was there with lots of packed snow and sand on the mountain roads. I was impressed with the ST in the snow with the Pilot Sport all seasons which is not a real winter tire. Used to drive the same roads in full 4wd trucks and in normal snowy driving the ST held its own.


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[Dale5403]

I will say this about it. While it is not AWD, it handles pretty damn good in the snow. Just got back from a trip to northern New England. It was snowing the two days I was there with lots of packed snow and sand on the mountain roads. I was impressed with the ST in the snow with the Pilot Sport all seasons which is not a real winter tire. Used to drive the same roads in full 4wd trucks and in normal snowy driving the ST held its own.


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Just curious, did you use slippery mode? I find that helps a lot also.

 

[2020FordRaptor]

If you are driving on the highway you are essentially in one wheel drive as only one rear wheel is being driven and the front is disengaged. If slip is detected, the front differential is engaged but only one wheel in front and one wheel in back. From there it only engages the other wheel on the axle by braking the slipping wheel. So technically, the best it gets at any given instant is two wheel drive, one front and one back. When active, the abs is monitoring wheel spin and applies the brake on the slipping wheel to start driving the wheel on the other side. In a true AWD system, all wheels are driven at all times and the viscous couplings distribute torque 100% of the time automatically.

At least that is my understanding of the operation. IMO it is not and never has been AWD.


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I’d have to disagree. What you explained above, to me is AWD. If it disconnects automatically and drives without any user input and uses clutches to disconnect or distribute power, it’s AWD. With the argument you’re using above, that means every Subaru crossover, or similar vehicle is 4wd.

 

[DaHuntah]

uses clutches to disconnect or distribute power

It does not use clutches to connect or disconnect. It uses an actuator for that. AWD stands for All Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive vehicles are driven by "all four wheels" simutaneously. The Explorer is not driven by all four wheels simutaneously. As stated above, this is more about terminology than technology.

 

[Cruising68]

Just curious, did you use slippery mode? I find that helps a lot also.

I did, it worked well although it felt like I had a dead gas pedal. Turned traction control off. For an experienced snow driver it works better off than on in my experience.


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[Cruising68]

I’d have to disagree. What you explained above, to me is AWD. If it disconnects automatically and drives without any user input and uses clutches to disconnect or distribute power, it’s AWD. With the argument you’re using above, that means every Subaru crossover, or similar vehicle is 4wd.

How can you call it AWD when there are never more than two wheels driving the car at any given time? Not poking fun or anything g, honest question.


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[2020FordRaptor]

It does not use clutches to connect or disconnect. It uses an actuator for that. AWD stands for All Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive vehicles are driven by "all four wheels" simutaneously. The Explorer is not driven by all four wheels simutaneously. As stated above, this is more about terminology than technology.

I meant to mention actuators too. I know what AWD stands for, and the Explorers are AWD with a FWD disconnect.

 

[2020FordRaptor]

How can you call it AWD when there are never more than two wheels driving the car at any given time? Not poking fun or anything g, honest question.


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I don’t understand, how are there never more than two wheels driving the car at any given time? Most of the time power is being sent to all 4 the wheels.

 

[BrooseDaMoose]

We have open differentials. Torque is only applied to one side at a time. Unlike a LSD or Locker which will send torque to both sides.


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[UNBROKEN]

It’s all semantics because it’s neither.

But…an open differential will apply power equally as long as there’s no slippage.

 

[Cruising68]

I don’t understand, how are there never more than two wheels driving the car at any given time? Most of the time power is being sent to all 4 the wheels.

Impossible on our parts. Best case is one front and one rear. The Timberline has a locking rear differential so you get 3wheel drive in a timberline.

A mentioned above, open diffs front and rear so the drive wheel is the easiest to turn or both when nothing is slipping. Once one side slips it becomes the only driven wheel on that diff until the it taps the brake on that side which shifts drive to the other side. Same front and rear.

In our STs you never have more than one front and one rear wheel driving at any instant with any traction or slipping issue regardless of what the intelligent 4wd display is showing.


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[UNBROKEN]

To clarify…on a dry surface like launching the car in a drag race…yes all 4 wheels are under power. It’s only when one slips that it changes.

 

[Cruising68]

To clarify…on a dry surface like launching the car in a drag race…yes all 4 wheels are under power. It’s only when one slips that it changes.

Correct. You are right, it is semantics. Once a wheel slips though, an open diff will try to direct all torque to the slipping wheel. Then the active braking takes over.

Regardless of how it’s done and what it’s called, I feel it is a remarkably stable vehicle in slippery conditions. Either hammering through the mountain s-turns or driving on curvy roads during a snowstorm, it feels stable and predictable imo.


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[DaHuntah]

Well by that, all 4WD vehicles are actually AWD.

 

[BrooseDaMoose]

But…an open differential will apply power equally as long as there’s no slippage.

You're right. My brain was focused on the one wheel burn outs with an open differential.

I started this topic because I was intested in why it was being called an AWD when all Fords branding says 4WD. But I think I got it figured out. Let's just drop it and everyone can call it what they want. I'm going to say it's a 4WD vehicle that is part-time AWD. There really doesn't seem to be an answer.

 

[GearHead_1]

You're right. My brain was focused on the one wheel burn outs with an open differential.

Interesting that you said this, I have an F-150 4X4 with the 3.5 in it. It has an E-Locker as well. So it's basically an open diff the majority of its life. This truck will spin tires off the line all the way through 2 up-shifts, leaving two perfect black stripes anytime without the locker engaged. TCS nannies off, so that's always made me wonder if these systems still have limited effect under certain conditions.

I've always assumed this was due to the electronics using the ABS system when it senses wheel spin and applying it to the other wheel. It of course does equally well with the Locker engaged, which is expected.