How does AWD work on a normal day? Is it actually FWD? Or is it "all time 4WD"?

All time all wheel drive....

Manual tranny has a 50-50 set-up while the automatic tranny has 90% front to 10% in the back (in normal driving conditions) but this fluctuates readily when needed more traction in the rear....

RObin
National Capital Subaru Club
www.ottawasubaru.com (http://www.ottawasubaru.com)

Robin2,
Try 60-40,rear to front on the RS. 50-50 is mostly on the STI competition center diffs (except the adjustable one) Automatics, I dunno

Rich

Yeah, automatics have 90/10. It switches to 60/40 I think when you begin to lose traction.

I don't know if this info is right. Actually I happened to call Subaru Canada tech service this afternoon, one tech representive said automatics WILL switches to 50/50...if we jack up the front 2 wheels, there will be 50% power to the rear 2 wheels. But he didn't know about how much % of power will be transfered between the 2 rear wheel(left <-> right) by limited-slip rear differential if one of the rear wheel lose traction. Any idea?

[This message has been edited by altibaby (edited April 07, 2000).]

I think the best answer you'll get is on the Checkpoint Web site. Check the links. It'll be under the TECH section.

guys, you should check Subaru USA site, they explain everything..
http://www.subaru.com/awd/inside.html

50/50 for manual
and 90/10 front/rear for automatic, transfer up to 50/50 when needed

Take care
Mike M.

For those searching for the answers:

http://www.subarudrive.com/SubaruDrive-Sum02/AWD-Demystified.htm

This has to be the oldest thread I have ever seen be resurrected.

Thread of X-mas past

Haha this is before the bugeye eh!

Robin2,
Try 60-40,rear to front on the RS. 50-50 is mostly on the STI competition center diffs (except the adjustable one) Automatics, I dunno

Rich

Rich, you obviously have a dererved subie guru status but I am very sure that my VIII tranny is heavily rear biased with the dccd off. It drives that way and the tranny charts confirm a 65:35 RF open diff bias. Now with dccd locked my RF torque split is variable between 0:100 and 100:0. Thing about it; lift the front wheels and accelerate: 100:0. Lift the rears and accelerate: 0:100. 50:50 (or any fixed split) does not equal locked diff. 50:50, by very careful and ingenious design, is OPEN diff.

Any locker, or LSD allows the torques to variably split so that a slippery wheel can receive very little torque while the tractive wheels can get torqued on. Wheels that slip to the wheels that grip. For that to happen you need a system where the the torque can be varied. Sounds complicated? Not really. Subaru advertises a system that monitors traction and sends torque form the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip. Marketing. Sigh. What is the fastest responding mechanical system that will transfer torque from the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip???? Weld the diffs. Three welded diffs will automatically and very rapidly transfer torque to the wheels that grip in an infinitely variable fashion with an impossible to predefine torque split.