Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 275
Four vs All vs Part-Time Wheel Drive
The LR4 is brilliant off road (sorry to start with such a blindingly obvious statement!) but I was wondering if there are any circumstances where an all-wheel or part-time drive would be better on the road? Say, for example, the road is wet with a covering of leaves, making it slightly slippery. Would you be better off in say Audi’s Quattro or volvo’s all-wheel drive system? I’m not suggesting the LR4 is not good on the road but I’m wondering if, while the LR4’s four-wheel drive system is superb off road, whether on a wet, slippery road you’d be better off in a Q7 or an XC90 say? And are there any circumstances when a particular four-wheel drive system may be better?2014 D4 HSE Lux
10th Nov 2018 9:58 am
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8097
No! Nothing will beat permanent 4 wheel drive for traction, only saving with any other set up is cost or slightly better fuel economy.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
10th Nov 2018 10:06 am
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
LR 4x4 works on road too. You can't turn the 4x4 off.
10th Nov 2018 10:46 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
If LR’s proper 4x4 was the best on road performance then sports car manufacturers would use it, to my knowledge they don’t. LRs are off-road vehicles that are comfortable on road (now!) the others are road cars that can go off road a bit. When I bought my car they said to me you have to remember you’ve bought a sports car that can go off-road and I’d say that was a fair explanation.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
10th Nov 2018 10:59 am
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
I would think the LR system is to big and heavy and over complex to be used for sports cars.
Sports cars have 4x4, to prevent wheel spin when trying to put the power down on the road.
And to have a more pleasurable experience in the wet
10th Nov 2018 11:36 am
Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
LR, in common with some other manufacturers, uses a Haldex Coupling [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haldex_Traction [/url]
This intelligently divides the power between front and back dependant on road conditions. On dry tarmac only 10% goes to the rear, the rest to the front.
A Haldex coupleing is much much better than a fixed 4WD that may not be appropriate to the conditions and will generally consume more fuel.
10th Nov 2018 11:44 am
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20731
Nissan GTR
Golf R/Audi S/RS models
A few 911's are 4wd
Audi R8
Ferrari/Porsche/McLaren hypercars are 4wd
Few Lambo's too
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50934
D3 \ 4 is a full time 50/50 split ....power can be withdrawn or sent to any corner in any combination.
Cayenne is a full time 38/62 but can be 50/50 when put in off road mode.
Lots of manufacturers including the FL2, Volvo, Bugatti, Lamborghini use Haldex based system which is normally Front WD but power is shifted to the back as required.
Audi Quattro used to use a full time torsen system which moves the power between the front and back on demand ...now most models use Haldex.
No matter which you use you can't defy the laws of physics .... that is why I try to always drive on the road as though I'm without 4x4 or any of the gizmos that are supposedly there to 'help'.
10th Nov 2018 11:52 am
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
When you have a 400bhp+ Car with 2wd and try to pull out if a wet junction you would be very grateful for 4x4!
Or even a light 200bhp Car for that matter.
I thought sports cars were biasing the drive to the rear wheels these days to give the rwd feeling.
10th Nov 2018 12:10 pm
Jubbly
Member Since: 20 Nov 2016
Location: Stourbridge
Posts: 401
Quattro system on my old A6 was 60/40 normal driving, 60 to the rear.Jaguar I-Pace HSE imminent.
Gone HSE with Flappy Paddles. IID BT tool. RLD Spare Protector, Altox GPS.
10th Nov 2018 1:40 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72786
DG wrote:
. that is why I try to always drive on the road as though I'm without 4x4 or any of the gizmos that are supposedly there to 'help'.
Same here. Mainly coz I don’t have any gizmos any more.
10th Nov 2018 1:41 pm
Erea
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Munster
Posts: 1509
There is a gravel entrance near me with a steep slope up to the tar road. Two friends of mine have double cab Ford Rangers one a 2.2 Manual the other a 3.2 Wildcat auto, from a standing start with the front wheels on tarmac they both struggle to get going and spin the rear wheels firing stones everywhere trying to get grip and the D3 drives out without a suggestion of wheel spin as if it was a level tar junction
10th Nov 2018 2:04 pm
Landroverfan1
Member Since: 10 Dec 2015
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 275
Many thanks for the replies.
Being able to split the power unequally from front to back (e.g. 10% rear, 90% front) is all well and good for forward momentum but what about cornering? Is there a system that can transfer power to individual wheels? Last December in Wales during heavy snowfall, those of us in LR4s had no issue climbing snow and ice covered hills but several of them span while going round roundabouts (and to be clear they were not driving fast at all). The one Q7 we had with us, seemed to have the opposite issue: held grip round corners/roundabouts but did struggle on the snowy uphill straights. To be fair though the Q7 did make it up ther hills eventually.2014 D4 HSE Lux
10th Nov 2018 4:10 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8097
D4s must have had ESC switched off, some some drives prefer to do this in snow.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
10th Nov 2018 4:28 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
.... that is why I try to always drive on the road as though I'm without 4x4 or any of the gizmos that are supposedly there to 'help'.
