I've been researching the Land Cruiser and 4runner recently and noticed the 200 has full-time 4wd with a center lock. No problems there. Further research showed the trail 4runner has a part time 4wd with locking rear. However, the Limited trim 4runner is listed as having full time 4wd with a center lock. Is this system the same as on the land cruiser? If so, it could sway me to go more luxury with the 4runner unless the trail 4wd is that much more effective. That leads to my other question, is either system really more effective than the other?
4WD Land Cruiser vs 4Runner
- Thread starter Eepagan
- Start date
Ryanmb21
Expedition Leader
full time 4wd is better on road in rain/snow. Off road they will be about equal as locking the center diff would make the systems equal. I am not sure there is any benefit to running the center diff unlocked off pavement.
Factoid: ALL 4th generation 4runner (2003-2009) have a torsen diff which allows you to run full-time 4wd. For some reason, this changed with the 5th gen 4runner and now only the limited 4runner has it. I run full-time 4wd on road in rain and snow all the time, so I would miss this feature if I went with a 5th gen 4runner without it.
Factoid: ALL 4th generation 4runner (2003-2009) have a torsen diff which allows you to run full-time 4wd. For some reason, this changed with the 5th gen 4runner and now only the limited 4runner has it. I run full-time 4wd on road in rain and snow all the time, so I would miss this feature if I went with a 5th gen 4runner without it.
tarditi
Explorer
Full time 4wd means there is a clutch pack or viscous coupling to send power from transfer case to front and rear axles when in 4wd
Part time 4wd means there is a direct connection from transfer case to front and rear axles when in 4wd
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-wheel_drive
Neither is "best" but rather depends on the type of driving you do and the surfaces on which you travel. Rock crawlers, for instance, do NOT want "full time" systems, and you don't want to drive on dry roads in "part time" either.
"Lockers" typically refer to the axle differentials themselves, and the merits and drawbacks of selectable, non-selectable, and limited-slip is a great way to start a feud around any 4x4 trip campfire.
Part time 4wd means there is a direct connection from transfer case to front and rear axles when in 4wd
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-wheel_drive
Neither is "best" but rather depends on the type of driving you do and the surfaces on which you travel. Rock crawlers, for instance, do NOT want "full time" systems, and you don't want to drive on dry roads in "part time" either.
"Lockers" typically refer to the axle differentials themselves, and the merits and drawbacks of selectable, non-selectable, and limited-slip is a great way to start a feud around any 4x4 trip campfire.
brushogger
Explorer
Running low range with the center diff unlocked works great running tight switchbacks in the mountains. Makes the tight turns much easier. If it gets too rough, no problem locking it up.
This only tells part of the story. The center diff lock gives the AWD systems a "direct connection" just the same as shifting into 4wd would do on a part time system. Land cruisers have been AWD since 1991 and they can "Rock Crawl" just fine.
The stability control on all of the rigs mentioned really makes the AWD vs RWD question moot in the context of driving on wet roads...
Dake21
Adventurer
Full time AWD with lockable center differential will be better on roads. You have the benefit of 4WD without binding anything when turning since your diff are open. a center locker just means it will lock the differential with a 50/50 split just like a 4WD.
Tarditi Full time AWD/4WD also uses a center differential most of the time. Some are LSD, some open, etc.
Tarditi Full time AWD/4WD also uses a center differential most of the time. Some are LSD, some open, etc.
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Good information. This all sparked interest in me when I watched a video on the site here and it stated the defender also had a center locking differential. If I'm not losing much of any capability I might like the luxury of the higher 4runner trims. Seems like a good way to save several thousand over a Land Cruiser for me.
The Rover world is a little different than the typical 4wd stuff in the US (I don't know Toyota other than what's been posted here but it sounds like the LC is similar). Most people in the US think of 4wd in terms of a Jeep or full size truck. Those are part-time of course. Put it 4wd Hi and the center diff is open. Put it in 4wd Low and the center diff is locked.
All Rovers are full time 4wd with normally open center diffs. Some have manual locking of the center diff in either high or low range. Some have a viscous clutch that 'automatically' directs power front/rear but can't be manually controlled. Some only have an open center diff (but often those can be converted easily to have manual control as the hardware is there just not hooked up). And the later trucks have computer controlled locking center diffs that have no manual control. They are always running in 4wd regardless of hi or low range, and the center diff lock can be used in either range. Generally you would not lock it on pavement but would lock it for any off-road driving, even if it was just dirt that didn't require lo range.
FWIW, I believe the Gwagon is the same - permanent 4wd with full manual control of the center diff in either range.
All Rovers are full time 4wd with normally open center diffs. Some have manual locking of the center diff in either high or low range. Some have a viscous clutch that 'automatically' directs power front/rear but can't be manually controlled. Some only have an open center diff (but often those can be converted easily to have manual control as the hardware is there just not hooked up). And the later trucks have computer controlled locking center diffs that have no manual control. They are always running in 4wd regardless of hi or low range, and the center diff lock can be used in either range. Generally you would not lock it on pavement but would lock it for any off-road driving, even if it was just dirt that didn't require lo range.
FWIW, I believe the Gwagon is the same - permanent 4wd with full manual control of the center diff in either range.
xwazmtb
Lost and Found at the same time.
I own a 2007 4runner sport edition with a v8 its slightly different to a v8 because it has a awd system with an lsd center diff for normal driving giving it a 30/70 f/r split for normal driving. However it has a manual locking center diff in the transfer case that makes it to a 50/50 split as well as disengaging vsc (vehicle stability control ) allowing for wheels spin and when wheel spin happens that is when atrac (active traction control.) Uses the vehicles abs system to stop the spinning wheels ie wheel with less traction and transfer the power to the other wheel on that particular differential which should have more traction and then can pull the vehicle up the obstacles. atrac works when the center diff is locked both in 4hi and in 4lo. hopefully that cleared some stuff up about the 4th gen 4runner 03-09
Part time 4WD describes using a transfer case, not a Center differential. In a transfer case, there are two things that can be manipulated, Hi and Low and 2WD and 4WD. Hence the twin stick case modification (which allows independent manipulation), and also doubled T-cases (which provides a second reduction housing). You control which driveshaft is getting the output of the transmission, and whether it goes through the reduction housing or not. Nothing open about it.
All wheel drive (AWD or Full time 4WD) has a center differential, whether mechanical or viscous, that makes driving around on dry pavement alot quieter by not having your tires chirping and the vehicle bucking around because nothing slips on dry pavement. Much like an open rear versus a locked rear on dry pavement. The center diff can be locked in low traction environments, normally allowed in Low Range, because it is normally an electronically activated system. There are variations on how these systems are actuated and how they react to situations.
At least thats how I learned it.
All wheel drive (AWD or Full time 4WD) has a center differential, whether mechanical or viscous, that makes driving around on dry pavement alot quieter by not having your tires chirping and the vehicle bucking around because nothing slips on dry pavement. Much like an open rear versus a locked rear on dry pavement. The center diff can be locked in low traction environments, normally allowed in Low Range, because it is normally an electronically activated system. There are variations on how these systems are actuated and how they react to situations.
At least thats how I learned it.
toylandcruiser
Expedition Leader
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