How does a car drive work? In a nutshell: the engine transmits rotational motion to the wheels of the car, and the type of drive depends on which wheels this energy is supplied to. It can be front, rear and full. We will try to figure out which type is suitable for which car and for which driving style.
Front-wheel drive
On front-wheel drive vehicles, motive energy is supplied to the wheels of the front axle. This is the cheapest drive option, and it has received its distribution on budget models of Japanese cars. The drive is bad because it has low dynamic performance on the road and differs for the worse in the absence of a cardan shaft. This remark leads to a reduction in the weight of the machine, and leads to an increase in the possibility of wheel drift, because the front of the car is heavier than the rear.
There are still advantages to this type of drive - front-wheel drive cars have higher off-road characteristics than rear-wheel drive ones, which is especially convenient for those who have recently got behind the wheel.
Speaking of wheel alignment
I would like to pay special attention here to such an unfavorable condition as the demolition of the wheels of the front axle. If such a situation occurs, it is necessary to release the gas until the slipping of the front wheels disappears, and then align the car on the road with the steering. Front-wheel drive cars have such a nuance - while driving on slippery roads and turning in such sections, a decrease in gas speed will lead to easier turning, and an increase, on the contrary, will reduce the degree of cornering. It is possible to slip the front wheels, which is absolutely not allowed to be allowed.
Therefore, when making a turn on a slippery road, you need to bring the car into the “pressure” mode, having previously determined the optimally safe speed, and then gradually, when entering the arc, increase the gas supply.
In addition, a very important role in the controllability of a front-wheel drive car is played by precise rationing according to the instructions for the pressure in the wheels of the car. Because even the slightest deviation from the prescribed norms can lead to a sharp deterioration in the quality of driving.
Rear drive
On rear-wheel drive models, energy from the engine is transferred to the wheels of the rear axle. This type of drive can be found on American-made cars, Europe, on expensive Japanese cars, as well as on the domestic classic Zhiguli. The advantages include excellent dynamic and speed performance, which is why they are installed on sports cars.
However, for beginners, cars with such a drive are contraindicated, as they are prone to skidding on the roads.
Four-wheel drive
It is logical that in an all-wheel drive car, the energy from the motor is distributed to all 4 wheels. This drive is installed on any category of cars, it can be found on sedans, station wagons, sports cars, and SUVs. Among other things, all-wheel drive can be divided into 2 subspecies - in the first case, the energy is distributed in a ratio of 50 to 50 between the wheels of the front and rear axles, and in the second - 30 to 70, respectively. The second subspecies includes, for example, the Lamborghini Gallardo, but the Mitsubishi Outlander belongs to the first.
One example of the operation of a “plug-in” all-wheel drive: under standard conditions, all engine power is given to the front wheels, but when the front axle slips, the rear wheels are turned on to help it.
Let's summarize. For the most amateurish and mundane reasons, the best option for a car is a car with front-wheel drive. They are more common and easier to manage. It is easier to enter a turn on them and, whatever it says, it is more difficult to get into a skid (and, accordingly, get out of it). For a beginner, this is the best option.
The article used an image from the site www.gt-angarsk.ru
The number of all kinds of SUVs and crossovers on our roads is growing at a tremendous pace. One of the main advantages of such cars is the all-wheel drive system, the principle of operation of which can differ significantly for different models.
All types of all-wheel drive can be divided into three main ones: temporarily connected (Part Time), permanent (Full Time) and automatically connected (On Demand Full Time).
Temporarily connected all-wheel drive
Temporary all-wheel drive, or as it is often called Part Time, does not allow you to drive in all-wheel drive for a long time. In this type of all-wheel drive, there is no center differential that would compensate for the difference in the speed of rotation of the front and rear axles. Without it, when driving on a dry road, transmission parts begin to wear out quickly.
All-wheel drive Part Time can only be forcibly connected to overcome a difficult section of the road at low speed.
Usually, a transfer case lever is used to connect. Although in some versions, in order to connect the front axle, you need to get out of the car and turn special handles (hubs) on the front wheel hubs.
Only “full-fledged” SUVs that are used for their intended purpose are equipped with temporarily connected all-wheel drive. Bright representatives of such "rogues" can be called and who are in no hurry to give control of all-wheel drive to electronic "brains".
