For many years I have gone on trail rides , hill climbing , mud slinging and yet there wasn't once that the honda 300 4 x 4 got stuck when the other makes didn't due to the so called 3 wheel drive . To me whether it does or doesn't have true 4 wheel drive system would not effect my decision on what to buy as long as it was built as good as Honda .


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ok

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RangerSX 1987 Honda 250X(completely stock)

 

that old limited slip design is also pretty good..It sends a max of 20% power to the grounded tire when the other is in the air. The new AP diff does a total 100% lock up. I like the old design because it is always trying to equal the power between the two tires, not just when one breaks loose, that way they dont even get a chance to break loose. Then again i like the new design because it acts like a conventional axle during normal driveing and is easyer to steer.. both have their plus's and draw backs... Joe

 

let me expand a little further between the limited slip and AP.
Limited slip: it thinks that both tires should get equal power all the time,(this hurts steering) and if one should break loose it will send as much as it can to the other, usally around 10-30%= true 4x4 unless badly stuck.
AP: it doesnt care what one gets the most power,(this makes steering easy) but if one starts spinning our of controal it will do a total lock up between the two.=true 4x4
Joe

 

Where did you get the information that the AP diff locks both sides together? Honda of North America, in Torrance, CA sent me a letter stating at tht the wheel with the most traction gets the power. They said nothing about any lock up condition.

 

Unfamiliar with the specific design of the new Honda differential, I'll remain cautious with my remarks. However, ALL limited-slip differentials known to me only LIMIT the slip of the free wheel, biasing only a portion of its torque to the wheel with traction.

Only a locker, either a permanent one like High-Lifter's, an automatic one like a Detroit Locker, or a command one like the Suzuki's front or Kawasaki's Bayou rear or ARB, LOCK the two wheels associated with the differential together.

In my opinion, if a "limited-slip" differential actually locks its wheels together, the device moves into a category more accurately described as "locking," rather than "limited-slip."

Regardless, I salute Honda's or any mechanism offering improved traction; better yet with a bonus of manageable steering effort.

Tree Farmer

 

JRM-I think the "Honda Dude" may not know what he is talking about or he is hoping you don't know either. Don't believe everything a salesman tells you. Go to the source. Either way, I believe he misinformed you, out of ignorance on his part or because he thought you would like to hear that. According to Honda of North America in Torrance, CA (310-783-2000), that is not true. Hope that helps.

[This message has been edited by TxDoc2 (edited 01-05-2000).]

 

The honda dude at the dealer said that, and i ran across it somewhere else. I hope to test one myself soon

 

My understanding is that the slip-type differential provides less torque to the wheel "with" traction and more on the "free wheel." This allows the vehicle to turn more easily since the inside wheel needs to rotate more slowly than the outside wheel. Without it and the inside wheel must "slip" against the ground as the outside wheel corners around it since both are rotating at the same rate.

Unfortunately this feature comes back to haunt you when you find yourself stuck with only one pulling wheel on the ground. It senses the pulling wheel as being like the inside wheel when making a turn. Most of the torque is then applied to the free wheel as if it were the outside wheel when making a turn.

The locking feature allows you to override the slip mechanism so that both wheels receive equal torque. Without it and about all you can do is find a shovel to did yourself out.

[This message has been edited by drlaney (edited 01-05-2000).]

[This message has been edited by drlaney (edited 01-05-2000).]

 

David, your understanding of differential action is essentially correct.

However, the only ATV differentials with "locking features" are the Suzuki King Quad and Quadrunner 250 4X4 front differentials, and the Bayou 300 2WD rear differential.

All other quad differentials (as far as I know, Traxter may be an exception) are "limited-slip," designed to bias some torque from the spinning wheel to the one with traction. As mentioned, the "limited-slip" features play to mixed, mostly negative, reviews. Torque is biased to the wheel with traction by limiting the rotation of the internal differential (spider) gears by friction with clutch-pack or by cam or cog contact. A typical automobile or truck differential has no "limited-slip" mechanism whatever, and is called an "open" differential.

A permanent locker, like High-Lifter's, or a locking differential in "locked" position, stops the rotation of the spider gears completely, defeating differential action entirely, creating a "zero-slip" effect, where the two associated wheels are "locked" and rotate together under all circumstances.

Tree Farmer



[This message has been edited by Tree Farmer (edited 01-05-2000).]