RE: 2WD v. AWD

["Duff, Ian" <IDuff@charter.com>]

Andrew, dunno what yer sniffin, but I want some. 3 diff locks? Not on
any q I've seen, but then I *do* need glasses. Preferably the highball
variety, with my single malt neat, not polluted by anything. Most q's
have either 2 locks (rear and middle - my wife's old '87 5KSQ), 1 lock
(rear, middle is TORSEN - my CQ) or none (inverse ABS rear, middle is
TORSEN I think - EDL cars, or both are TORSEN - V8q). I know of no road
USA qs with a driver selectable locking front diff, but I may just be
showing my profound ignorance.
-Ian Duff.
	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Andrew Duane USG/PE [SMTP:duane@zk3.dec.com]
	Sent:	Wednesday, 27 August 1997 2:37 PM
	To:	mtrank%acva@mail.co.albemarle.va.us
	Cc:	quattro@coimbra.ans.net
	Subject:	Re: 2WD v. AWD

	Hairy green toads from Mars made Mark Trank say:

	> Can anyone give me a quick and definitive response to the
following:  a 
	> local mechanic recently opined to me that the quattro system
operates (in 
	> normal mode) in front-wheel drive; only when activated (i.e., 
	> differential activated) does the four wheel drive mode kick
in.  I 
	> understand differently --that quattro is AWD at all times but
that you 
	> have the ability to direct more power/traction to the front or
rear 
	> wheels when activating the front/rear differential.

	Absolutely wrong (the mechanic, that is).

	Quattros (with the newer systems) default to 25% at each wheel.
	The rear diff lock only locks the two rear wheels together to
	provide extra stability for unsticking yourself if needed.

	The older systems (with 3 diff locks) could allow most
combinations
	of wheels locked together.

	But, at all times, this is an AWD car.

	-- 

	Andrew L. Duane (JOT-7)			duane@zk3.dec.com
	Digital Equipment Corporation		(603)-881-1294
	110 Spit Brook Road
	M/S ZKO3-3/U14
	Nashua, NH    03062-2698

	Only my cat shares my opinions, and she's too heavy to care.