Is he correct?....seems a bit OTT

[Deleted account DD]

On a caravan forum thread: http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter...TopicID=166834&showActive=1&ReturnPage=Active

someone has put this as a Terrano neg point:

"The 'proper' 4x4 drive train (while great off road) has severe linitations in normal use. You can only engage 4 wheel drive in slippery conditions - otherwise the diff 'winds up' and will finally explode.

This makes the car virtually useless in the sort of conditions where a bit of extra grip from a part-time 4x4 system would be welcome - such as wet roads, etc."

Hmmmm..........I'm a bit concerned because I use 4wd whilst towing, not all the time but as recently on wet narrow and hilly lakeland roads it gave a much more surefooted tow for about 20 miles and although I didnt top 40mph I wouldnt like to think of my diff exploding :|

Any comments or is he correct :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

 

[elty001]

o.t.t.

you can cause transmission wind up driving on tarmac in 4wd.would have to go at it some to blow the transmission up i would have thought.these motors have plenty of torque in 2wd.had a 20'trailer with a transit on it and never needed 4wd on wet roads.

 

[makeitfit]

I hope not too as I've been usin 4x4 lots on wet country lanes(just like where I live) :?
Cause I'm runnin on muds it gets a bit leary in the wet, so a bit of 4x4 in high seems to keep things under control. Otherwise the ar se end keeps tryin to overtake me 8O

 

[Fill]

Unfortunately that's also my understanding and applies to my Patrol. It's not for use in the dry or even the wet but only where the road surface has some 'give' in it eg mud, grit, sand, snow etc, which will allow some slip at the wheels and avoid wind up. This is not a problem when you are moving from one clearly defined surface to another but it is an issue in British winters where you can find yourself moving from a wet road to one covered in slush - and looking for 4wd in a big hurry.

 

[elty001]

happy rear end

Otherwise the ar se end keeps tryin to overtake me

could be in need of some new diff oil,or some lighter driving boots :lol:
never really had the back end stepping out on mine even in the wet with muds on.(i have tried)

 

[makeitfit]

I checked diff oil for level last time it was up on the ramps, and it was ok.
I dont know what type of oil was in there mind!
So either you're not tryin hard enough , and as I'd never admit to havin a heavy right boot, or I've got dodgey oil in me diff 8O
OO er misses :?

 

[elty001]

happy rear end

could be a combo of tyres,diff oil and right foot :lol:

 

[makeitfit]

Re: happy rear end

could be a combo of tyres,diff oil and right foot :lol:

I better check the tyres and diff oil then :lol:

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

I have seen some odd differences in hadling on t2's that are down to different tyres, we had some new westlake all therains tyres on one and the back end was forever slifing out on bends! but normaly they are fine!

I have never used 4x4 for towing on a wet road in my life! and with the LSD and decent tyres dont think you would need to? And as you are supposed to reverse when you disengae so it wouldn't be that practical.

I can agree to a small extent though the 4x4 system is a little, shalll we say 'unrefined' in these days of shift on the fly 4x4 etc. but it is very good when you are realy off road.

 

[knotting_pot]

Exiting a roundabout in 2nd gear on wet road with heavy right boot can be interesting and my tyres are Pirelli Skorpion AT's. :roll:

 

[makeitfit]

Exiting a roundabout in 2nd gear on wet road with heavy right boot can be interesting and my tyres are Pirelli Skorpion AT's. :roll:

I love roundabouts, especially wet ones like you said 8)
I'm runnin Insa turbo's 8O

 

[CHASTER]

Can't understand this 'ere differential exploding stuff. I would think that because the diffs are limited slip they would automatically do a bit of "unwinding" before the big bang :? Perhaps the strain generated by driving on dry roads with a bit of wheel diameter difference etc winds the propshafts, tranfer box , and gearbox(if manual) and front axle up? Has anyone known of a diff actually comming to grief or is it a hypothesis :wink: Don't any other bits burst first?
I've only known of Suzzy tranfer boxes giving up the fight but no doubt there are some more sad and expensive stories out there :|

 

[floyd500b]

Exiting a roundabout in 2nd gear on wet road with heavy right boot can be interesting and my tyres are Pirelli Skorpion AT's. :roll:

You should try it in a Navara mate :lol: No weight above the back-end and also fitted with cart springs 8)

Cheers

Graham

 

[Deleted Member S]

I have suffered trans wind up on the road when I used 4WD going through a flood got out the other side & could'nt steer as my tyres must have had more grip than I thought :roll: I'll never do it again :wink:

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

sweety are you sure it was transmissoin wind up?

I have come across this twice once in an early frontera and once in a panda 4x4 both were easily fixed and did no big damage.

On a T2 I htink only the back axle is LSD I assume it is the front that would be at risk of damage?

 

[Deleted Member S]

sweety are you sure it was transmissoin wind up?

From what i've read over the last 2 years it was a case of wind up but once I selected 2WD I could turn the steering wheel again :roll: never had this prob when i've been off road in 4WD

 

[Terranosaurus]

I've had it in car parks paying with the 4x4 lever. The truck almost stops as sweety says theres plenty of grip but with em all wanting to turn at different rates the wheels won't turn.

I have driven in 4wd on relatively dry roads and it can be doen. At speed the tyres do have chance to slip - they slip whilst cornering all the time anyway, but really its not a good idea - ultimately you'll increase tyre wear and I suspect it woul dbe the front CVs that would let go first of all the transmission, either them of the gearbox which isn't terribly strong as we know.

Therear LSD in my old mav was tight enough that I would get this effect even in 2wd when manouvering on full lock. The diff would lock and one side or other had to slip but you could feel the extra resistanc through the need to use more gas tan would normally be needed.

As for being more stable etc when towing etc - complete bunk, until a wheel starts slipping it makes no odds. A part time 4wd with an LSD has more inherent grip than a fulltime 4x4 driving without its centre diff locked.

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

I agree with HB on the towing in 4wd I a lot of towing and the best thing I have ever found is rear wheel drive! My favourite towing vehicle and allways has been is a transit van.

its the same for the stability myth of 4 wheel (twin axle caravans) the only advantage to them is when the caravan is so long and heavy it is too much for one set of tyres. Twin axles cause more drag and are hard to manouver off the towing vehicle, the only slight advantage being the tend to be easier to keep in a straight line when reversing.

4x4 and caravans do come together well on a mudddy site! but thats the only place you need it!

 

[Deleted account DD]

I have never used 4x4 for towing on a wet road in my life!

Doesn't mean its not a good idea to, especially in the pissing rain on a narrow hilly twisty Lakeland road with nearly 1 1/2 ton of load behind you.

Its widely acknowledged that 4wd whilst having drawbacks has massive advantages on even under normal road conditions depending on the actual vehicle.

I can live with a bit of extra wear on tyres and what have you if I reap some benefits but I do not want my diff "blowing up" as that poster was indicating if the T2 is one of those that cant hack it.

 

[Deleted account DD]

until a wheel starts slipping it makes no odds.

So what do we do? let the wheel slip and then go red and think oh yeah just maybe I should have known that was coming, or use 4wd in advance when that situation is in the possible scope ?