1994 Rav4 - Permanent 4wd ?
Discussion
This is a bit of a harsh test but shows what I mean:
http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
Boobonman said:
Earlier ones are definitely "full-time" four wheel drive. The button on the dash is for locking the centre diff. If you're buying, check the rear diff mounting, they can get loose and create a bit of drivetrain slack.
Leaking rear shocks tended to be the only issue (pretty common one) with these when they were 3+ years old!, not sure what other quirks have been found over the years sinceWatchman said:
This is a bit of a harsh test but shows what I mean:
http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
That's a good test though.http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
V8RX7 said:
That's a good test though.
I agree, and there are few 4x4/4WD/AWD cars that can apportion enough torque to either axle to move them in slippery conditions, and much fewer that can do so to a single wheel.Doesn't really happen in the real world though. If you put decent "appropriate" tyres on any of those tested, they will all cope with snow in Britain because those tyres stop you from having to deal with a 3-wheel-slip condition. More appropriate in the real world is the symmetrical aspect noted in that test.
My mother has had a Rav-4 (old "T" reg), Honda CRV MY05, and now has a MY09 Nissan X-Trail. I have had a couple of Subaru Legacys ("W" reg and MY05) and now have a MY08 Merc ML. All of them will cope with even the worst of snow in Britain but the Subarus stand alone in providing predictable traction and predictable handling in those conditions. All that means (to me) is that I can take greater "liberties"... i.e. I can drive faster in the snow **confidently**. The others will all get there, just a bit slower.
Watchman said:
This is a bit of a harsh test but shows what I mean:
http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
Interesting test. Just goes to show most of these soft roaders are all show and no go.http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
k-ink said:
Interesting test. Just goes to show most of these soft roaders are all show and no go.
I think most (certainly older) land rovers would also fail that test.Friends off road and I remember them being annoyed that a std Land cruiser could get where their much modified land rovers couldn't and them being amazed that it could move even if only one wheel had traction.
Test is very harsh. soft roaders have their place. i have a rav4 for alpine use (on road!). Snow tyres do most of the work. Lockable diff, but never used. big tyres and extra ground clearance useful for parking on snow mounds in supermarkets. i'm not climbing Ben Nevis... the Toyota is compromised but better than a car in winter.
k-ink said:
Watchman said:
This is a bit of a harsh test but shows what I mean:
http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
Interesting test. Just goes to show most of these soft roaders are all show and no go.http://youtu.be/kRniF4JQN2U
In the real world you're unlikely to encounter a 3-wheel slip scenario. We never challenged ours that much but it was better than the 2WD cars we had previously on snow.
My (current) ML has General Grabber ATs on which are not so great on ice but make the car virtually unstoppable in snow, and even though it doesn't have the axle twisting capabilities of a jacked-up Defender, it's pretty useful on muddy fields towing some quite heavy trailers with relative ease.
I had hoped to prove that a BMW X5 can be good in the snow on proper tyres but ours was stolen only weeks after we bought it last May, so we gave up on that idea. Also, the winter never really arrived anyway.
In place of the X5 we bought a MY12 E-class. Just in case the winter arrived we also bought some winter tyres for it, to differentiate it from the C-class we used to have which was hopeless in the snow on it's normal tyres. Pity we never got chance to prove the point really (I love driving on snow).
V8RX7 said:
k-ink said:
Interesting test. Just goes to show most of these soft roaders are all show and no go.
I think most (certainly older) land rovers would also fail that test.Friends off road and I remember them being annoyed that a std Land cruiser could get where their much modified land rovers couldn't and them being amazed that it could move even if only one wheel had traction.
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