all wheel drive

Apr 26, 2004 43 Replies

No. Why would they? The only reason some cars utilize different ratios is to allow a continuous, small transfer of torque to one axle when the center coupling is viscous. In a viscous coupling, no torque is transferred until there is some slip. If the ratios are the same, then generally there will be no slip, and the torque goes to one axle (the front). As soon as the front wheels started to spin, torque would suddenly be transferred to the rear as the fluid heats up and thickens. The last thing you want is sudden torque transfer to the rear in a low traction situation. So they "pre-tension" the coupling by having different final drive ratios. It "seems" like the rear is always slipping, so there's almost no "play" in the coupling. Torque transfer under slip conditions is smoother.

In any other diff setup, different final drive ratios will just cause the diff to melt - you'll be constantly fighting the diff's slip-limiting action by causing perpetual "slip".

All I can say is the STi handles like a rear wheel drive until you really nail the throttle in a corner. My previous AWD vehicles seemed to handle more like a FWD. The STi feels more like a "push" than a "pull".

BlueSTi "Scary-Fast"

I think there is some confusion here. The viscous coupling in Subaru's 5MT centre diff is there just to aid a fully mechanical gear-based differential. The two ends of the diff are usually spinning at exactly the same speed (when travelling in a straight line), and they don't really have a speed differential until the car starts turning. The viscous coupling then puts some resistance on the two ends of the diff to prevent slippage. It only takes effect during turns.

Yousuf Khan

I would go futher than that. The center differential is an open differential with the two output shafts connected in the middle by a visous coupling. Even without the viscous coupling, you still have an AWD vehicle; i.e. equal torque to all four wheels, which is fine so long as all four wheels have traction.

Where the VCD comes in is when you are stuck in the snow/mud with one wheel with no traction (i.e. zero torque - hence all wheels have zero torque). The VCD heats up and essentially stops the differential from being a differential (i.e. locks up).

-- Dominic Richens | snipped-for-privacy@alumni.uottawa.ca "If you're not *outraged*, you're not paying attention!"

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