Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Check out Ebay#4358052867. Never saw one before but I think I'm in love!

Must be Valentines day,

Marc

Chris when you looked at it what wheels did what.  Reason I am askin is at first I think you would think it would be a bear to turn, unless two differentials.  Na Too expensive.  two wheels on one side, na wouldn't go straight in high snow an still be hard to turn.  I would guess very similar to a 4x4 , one drive wheel on each axil on opposite sides, (like rf an lr).  so that when you turned there wouldn't be any two wheels pinned on the same axil, however when you did turn would have to lift up on the drive lever to let everything free wheel.  Similar to putting your four wheel drive truck's transfer case in neutral.  If that is the case,  it would be almost as good as a differential unit, ,  an almost the capabilities of toro power steer cept no power when you turn.  However you might be able to spin that baby around as easy as a shopping cart at the food store.

If it is cheaper an almost as good, who knows it may be used again with success. 

Hurry  up get the owner in here to write a review before he sells it!!

Ben07

Oh P.S.your question on that 4wd snow blower,  don't know how they did it, but apparently that is an example of the full statement,  it is 4 wheel drive,  all 4 drive and they are in full lock-up with each other, no slippage etc.  .the trigger mechanism  somehow unlocks one complete side or the other when turning.. Did they do it with belts,  they could have  but my personal guess if I were a betting man and the way I would do it would be with another gear or a chain system.

A review and a link...

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/home_improvement/1275641.html?page=2&c=y

Made in 1995...

 few more pics at link..

"

Ok thanks, so it is similar to the toro power steer cept four wheels  Thank you

Ben07

i had some interest in that one for my 18 degrees driveway, but felt the track  drive would give more tracktion.  For the price i saw at the time for a new one I'm glad i got what i did.      

           18  degrees

LOL, now we know. That's pretty good. 

Ben07 wrote: Perhaps I'm confused but this doesn't describe a 4x4. A 4x4 has 4 wheels and 4 driven wheels. What is being described is a 2x4 with a funky drive train. It looks like it would be more expensive to build than 4 driven wheels on two differentials which is what I believe a true 4x4 uses. The transfer case either switches the drive train between high and low range(s) and/or between 4 and 2 wheel drive. I.E. 2 wheel high and low, 4 wheel high and low. Then you have the whole wheel lock thing. I remember a power wagon where once the wheel locks were engaged you were supposed to back up about 30m ( 100ft) before going forward.

I've heard of some vehicles that claim to send power to each wheel "as needed" but I suspect what they actually have is two differentials and some sort of brake  that allows them to control how much doesn't go to a wheel. Does anyone have a better expalantion, I'm sort of guessing on this one? The only other way I can think of would be a hydrostatic transmission with a

What I'd like to see is something like this:

1. 4 wheels
2. Each wheel is steearable; and
3. Each pair can be set to either move opposite or the same as the other pair.

That way you can either turn on a dime or move sideways. Great for parking.

nibbler wrote:

It is called a Bobcat       ( skidsteer )                                             18 degrees

Boy, slap a hydro tranny on that baby and kick back and relax.

Quote from Nibbler   "A 4x4 has 4 wheels and 4 driven wheels."

Nibbler,  I believe that what you are describing there is"all wheel drive"  I just browsed your question,  so I will just give you a fast answer here, so sorry if I miss anything.

Let me try and put this in a list for build up of understanding, and there are variences to this such as limited slip being synonomus with a posi, I am not gonna distinguish there, too many keystrokes this is just general OK

-rear wheel drive car only the right rear wheel drives

-positraction rear wheel drive both rear wheels can drive , however it can vary and transfer all the power to either side, in like snow.

-Four wheel drive the standard Has a diff in the front and one in the rear. only two of the wheels drive.  usually the left front and the right rear, This is still called 4 wheel drive. Why I don't know   (this is what you described as "What is being described is a 2x4 with a funky drive train"  no it is not a funky drive train. This is what the standard four wheel drive train is and always has been since the willies jeep and the dodge power wagon, and still the most used and produced today.  

-all wheel drive same as the above 4 wheel drive except the differentials have a positraction system so a lot of time all the wheels drive or it can transfer the power to the wheels that don't slip

-front wheel drive  . almost all front wheel drive cars only have one wheel driving.  Except for the ones on the higher end models that have an option called "Traction Controll"  i.e.  a button next to the gearshift that you push to lock in the other wheel for temporary help say for starting out at a traffic light on a hill etc.  you can only use it temporarily as it will bind on dry roads around bends etc.

Ask your self this question, right after you say to yourself, what do you mean my front wheel drive  only has one of the wheels pulling?  Then why would they offer the expensive option of traction controll?  Or maybe you have a newer Jeep Grande Cherokee.  Look at how it is advertized  You can get select track,  or Quadra-Trac (ok quadra must mean 4  , in this case no, still only 1 on front and one on rear driving,when it senses a slip. (there are different variations of these over the years, no need to waste key strokes and most of them have been skunked/eliminated)      or you can get Quadra-trac2 with traction controll that transfer from the wheels that slip yada yada. (it is no different than the quadra trac sys, it only has the addition of posi units added into the differentials that is the only 4X4 system they have with four wheels driving it is equalavent to all wheel drive.  However all levels of their system are badged a 4X4. (command trac select trac quadra trak quadra trac2  quadra trac 2 with traction controll all say 4X4)  So your statement of "A 4x4 has 4 wheels and 4 driven wheels." could be summed up as that is what it should be, but it actually is not what it is .. Maybe you could call it a cliche'.   similar to the discussions you were questioning on the horsepower overstatements.

So I guees you can do as you suggested there,  don't worry about it and buy more than you need.  Pay the big money for the all wheel drive to insure you actually get what you defined as 4 wheel drive.  I don't think they will ever come out with an advertisement of an 8 wheel drive model on a four wheeled vehicle, cause that would be too obvious they are overstating their product in the first place.  But if they did I am sure their would be some who would buy it.

Buy the way am I saying all wheel drive is necessary.  No my personal preference is the standard 4X4.  no need to pay all that extra money, especially for the cost of fixing All wheel drive, and I believe it is a well known fact that 4 wheel is like 97 percent as good as all wheel drive,(must be cause that is the only kind they made for like the first 50 years of 4x4's, ) in snow and mud and dirt,  does it have a little edge in rock climbing, yes,  but I never seen anyone rock climb with an all wheel drive,  too expensive and prone to breaking in those conditions.  They are good in some high speed racing aspects though,  Subaru is famous for this oversea's races etc.    

Regards Ben07

F Y I That Cub Cadet 4x4 sold on e-bay.  They got the min bid allowed of 500 dol-lazs.

I think good deal if lived close enough for pick-up.