Four Wheel Drive Cars

Four Wheel Drive Cars are popular the world over. For some it is an adventure but for the great part of the world 4×4 cars, pick-up trucks and Sport Utility Vehicles are a necessity as there is an extreme shortage of good roads in most developing countries in Asia, Africa and Southern America.

Jim is world’s top provider of 4WD vehicles. We provide full range of four wheel drive cars from our Thailand, Singapore, Australia, United States, United Kingdom and Dubai offices. Dubai and United States offices provide new and used four wheel drive and all wheel drive cars, pick-up trucks and Sport Utility vehicles in Left Hand Drive while our Thailand, Singapore, Austraila, New Zealand and United Kingdom offices provide four wheel drive cars, pick-up trucks and sport utility vehicles SUVs in Right Hand Drive.

Some famous four wheel drive cars we supply are Toyota Hilux, Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Land Cruiser 70, Toyota Land Cruiser 200, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Tacoma, Toyota RAV-4 MPV, Toyota Innova MPV, Mitsubishi L200 Triton, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Nissan Navara, Nissan Titan, Nissan Armada, Nissan Patrol, Ford Ranger, Ford Everest, Hyundai H1, Hyundai Santa Fe, Tata Xenon, Isuzu Dmax, Isuzu MU-7, Chevrolet Colorado and a full range of 4WD, 4×2 and AWD cars, pick-up trucks, crossover SUVs and regular SUVs.

Difference between All wheel Drive (AWD) and Four Wheel Drive (4WD)

The term four-wheel drive can describe larger passenger vehicles that may allow the driver to manually switch (sometimes with an automatic option) between two-wheel-drive mode (if available) for streets and four-wheel-drive mode for low-traction conditions such as ice, mud, snow, or loose gravel.

All-wheel drive (AWD) can sometimes describe a “full-time” 4×4 that may be used on dry pavement, but not always. These systems incorporate an inter-axle differential that allows the front and rear wheels to turn at different speeds. This eliminates driveline binding, wheel hop, and other driveline issues associated with use of 4×4 on dry pavement. Because all four tires in a full-time AWD system are connected by a system of differentials, the type of differential(s) can have a significant impact on the behavior of the system under low-traction conditions. For example, if the system utilizes standard “open” differentials (this is, a standard geared differential with no mechanism to limit speed and/or torque difference between outputs), the loss of traction of one wheel will result in all of the drive power being “sent” to that wheel, and thus a loss of forward tractive effort. For this reason, most AWD systems are comprised partially or wholly of “limited slip” type differentials, which utilize one of a variety of methods to limit the speed/torque difference between outputs. One common configuration is to use a LSD in the “center” of the vehicle, with standard open differentials at the front a rear, thus ensuring that, at a minimum, one front and one rear are provided with torque. Another common configuration is to use a LSD in the center and rear of the vehicle. It follows that the most effective arrangement (in terms of traction), but also most expensive and complex, is to use a limited slip differential in the center, front, and rear locations. This configuration provides a very high level of traction, even on slippery surfaces.

Advantages

Part-time 4×4 systems are mechanically simpler and cheaper than AWD systems. Also, a part-time 4×4 transfer case is usually equipped with a reduction gear setting, or, low range, which provides for higher torque at lower speeds, a vital feature for vehicles that see much off-road use. In AWD systems a more expensive separate reduction gearbox is usually used. The main drawback of 4×4 is that because it lacks a center differential, a part-time 4×4 system can only be used in low traction situations where the wheels have the ability to slip as needed.

For these reasons, full-time AWD is appropriate for improving on-road handling and is seen on cars and crossover/sports utility vehicles, while traditional part-time 4×4 systems without center differentials, or with locking center differentials, are better for heavy-duty use such as off-road or in deep snow and are commonly seen on trucks and truck-based SUVs.