In addition, almost all Chinese copies of famous SUVs of the 90s are equipped with “temporary” all-wheel drive.
Real SUVs with "fair" Part Tim modee are slowly fading into history as more modern all-wheel drive systems replace them.
Permanent four-wheel drive
Permanent four-wheel drive, or FullTime, most manufacturers do not allow you to force disconnect / connect one of the bridges.
Due to the presence of a center differential, such a transmission constantly (in any conditions) operates in all-wheel drive mode. In addition, in modern models, the center "diff" has its own electronic "brains".
With such a differential, torque can be transmitted to the axles in different proportions, that is, not only 50/50. When slip occurs, the “smart” differential can instantly “transfer” torque not only to the axle with better grip, but even to a separate wheel that has something to catch on.
This type of all-wheel drive is the most "advanced" among other 4x4 systems.
The abundance of "smart" electronics on the most modern systems allows the car to adapt even to a specific road surface (asphalt, gravel, sand, etc.), the driver only needs to press the desired button.
The most famous representatives of permanent all-wheel drive are the company, with the proprietary Quattro system, and Subaru with the AWD (All Wheel Drive) system.
Interestingly, this type of transmission is equipped with completely “non-off-road” sedans, coupes and hatchbacks. This highlights the versatility of this all-wheel drive system.
Automatic all-wheel drive
Automatic all-wheel drive (On Demand Full Time) allows the car to remain front-wheel drive and only in the event of slipping of the drive wheels connects the rear axle. Automatic connection of all-wheel drive in modern systems occurs almost instantly at the first sign of slipping.
Depending on the capabilities of a particular system, the torque between the axles can be redistributed in any proportion (from 10/90 to 90/10).
At the same time, the electronic stability program (ESP) allows you to maintain control over the car, which can suddenly turn from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, and vice versa.
To overcome a particularly difficult section of the road, this type of drive (in most versions) makes it possible to forcibly redistribute the “floating” torque between the axles in a 50/50 ratio. Usually there is a button for this that says 50/50, Lock, etc. But when a certain speed is reached (40-50 km / h), the blocking will turn off, and the system will return to the “floating mode”.
In addition, a car with automatically connected all-wheel drive can be turned into a purely front-wheel drive, without any connections. Again, using the "magic" button (2WD, etc.). Disabling all-wheel drive helps save fuel, and the need for four-wheel drive in the city does not often arise.
Automatic all-wheel drive is the "youngest" of the 4x4 systems.
They are equipped with the vast majority of crossovers in our market. You can even say that such a drive is an essential attribute of a real crossover. A new type of car required a new type of all-wheel drive, everything is logical.
Which drive is full her?
It is rather difficult to determine which all-wheel drive is the most optimal, since each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
On serious off-road, off-road vehicles with temporarily connected all-wheel drive and hard mechanical locks of all differentials (interaxle and interwheel) will feel best. But in urban conditions, such cars do not give any pleasure from driving.
In turn, purely urban crossovers with their automatically connected all-wheel drive are practically helpless on any off-road, but they are controlled like ordinary cars.
The golden mean is permanent all-wheel drive, which will master off-road and will not give offense on the track.
But such a drive will not interfere with its work, that is, it may not be possible to save fuel or drive through a very difficult section (despite the “very smart” electronics).
When choosing a car came across a question drive. Tell us about the types of drives existing in the car. Thank you.
(Igor Kondratiev)
It is known that the engine compresses and burns fuel, converting it into mechanical energy. This energy forms a torque and transfers it to the wheels. The drive is called the axle of the wheels to which rotational movements are transmitted. It can be front, rear and full.
Each type of transmission has its own characteristics, as well as advantages and disadvantages.
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Front
On front-wheel drive vehicles, the engine, generating energy, transfers it to the front axle or, more simply, to the front wheels. This design is most often used on budget-class cars, however, it is also found on more expensive cars. It is noteworthy that such an arrangement is quite simple and practical.
Learning to drive a front-wheel drive car is much easier. Therefore, such cars are preferred for beginners. Of the disadvantages: it has lower dynamic performance and an increased likelihood of front wheel drift. The advantage is high cross-country ability on slippery roads and a lower degree of skidding, unlike rear-wheel drive cars.
