4 Wheel drive in rain

Wet pavement is a high traction surface in my mind. I see no need to use 4wd. It will cause your drivetrain to bind up spin the tires every time you turn sharply and gain you very little extra traction unless you are drag racing.

 

He said it had full time 4wd thus it had a center diff.

 

4wd in the rain only if you just got done sanding down all your tires and making racing slicks. Other than that, no.

 

In that era (1973-79) Dodge, Ford and Chev all used the New Process 203 full time transfer case, it had a mechanical differential in the transfer case allowing it to be operated on hard roads.

 

I would imagine that's kind of an AWD system rather than a true 4x4 system. No electronics, obviously but back then they kind of used the two interchangeably. I don't know this for sure but I believe there was likely a differential to allow the wheels to spin at different speeds.

 

I was referring to whether the vehicle was designed that way, modified that way, or broken that way.

 

What differentiates full-time 4WD from AWD is that the center diff can be locked on a full-time 4WD. It then becomes the same as part-time 4WD essentially. You have the best of both worlds. You can get full-time 4WD on a 4runner.

 

In a way. Not every AWD has a center diff lock though.

 

NP 203 had a mechanical open differential that worked just like an open rear - it would send the power to the axle offering the least resistance.

The shifter had 4 positions + neutral, there was a lock position for both high and low range.

The lock positions locked the transfer case differential and then the truck functioned exactly like a model with a part time transfer case.

 

Huh? What I meant is that AWD does NOT have a locking diff but full-time 4WD does. Basically full-time 4WD can transition between AWD and part-time 4WD.

 

Thats all nice ancient anecdotes......but does little to answer OP's question.

Or are we done with the OP's question? If so, then hijack as needed.................

 

I think I see what you mean now. AWD vehicles can come with center diff locks. To me AWD simply means it has a full time four wheel drive system. It may or may not have a center diff lock. Although most modern AWD systems rely on electronics to manage the wheels.

 

I have used 4h in the rain on pavement, but I was climbing a mildly steep hill (Main st between the 2 Stewarts) that became a 1ft deep by 2 lane wide rushing stream in a torrential thunderstorm. Had to go rescue my father who was working as a park attendant at Pagenstecher park in Corinth.

 

Middle East would disagree with you.

 

Cool groovy and thanks. I got a nice stretch I go out to now and again. It's managed/ owned by the tribe out here, not sure if they would be
amused if I were just out there driving around but there are no signs about it. I carry my camera as there are coyotes and such out there and
hawks etc but I leave my firearm at home... do NOT want to get busted with that out there I've heard tale of people getting caught in these
areas with firearms AND drugs and these cats just confiscate your car/truck/ whatever.... it's the Res and it's their land and their law and I
try to honor it for sure.

 

That 202 road is plenty straight for 4wd. You will have 0 issues driving that even in dry conditions.

Binding up can happen even on snow in parking lots. If you're slow enough and turning hard, you can feel it in the wheel before a tire slips, especially if you have snow tires. Straight highways, even gentle highway curves will not bind up your 4wd system in a Toyota.

 

Wow lots of passion on this subject and way off topic in some areas. Thank you for those that answered the question without getting wound up about it.
I was driving my wifes AWD Highlander so I was just thinking about my Tacoma. I have a 4Runner too and was wondering how much binding on the drivetrain there would be in 4 wheel drive in the rain hence the question.
Yes I know the difference between the two systems and no I'm not breaking any land speed records, just curios if anyone else has done so.
This thread seems to have been hijacked so I'm out. Thanks again.

 

is this AZ?

 

Yes, showing just south of the new 202 stretch out of Chandler ... 40th street south under the 202 loop..

 

if the only place or the majority of your 4WD time is on rainy city streets, you'd probably be better suited to a 2WD. 4WD has it's purpose and Millions of people get by just fine in rainy city streets with 2WD vehicles (myself included). If you just want to have 4WD, thats ok to, no rules, but if your truck gets damaged from doing something you don't need to do, well you're not a victim, you are in fact a volunteer.