Safari 2.2 - using 4WD in city or normal roads

[originalamit]

Hi,

I need to understand what are the disadvantages in going for a 4WD instead of a 2WD in city driving conditions? Is the clutch different or heavier? Any other things that i need to keep in mind before making a decision?

Thanks as always

Amit

[dadu]

firstly, if you take a 4WD, engage it only on unmetalled roads/ non-existant roads, muddly situations and while offroading.

4WD should not be engaged on metalled road as it can cause differential damage.

4WD vehicle is slightly on a heavier side (appx 100-150 kg more) and therefore consumes slightly more fuel also, even if used as 2WD. Price is also higher.


Decide the option based on your needs, other than that there is no difference.

Originally Posted by originalamit

Hi,

I need to understand what are the disadvantages in going for a 4WD instead of a 2WD in city driving conditions? Is the clutch different or heavier? Any other things that i need to keep in mind before making a decision?

Thanks as always

Amit

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by dadu

4WD should not be engaged on metalled road as it can cause differential damage.

What about vehicles with real-time AWD? Any special mechanism to prevent differential damage?

[BUSA]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

What about vehicles with real-time AWD? Any special mechanism to prevent differential damage?

Real time AWD are mostly in 2WD mode and shift to AWD when there is loss of traction or when the mechanism senses the requirement.

[originalamit]

A couple of more questions from the driveability point of view:

1) Any difference in the feeling of the clutch and brakes compared to a 2WD?
2) Does the steering feel more harder compared to the 2WD?
If i do go for a safari, it will be 4WD version only but i still need to ensure it is easy to drive in city.

Thanks

Amit

Originally Posted by dadu

firstly, if you take a 4WD, engage it only on unmetalled roads/ non-existant roads, muddly situations and while offroading.

4WD should not be engaged on metalled road as it can cause differential damage.

4WD vehicle is slightly on a heavier side (appx 100-150 kg more) and therefore consumes slightly more fuel also, even if used as 2WD. Price is also higher.


Decide the option based on your needs, other than that there is no difference.

[xbox360]

Originally Posted by originalamit

A couple of more questions from the driveability point of view:

1) Any difference in the feeling of the clutch and brakes compared to a 2WD?
2) Does the steering feel more harder compared to the 2WD?
If i do go for a safari, it will be 4WD version only but i still need to ensure it is easy to drive in city.

Thanks

Amit

I own the 2.2 EX 4X4, and frankly i feel that the suspension of the 4WD is much more stiffer and has lesser body roll, hence there is no downside. Himanshu was the first person to point this out, but was able to tell the difference when i drove his truck.

[ravibhat]

So which one has better suspension/ride comfort 4X2 or 4X4 ?

Regards,

Ravi.

[DirtyDan]

You might not know you were driving a four wheel drive equipped vehicle like the Safari unless someone told you or you finally noticed the drive selector. There is little difference. It simply is not a big deal. There is little difference in suspension or handling....until you are off-road in four wheel drive. Even then there is not much difference. But you need to read and talk to people about how to drive in 4x4 mode.

One important thing you need to know, that you may not understand from the strangely worded previous posts above,

You do not use four wheel drive on dry pavement like city roads usually are...EVER! Not with a Safari, for sure.

The reason being is that the front wheels and the rear wheels, both under power, turn at different speeds on dry pavement in four wheel drive and the friction this creates in the drive train, e.g. the transmission, will quickly destroy your drive train, usually the tranny. VERY QUICKLY make that, okay?

Four wheel drive usage is only for slippery road (or off-road) surfaces where the difference between the speed of the rear and front wheels will cause the wheels to slip just a little bit on the slippery surface and thus release the friction. It is ironic that four wheel drive ala Safari, needs slippage to work correctly when it is slippage that it was designed to conquer. Slippery surface = mud, snow, sand, ice. Rain water on the road is usually not slippery enough for my money but that depends on how much water, your tyres and how heavy your vehicle is. But I would not use 4x4 mode in rain on a paved road.

See the four wheel drive section of this site for info.

[xbox360]

Originally Posted by ravibhat

So which one has better suspension/ride comfort 4X2 or 4X4 ?

Regards,

Ravi.

Not sure about ride comfort, but have been told that the 4WD has lesser body roll.

[DirtyDan]

I was a test driver for Dana-Spicer, one of the largest four wheel drive and differential manufacturers in the world for about 3.5 years. In that time I happily destroyed many test vehicles. Two in particular by running them in four wheel drive on dry pavement. The tranny in one lasted 400K the other lasted just under 200K. First the trannys got very, very hot vaporizing and burning all the tranny oil within. Then the gears and bearing got hot. Then...they stopped working.

[BUSA]

If you dont use 4WD for a really long time, will it create any problems?

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by BUSA

If you dont use 4WD for a really long time, will it create any problems?

Yes, O-rings, boots, lubricants and components will deteriorate and rust. But, why would you do that?

You can always take it somewhere off-road every couple of weeks and drive it in four wheel mode for half a Kilometer. It probably does not even need that much.

[tsk1979]

Safari and many modern Off roaders have limited slip diffrential. I think most of these concerns are true for locked diffrentials on pavement.
Consider turning in 2WD mode, the outer wheel turns faster than the inner wheel.
If this can cause diffrential damage in 4WD, it will cause damage in 2WD, but since the diffrentials are able to slip(limited slip) its okay.

however if you have an offroader with locking hubs(eg, old jeeps where you get down and lock the hubs) you will get damage while on pavement.

I guess a seasoned offroader can tell whether the Safari 4WD has locked diffrentials in 4WD mode(the manual says LSD).

In the gypsy its written on the manual that the 4WD High can be used on normal wet roads etc., but 4L should be used only in slush.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Safari and many modern Off roaders have limited slip diffrential. I think most of these concerns are true for locked diffrentials on pavement.

In most of today's four wheel drive vehicles, including the Safari I think, the front and rear wheels do not travel at the same speed on straight roads let alone turns. This is why their manuals tell you not to use four wheel drive on dry pavement. Limited slip differentials take care of friction due to turns on each axle but they do not aleviate straight ahead friction due to front and rear assemblies traveling at different speeds. This is why AWD, all wheel drive, vehicles have a third differential in the center linking front and rear assemblies, to dissipate friction. If you run a Safari on dry pavement my best guess is that you will ruin your tranny fast. Safari owners??? Please look it up in your manuals and let us know.

[DirtyDan]

I did not say that right. Actually the front and rear are mechanically linked and they TRY to turn at the same speed but there are always differences between front and rear, e.g. front and rear are never exactly on the same track, there are always small differences in tyre circumference etc. And on turns the front and rear radically differ in the speeds they are traveling just as front and rear radically do not follow the same track around a curve. It is enough to create a lot of friction.