When looking to buy a vehicle, one is overwhelmed with a variety of choices from car make and model to all the added features and specifications.
For car enthusiasts, determining the kind of drivetrain system to use is critical. Most drivers are fascinated by 4WD vehicles but are they really favourable?
Four-wheel drive is popular in trucks and SUVs such as Jeep Wranglers and the Toyota Land Cruiser, the heavy-duty vehicles meant for wilderness exploration on tough, bumpy or low-traction tracks.
In a 4WD system, each wheel will spin at the same constant rate as all the others while the engine sends power to the transmission, which is then split into the front and wheel axles.
However, in most cases, a 4WD is not necessary. Using 4WD on regular roads is not ideal.
For instance, when the 4WD car does a u-turn, the outside wheels have more ground to cover and thus have to turn faster than the inside wheel, making the car hop or creating a rubbing noise when you approach full lock.
4WD is generally not an ideal mode to use while driving on dry, flat, level roads.
The problem here is that you will be locking the differential between your wheels, so all four wheels will be turning at the same speed.
That is very dangerous when you’re moving at high speed on the highway and trying to turn.
Turning requires the wheels on either side to move at different speeds: the outer wheels have to cover a longer distance, thus will have to rotate faster.
Additionally, the added power and weight of a 4WD vehicle make them fuel-guzzlers and less efficient.
You will inevitably burn more fuel by driving with all four wheels generating power at once.
When using 4WD, you’re putting excess pressure on your 4WD drivetrain, differential case, and gears. Fixing these parts would be very expensive so ideally, you want to avoid engaging the 4WD mode unless road and driving conditions really require it.
The front, centre and rear differentials in 4WD vehicles are designed to compensate for its shortcoming when turning a corner or changing lanes. Mismatched tires, whether they’re a different size or a different tread depth, will force the differentials to operate full-time.
Equally, for a 4WD it is more expensive to buy and insurance premiums are likely to be higher. The extra equipment and size of the vehicle also increase the cost of repairs and maintenance.
It is therefore important, to avoid mixing different brands or tread patterns on your 4WD vehicle.
Also, 4WD vehicles work best when they are regularly used and maintained according to manufacturer recommendations.
