center diffs??

the newer AWD suv's sometimes (not always?) have a center
differential... and they seem to be either a Viscious or a mechanical
type?

I noticed the Land Rover Freelander has a Vicsious type, leading me to
believe it would be the better of the 2 kinds... is this true?

What is the difference and which is better??

Jon

Jon R. Patrick wrote:
> the newer AWD suv's sometimes (not always?) have a center
> differential... and they seem to be either a Viscious or a mechanical
> type?
>
> I noticed the Land Rover Freelander has a Vicsious type, leading me to
> believe it would be the better of the 2 kinds... is this true?
>
> What is the difference and which is better??
>
> Jon
>
Without getting into too much detail, the *mechanical* type is always
providing torque to the front and rear axles. The *viscous* type is
typically only driving the front or rear axle until slippage occurs and
then it locks up and drives both the front and rear axles. It is a tough
call to say which is better as they both have strengths and weaknesses.
That said, I think the best system is a *mechanical* type (also called
an open diff) that has a locking device in parallel with it (such as a
viscous coupling or a mechanical lock) The manual transmission Subarus
use this type of system and it works incredibly well.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> the newer AWD suv's sometimes (not always?) have a center
> differential... and they seem to be either a Viscious or a mechanical
> type?
>
> I noticed the Land Rover Freelander has a Vicsious type, leading me to
> believe it would be the better of the 2 kinds... is this true?
>
> What is the difference and which is better??
>
> Jon
>
>

Better for what? On road? Then yes.
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