What is a Part-Time Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle?
1 Answers
Part-time four-wheel drive vehicles engage the four-wheel drive system when necessary and operate as two-wheel drive systems under other conditions. Compared to other four-wheel drive systems, part-time four-wheel drive has a simpler structure, effectively reducing costs and overall vehicle weight. In daily use, part-time four-wheel drive can handle sudden slipping effects and improve driving performance. However, it is not capable of handling high-intensity off-road conditions. Each drive wheel of a vehicle must have a differential to enable turning on high-traction surfaces. This is because the rotational speeds of different wheels vary during turns, and the differential is the component that eliminates this speed difference. Full-time four-wheel drive is based on this concept, where the central differential's role is to eliminate the speed difference between the front and rear axles, ensuring four-wheel drive at all times.