Subaru fixed 50:50 system, was RE: VWs with AWD?

[George Selby]

At 01:59 PM 12/14/01, you wrote:
>Taka, others,
>
>While older automatic Subarus had FWD slip then AWD like the TT, stick
>Subarus for the last 10 years or so including the WRX have 50:50 fixed
>torque splits done fixed w/viscous couplings like the 3000GT VR4.  I've
>noticed everyone likes to say that all Subarus are front-biased but
>they're not.

Stick Subaru's of the Legacy/Outback and Impreeza type have a viscous
couplings that can bias power to the wheels that have more grip (i.e. if
your rear starts spinning, more power diverted to front, you can feel it
when you drop the clutch on a loose surface road.)   On my Legacy, however,
the front always slips first in slippery conditions, and while you have
plenty of thrust to move forward in a straight line, you still can't
steer.  I much preferred the AWD in my former (and now dead, executed by a
Ford Ranger) 4kcsq.

Automatic Subarus of the above models have a 90/10 bias under normal
operating circumstances, and have an electrically operated clutch pack that
feeds power to the rear wheels as determined by the computer.   You can
pull a fuse and the clutch pack totally disengages for short towing.  BTW,
if you ever drive a automatic AWD Subie and it seems to shudder, the clutch
pack is worn out.

So the auto and stick Subie AWD systems are quite different.

George Selby
83 Audi Coupe GT
92 Subaru Legacy Wagon 5 spd AWD
gselby4x4 at earthlink.net