Contrary to popular belief, 4x4 does not imply that all four wheels are turning simultaneously at the same speed. The outside tires of a four-wheeled vehicle rotate more quickly than the inside tires.
The axle's differential will make up for the additional distance traveled by the outside wheel compared to the inside one.
The wheel with the least traction will receive the majority of the engine's power when you are driving on a slick surface, so the wheel that is sliding the most will receive the most power. That's because force always chooses the path of least resistance, according to the laws of nature, also known as physics.
There is always at least one wheel on each of the drive axles that can be effectively driven by the engine's power when an OHV is operating in four-wheel drive mode because the front and rear axles are synchronized.
By lightly pressing the brake pedal to slow down the spinning wheel and transfer that wheel's energy to the wheel with traction, a 4x2 vehicle can be made to behave like a 4x4.
4x4 (4WD)
A vehicle with four-wheel drive is a 4x4 (4WD).
In a 4WD vehicle, "4x4" refers to both the total number of wheels and the number of driven wheels. Typically, utility quads are 4x4.
4 x 2 (2WD)
A 4x2 or 2WD vehicle has four wheels and two-wheel drive (2WD).
In a 2WD vehicle, "4x2" refers to the total number of wheels and the number of driven wheels.
The driven wheels can be either the back or front wheels, but they are typically the back wheels. 4x2 sport ATVs are common.
Comments