Rear
Obviously, in such a design, the rotational energy is transferred to the rear pair. It is found on expensive cars, especially European and American production. In terms of dynamics and speed indicators, such cars take their advantage. Due to this, it has good maneuverability and controllability. That's just the tendency to drift in cars with front-wheel drive is higher. This is due to the fact that the front wheels are the braking factor at the time of the turn, and the rear wheels are the excess pushing force.
Full
A car in which torque is distributed to all axles is all-wheel drive. Perhaps the most common of all existing types. Cars of almost all classes and body types have this arrangement. In addition to high cross-country ability and versatility, this design has earned its popularity with the so-called “plug-in” drive system.
This solution allows the car to use the leading one axle of the wheels and, depending on the situation and road conditions, connect an additional second one.
It turns out that the full type has three groups of transmissions:
- full, using the front and rear axles at the same time;
- plug-in full on demand, where the front axle of the wheels is the leading one, and the rear one is plug-in;
- automatically connected - the rear pair is usually the leader, and the front pair is turned on automatically as soon as the drive wheels lose traction.
All modern cars, regardless of the type of drive, are most often equipped with an ESP stabilization system. Thanks to this system, your car will behave on the road as comfortably and calmly as possible.
Video "Types of drives"
Learn more about the types by watching this video:
Almost every motorist has an idea about the types of car drives, or, in extreme cases, knows what type of drive drives his vehicle. Let's try in this article to figure out what drives still exist and what is their significant difference. So, in order for the car to be set in motion, the torque from the engine must be transmitted to the wheels of the car. But how many wheels will take torque, and on which axle, depends on the type of drive.
Drives can be of three types: rear, front and full. Let us consider in more detail their difference, as well as the pros and cons of operating a car with different types of drives.
Rear drive
If the car is equipped with rear-wheel drive, all the energy of the engine will be completely transferred to the rear axle. You can meet this type on domestic "classics", as well as Japanese, European and American high-class cars. There are, of course, indisputable advantages of this option - dynamics, starting from a place, lack of vibration, which to some extent increases the comfort of operating the car. The disadvantages include an excessive tendency to skid, especially on slippery road surfaces. Permeability, compared with front-wheel drive, is slightly lower.
Front drive
Cars equipped with front-wheel drive, all the energy of the motor, respectively, is taken to the front axle. This type of drive is found more often on budget modern cars, but can also be found on more expensive models. FWD vehicles are less prone to skidding on slippery roads and cornering than RWD vehicles, and also have comparatively better off-road capability. The advantages of this type of drive are practicality, adequate price and ease of operation. It will be easier for novice drivers to get used to driving in front-wheel drive.
Finally, all-wheel drive vehicles. Unlike the options discussed above, the all-wheel drive system is the distribution of engine torque to the front and rear axles, namely to all four wheels. The distribution can be carried out in different ways, so the all-wheel drive system is divided into subtypes:
- The energy of the motor can be distributed unevenly between the wheels, depending on the traffic situation and the condition of the roadway.
- All engine energy is supplied to the main drive axle (it can be front or rear, depending on the car model), but in the event of slipping of the main drive wheels, part of the energy is redistributed to the second axle, putting it into operation as well.
- And, of course, even distribution of energy between all wheels.
Watch the video tutorial about the types of car drives - their advantages and disadvantages:
As we found out, all types of drives have their advantages and disadvantages. With which drive to choose a car - it's up to you.
An all-wheel drive system is a transmission design that evenly distributes torque to the rear (single and twin) and front wheels of the vehicle. It is used on cars and trucks (including SUVs) of domestic and foreign production. All-wheel drive allows you to improve the dynamics of acceleration, handling and patency of the car while driving in summer or winter on wet or slippery roads, as well as off-road.
What is permanent and plug-in all-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive is classified into four groups: connected, permanent, automatic, multi-mode. Each type of all-wheel drive has several features.
Pluggable (Part time). This type of drive is used on cars of the brand Kia Sportage (release before 2002), Ssangyong Kyron, Suzuki Jimny, UAZ. Its main task is to reduce fuel consumption when driving on good road surfaces.
