AWD, All Wheel Drive, how does it work?

[GRAZOR]

According to my owners manual for my RZR and I suspect the full size rangers are the same, When the AWD is turned on by the switch it only engages when the rear wheels slip. The book also says you can leave it in AWD all the time and it will do nothing unless the rear wheels loose traction.

I simply do not believe this or maybe I have something wrong in my AWD and would love to understand it.

When I plow I usually keep it in 2 wheel drive unless I get stuck or the snow is heavy and I am spinning the rears.

When I go into AWD I can feel a major difference in the steering. This difference seems to be that the two front wheels and axels are locked together and they fight each other when turning in either direction. It feels this way all the time when in AWD yet according to what the book says, AWD is not engaged unless the rears loose traction.

I honestly believe something else happens the minute you push the switch for AWD and it has nothing to do with traction of the rear wheels.

My feeling is that switch causes the two front axels to lock together immediately and stay locked as long as the switch is on. It is very possible that no power goes to the front axels until it senses the rears slipping but it sure feels different all the time when in AWD.

Would a few here please check this feeling out on your machines and report your findings here.

Have the switch in the off position on a hard surface and do a couple of tight circles in each direction, slow.

I feel no resistance up front when the switch is off.

Now do the same thing with the switch on. It feels on mine like the front two axels are locked.

Let me know what yours feels like as I might have a malfunction in my AWD system and the sensor could be keeping mine fully locked like it is feeling the rears slipping all the time.

Thanks

Gary

[vanillagorilla]

when the machine is locked in and u turn it senses the rear inside wheel slipping and the front will kick it. that is one reason on a polaris i dont use awd unless i am planning on going straight. with the pressure it creates on the front with the front diff locked something will give. usually being and cv just like josh's did.

[caglezxj]

yep yep. pop it goes.

[GRAZOR]

Here is a link and the break down of the Hilliard differential in our machines.

They give a pretty basic explanation of how it works but I honestly believe the sensor that feels the slip in the rear is a bit to sensative and keeps it locked when it shouldn't be.

http://www.hilliardcorp.com/view.php?id=FDS-1

I'm betting that when Josh's axel broke, his front end was in full lock and the axels were fighting against each other. POP they go!

Gary

[2005DMAX]

Maybe if we all run slicks, it would not be an issue

[vanillagorilla]

i still say that if polaris made a selectable locker for the front like the rear, it would be an even better machine. then u could keep it in "3 whee drive" while riding slick trail and lock it in when it gets really nasty.

[GRAZOR]

Yep! Slick trails are always alot more fun in 2 WD anyway and especially if you learned to drive in a rear wheel drive vehicle like most of us senior members.

Buy a winch and use it instead of placing too much strain on your front differential and axel/CVs!

Gary

[vanillagorilla]

i like the way you think!!!!!!

[KSToyz]

Originally Posted by GRAZOR

Yep! Slick trails are always alot more fun in 2 WD anyway and especially if you learned to drive in a rear wheel drive vehicle like most of us senior members.

Buy a winch and use it instead of placing too much strain on your front differential and axel/CVs!

Gary

Gary....not being a pain here as I own an 08 AWD but if you don't want to use the front diff and use a winch why would we buy an AWD model? I have been using my AWD quite a bit in deep snow, mud, pulling heavy loads etc and with my fingers crossed I don't have any issues yet. I guess I don't see how using an AWD machine in AWD can be such a bad thing?

James

[GRAZOR]

Not a pain at all James! AWD is a wonderfull thing and very valuable tool on our machines.

My point is to never use it when you have full traction as this is where things begin to get costly!

On snow or in other slippery conditions I doubt there will be any problems at all but do be careful when useing it if all wheels suddenly get a good grip. POP!

Gary