Awd Front Axel

[sablowme]

Any of you guys had any issues with higher speeds on the AWD trucks. I assume there differnt compared to a 4wd vehicle internaly but how does it handle high speeds. In a 4wd truck you couldnt drive at like 90+ in 4hi so how does it work with a AWD unit, how do they justify that a guy that has a SS silverado might want to do about 115mph or a guy with a Sierra Denali might want to go the same. Are the diff units realy designed to take such abuse with the front hubs ingaged the whole time?

 

im still new with this awd thing so was hoping some one could school me on it.

[dwhults]

I believe technically all 4 wheels are not powered. Only the rear has power and when it senses a slip the front is activated.

[redvett]

AWD & 4WD are basically the same axle with exception of the axle actuator on the 4WD. AWD vehicles will run OK at 90mph but your wallet will be thinner with the fuel mileage.

[Spurshot]

I believe technically all 4 wheels are not powered. Only the rear has power and when it senses a slip the front is activated.

 

 

My understanding is that a 4wd GM truck of recent vintage (last ten yrs at least) has a positive engagement of the transfercase to drive the front driveshaft when in either 4 Hi or 4 Lo. At the same time, the front differential has an actuator that engages/disengages one axle to the spider gear on that side and that the differential is a "open" type. With the one axle disengaged from the respective spider gear, the open differential cannot drive the opposite side that remained connected to its spider gear nor, of course, the side that disengaged the spider gear. But if the axle is engaged, then both front and rear axles are positively driven, recognizing that the open front diff will not necessarily drive both equally in all situations.

 

I don't have an understanding of the AWD system.

[clemsonblozz]

I believe technically all 4 wheels are not powered. Only the rear has power and when it senses a slip the front is activated.

 

 

My understanding is that a 4wd GM truck of recent vintage (last ten yrs at least) has a positive engagement of the transfercase to drive the front driveshaft when in either 4 Hi or 4 Lo. At the same time, the front differential has an actuator that engages/disengages one axle to the spider gear on that side and that the differential is a "open" type. With the one axle disengaged from the respective spider gear, the open differential cannot drive the opposite side that remained connected to its spider gear nor, of course, the side that disengaged the spider gear. But if the axle is engaged, then both front and rear axles are positively driven, recognizing that the open front diff will not necessarily drive both equally in all situations.

 

I don't have an understanding of the AWD system.

 

 

 

I have a 04 hoe with AWD and a 2001 z71 truck that is selectable witha manual t-case..

 

the hoe has no axle acutator, where the truck does.. the t-case in the hoe has a viscus differental, and the truck does not.. the hoe is all wheel drive, all the time.. it won't hardly spin the tires on sand, it just grabs and goes.. the split between the front and rear on the AWD is 38% front, 62% rear..

 

my hoe gets about 17 mpg,, which isn't bad when driving around wiith the ac blastin down here in the south... my truck, which has a (gulp) hypertech 93 octane tune and 285 mud tires only gets about 16 mpg..

 

the awd and the stabilitrak are the shiznick in the snow..