The Primitive 4x4 Of The 4.2 Explained

[bitman]

on the TV program Massive Speed broadcast by Five last Wednesday 19.30 July 2nd gives excellent info about permanent 4x4 without a differential between the front and read axle. the Dutch Spiker 1902 was the first 4x4 ever being build as race car. B)

this program showed the viewer why you will need a differential between the front and rear axle. the 2nd WW Willys was used and had the possibility to disengage the front axle when driving on tarmac. it clearly showed that without the wheels are being stressed when cornering. this behaviour will tear and wear your tires and is putting strain on the tires, drive shafts and transmission (transmission wind up). nice with all those roundabouts. :o

this is the case with the 4.2 the new 4.3 has a better system and is controlling how this is being handle with the 4.1 i don't know.

this is also the reason that you will need to have the same tires all around. in an ideal world they should be having more and less the same tire tread grooves. if not the diameters of the tires are not the same and they will run on different speeds... creating strain on the transmission.

so why did toyota build it like this

[Hoovie]

I am sure the RAV4 4.2 has a differential otherwise there would be masses of problems reported as you describe.

I know the Dacia Duster (That well known Romanian 4x4 :D ) had no diffs and they withdrew it from the UK market with a few years as it kept breaking when going round corners - of course, there may be other factors that would cause that as well

[bothwell_buyer]

The 4.1 is basically the same as the 4.2

The 4.1 was fitted with a diff lock which allowed the whole lot to be locked together for conditions of ice etc.

However, as I have found, the operation of locking the diff can have extreme benefits. On doing sprint/1/4 mile standing starts, using the diff lock ensures the wheels each turn at the same speed whether the wheel is off the ground or not. This allows very fast launch times (almost sub 2 seconds) even tho the front wheels are off the ground. Without diff locked, the front wheels come off the ground then as traction is lost, come back to ground and bounce putting immense strain on the transmission.

On the straight line 1/4 mile, the diff lock is left on even tho exit/terminal speeds are 100mph - far from the recommended 50mph max in the handbook!!!

On slow speed corners on tarmac with diff lock on, then yes - strain is put on the transmission and the tyre rubber will take the brunt of it. The RAVs transmission is capable of up to 400bhp before it starts coming apart so its a well-engineered bit of metal. However, Toyota moved away from the 4.1 set up and as we have seen with the DMF, introduced a transmission that is beginning to fall short of the original spec. No doubt costs come into it.

I wonder whether the 4.3 transmission would handle even 300bhp??? Thats twice what its engine runs. Now, what bhp is the V6 available in some countries and what drive train do they use I wonder?

[Robert6920]

Now, what bhp is the V6 available in some countries and what drive train do they use I wonder?

Bothy

the answer to the first question appears to be 269bhp for the 3.5l V6 (wouldn't that be interesting) and the answer to the second is......I've no idea!

[bitman]

by studying the 4.2 toyota tech doc there isn't a differential between the front and rear axles.

to see it your self (or hear) just do a test, let some one drive your rav 4 dead slow with the front wheels on full lock.

[bitman]

However, as I have found, the operation of locking the diff can have extreme benefits. On doing sprint/1/4 mile standing starts, using the diff lock ensures the wheels each turn at the same speed whether the wheel is off the ground or not. This allows very fast launch times (almost sub 2 seconds) even tho the front wheels are off the ground. Without diff locked, the front wheels come off the ground then as traction is lost, come back to ground and bounce putting immense strain on the transmission.

in that program they showed a Lamborghini with an even better system what checks that state of the car and by full acceleration the power is about 80% on the back axle and 20% on the front.

[bothwell_buyer]

Now, what bhp is the V6 available in some countries and what drive train do they use I wonder?

Bothy

the answer to the first question appears to be 269bhp for the 3.5l V6 (wouldn't that be interesting) and the answer to the second is......I've no idea!

Interesting indeed...my first RAV is running around 280bhp on the 1998cc turbo engine. The weight difference of the V6 may have an influence, albeit will help keep the front down on accelaration! I've not looked at the V6 engine at all and whether it can be tuned up. Maybe thats another project! However, I would guess that its transmission must be capable of taking a fair bashing.

[bothwell_buyer]

However, as I have found, the operation of locking the diff can have extreme benefits. On doing sprint/1/4 mile standing starts, using the diff lock ensures the wheels each turn at the same speed whether the wheel is off the ground or not. This allows very fast launch times (almost sub 2 seconds) even tho the front wheels are off the ground. Without diff locked, the front wheels come off the ground then as traction is lost, come back to ground and bounce putting immense strain on the transmission.

in that program they showed a Lamborghini with an even better system what checks that state of the car and by full acceleration the power is about 80% on the back axle and 20% on the front.

haha - might be ok on a lambo but I can see the 4.1 3 door flipping over backwards !!!! Need to fit rear castors!

[Plutus]

So what's this traction control all about then?

[bitman]

So what's this traction control all about then?

that`s a system what uses the brakes, see here

won't do any thing in the snow or mud! i know when i had a is200 driving in the snow. :( totally useless, but that`s why there was a switch :D

[Plutus]

So what's this traction control all about then?

that`s a system what uses the brakes, see here

won't do any thing in the snow or mud! i know when i had a is200 driving in the snow. :( totally useless, but that`s why there was a switch :D

[Robert6920]

won't do any thing in the snow or mud! i know when i had a is200 driving in the snow. :( totally useless, but that`s why there was a switch :D

Absolutely right! Had an IS200 a couple of cars ago, and on about a 2% incline at the entrance to the car park at work, got stuck in snow and simply couldn't move forward! Everso embarrassing, every other car patiently waiting for me. Eventually, a few of them got out and pushed the Lexus into the car park. I felt such a lemon

[bitman]

won't do any thing in the snow or mud! i know when i had a is200 driving in the snow. :( totally useless, but that`s why there was a switch :D

Absolutely right! Had an IS200 a couple of cars ago, and on about a 2% incline at the entrance to the car park at work, got stuck in snow and simply couldn't move forward! Everso embarrassing, every other car patiently waiting for me. Eventually, a few of them got out and pushed the Lexus into the car park. I felt such a lemon

did you tried it with the traction control off? that helped for me in those circumstances. i also put it on `Snow' as being an automatic what made the throttle a bit less sensitive.

[Robert6920]

won't do any thing in the snow or mud! i know when i had a is200 driving in the snow. :( totally useless, but that`s why there was a switch :D

Absolutely right! Had an IS200 a couple of cars ago, and on about a 2% incline at the entrance to the car park at work, got stuck in snow and simply couldn't move forward! Everso embarrassing, every other car patiently waiting for me. Eventually, a few of them got out and pushed the Lexus into the car park. I felt such a lemon

did you tried it with the traction control off? that helped for me in those circumstances. i also put it on `Snow' as being an automatic what made the throttle a bit less sensitive.

I did turn it off, but it didn't help (it was a manual gearbox) I think it was just that it was rear wheel drive and no weight at all in the rear seats or boot.