Is 4x4 a 50/50 split?

Good question subbed

 

50/50 only... sorry

 

Like everyone else has already said..... 50/50. That's what a transfer case is/does. It's only a direct drive to both front & rear (via chain/shafts). And it also has gearing for 4lo but still the same direct drive front to rear.

All wheel drive vehicles don't have a transfer case. They have a 'center differential' with special internals to transfer power front to back. Some AWD vehicles have that same 'special' internals in the front & rear differentials to transfer power side to side.

 

All wheel drive allows the front and rear to have a differing amount of torque applied so that the total rotation of the front and rear drive shafts can differ for cornering. You can , depending on the design of the AWD center differential, still get the binding sensation from turing in 4WD but its much, much less. The more ability for the transfer case to shift torque the more of a binding feeling you get on tight turns... its vastly superior to 4WD High for on road use. Its inferior for offroad use unless you lock it.... in which case it acts just like a normal 4WD vehicle.

4WD is also not 50/50, it can be 50/50 or anywhere from 0 to 100. A differental for AWD might be capable of 25/75 but if one axle is in mud getting 0% traction, 75% of 0 is still 0. A 4WD system will allow 100% of torque to go to one axle.

 

This should help: http://goo.gl/8r3jh