AWD question

[snoop101]

Hello all

Does anyone know of a site that has some good reading on AWD in different vehicles. I most are front wheel drive and then the rear comes on when the front slips, but some vehicles are more sensitive then others. I know Audi and subaru makes some amazing AWD cars and SUV's, but they also been out the longest and have mastered the tuning of them.

Anyways if anyone knows a lot or knows a good site on them please share.

[snoop101]

So found a bit of info on Wikipedia. Can any mechanic or guru tell me the difference between Torsen center differential and Clutch pack coupling. For instance All the Audi's use Torsen center differential except for the A3 and TT which use Clutch pack coupling.

[adidas]

eurodrivers.ca

ask away, ur gonna get some pretty good answers

[psycoticclown]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzK-oRPCbs

That video is pretty damn informative on how Subaru's system performs. Audi's is comparable or even better.

[gpomp]

Originally posted by psycoticclown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzK-oRPCbs

That video is pretty damn informative on how Subaru's system performs. Audi's is comparable or even better. that doesn't seem biased at all... :facepalm:

[psycoticclown]

Haha, nope. But it does show how it works against other systems. It's the same test for the cars and it's horrible how crappy some of the systems work like the CRV and the Highlander is.

[bspot]

Originally posted by snoop101
So found a bit of info on Wikipedia. Can any mechanic or guru tell me the difference between Torsen center differential and Clutch pack coupling. For instance All the Audi's use Torsen center differential except for the A3 and TT which use Clutch pack coupling.

Torsen diffs sense a loss of torque mechanically and shift the power accordingly. The big advantage being that power is transferred before you ever actually lose traction.

The electronic diffs need to sense slip first, and then the computer electronically controls the clutch in the diff. So you get some slip, and it depends on how fast the system can react until power is transferred. New ones are really fast. These systems can transfer a greater percentage front and back and also have the advantage of being able to have different starting points. For example, if a torsen system is 50/50, it's always 50/50 until it slips. With an electronic system, you can start off with more rear power for performance driving, or more of an even split for bad winter roads.

Both pretty good, although I think electronic will take over. I've driven both. Torsen is amazing how far you can push it before you get slip. The electronic ones are fun how you can load up the rear and get more oversteer. The GT-R seems to indicate that these are the superior system.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by psycoticclown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzK-oRPCbs

That video is pretty damn informative on how Subaru's system performs. Audi's is comparable or even better.

Subaru's AWD system is one of the most basic systems out there. A single center LSD in all vehicles with the exception of the STI in all their new models. Mitsubishi uses one of the more complex systems in the EVO X and even Ralliart that use 3 LSD's and can vary torque to each corner individually rather than the common method of front rear.

It's complex but is one of the reasons the EVO is one of the best handling cars in the world;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_S-AWC

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by psycoticclown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OzK-oRPCbs

That video is pretty damn informative on how Subaru's system performs. Audi's is comparable or even better.

Better... WAY better, but unfortunately, also FAR heavier.