Part time is turned on with an additional button or lever. It does not use a center differential. Therefore, in order to avoid accelerated wear of transmission elements and tires, increased fuel consumption, deterioration of handling when cornering, it is recommended not to constantly drive on the Part time drive.
Permanent (Full-time). It is installed on cars of a number of well-known brands: Toyota Land Cruiser, Mercedes ML, Lada Niva, Daihatsu Terios. It has inter-axle and inter-wheel differentials. Ideal for driving on hard pavement.
Automatic (Automatic or On demand). Used on Nissan Quashqai, Mitsubishi Outlander XL, Honda CRV, Chevrolet Captiva. It turns on in automatic mode, if there is a slip of the driving wheels.
Multimode (Selectable). Used in cars of the brand Jeep Grand Cherookee, Mitsubishi Pajero. Has no flaws. It has absorbed the advantages characteristic of other types of all-wheel drive. Allows the driver to drive on two drive axles or only one at his request.
Differences of all-wheel drive from front and rear
Four-wheel drive has a number of differences from the front and rear. Fundamental differences affected the principle of operation, driving on slippery surfaces, and cross-country ability.
Functional differences. In a front-wheel drive vehicle, power is sent to the front wheels only. In a rear-wheel drive car, the engine power is sent to the rear wheels. In an all-wheel drive vehicle, engine power is transmitted to both pairs of wheels.
Differences when operating on slippery surfaces. A front wheel drive car is difficult to skid on slippery surfaces, but even harder to get out of it. For a rear-wheel drive vehicle, skidding when driving on a slippery surface is the norm - to get the car out of this state, it will be enough to release the gas pedal. A four-wheel drive car on slippery surfaces is the most unpredictable - it can behave like a rear- or front-wheel drive car.
Differences when operating on a snowy surface. When the train is on a snowy or muddy road surface, a car with rear-wheel drive will have the worst cross-country ability - the front wheels will have increased slippage, which makes it difficult for the car to move. In a front-wheel drive car, the driving pair of wheels is pressed against the surface of the road surface by the weight of the engine - this factor reduces slippage. As well as the front drive wheels allow the driver to set the direction of traction. The leader in overcoming snowy tracks is a car with all-wheel drive. Such a car overcomes the path with virtually no slippage.
Pros and cons of all-wheel drive
Each type of drive has a number of positive aspects. At the same time, there are also negative sides.
- Permanent four-wheel drive (Full-time);
- Advantages;
- the ability to drive with this drive on a different type of road surface (asphalt, field road);
- design reliability.
- Flaws;
- large drive weight;
- increased fuel consumption;
- complex process of auto controllability adjustment;
- Advantages;
- Plug-in all-wheel drive (Part-time);
- Advantages;
- high cross-country ability;
- reliable mechanics.
- Flaws;
- prohibition of driving with all-wheel drive on asphalt;
- Advantages;
- Automatic four-wheel drive (On demand);
- Advantages;
- light weight;
- simplicity of design.
- Flaws;
- instability characteristics;
- overload resistance;
- low level of reliability.
- Advantages;
In order to drive a four-wheel drive car successfully, you should follow a number of recommendations. For each type of all-wheel drive, the recommendations have several differences.
How to drive a car with multi-mode drive. With multi-mode drive, there are many ways to connect the drive wheels. The choice of these options depends on climatic conditions and the quality of the road surface.
In light off-road conditions, use the automatic mode.. On a slippery road, you need to switch to full-time all-wheel drive. When driving on dry pavement, it is recommended to use one drive axle - this will minimize fuel consumption. In complete off-road conditions, you should use a lower gear, while locking the differential.
How to drive a permanent vehicle. When driving with permanent drive, it is important to use a locking center differential. If you need to overcome a section of the road with a long slippery slope or a thick layer of snow, sand, mud, it is recommended to turn on the differential lock in advance.
How to drive a vehicle with automatic transmission. Driving a car with this type of drive will not be difficult. Four-wheel drive will automatically turn on when overcoming a difficult section of the road (off-road, climbing a slippery road).
How to drive a plug-in car. Four-wheel drive is recommended to be turned on only when driving on off-road or slippery asphalt. If the road surface is hard and dry, you should turn on the drive to one axle.
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