Four Different Types Of Drive Systems Your Jeep Can Have

A jeep is considered an off-road vehicle, although many people use them for commuting purposes. Due to the off-road design of a jeep, it comes with off-road driving features. A jeep can be equipped with all-wheel drive, full-time 4X4 wheel drive, part-time 4-wheel drive, or on-demand 4-wheel drive system.

All-Wheel-Drive

All-wheel drive is very similar to four-wheel drive. With an all-wheel-drive vehicle, your vehicle is using all four of its wheels when you are driving on the road. It uses all of its wheels all of the time, no matter if you are driving on a cement road or down a dirt road. The big difference with all-wheel drive is that all-wheel drive vehicles usually are not as capable when they are driven in off-road settings. They don't handle as well on dirt and gravel as they do on pavement, even though all four wheels are engaged in the process.

Full-Time 4x4 Wheel Drive

When someone talks about 4x4 wheel drive, they usually are referring to full-time 4x4 wheel drive, which is the default system. All of your wheels are engaged at all times. Oftentimes, 4x4 wheel drive vehicles use clutch based systems. Clutch-based systems allow your vehicle's driveshaft to turn at different speeds for the front and back wheels, giving you ultimate control on the road. Full-time 4x4 wheel drive is great for off-roading due to the amount of control it provides the driver with. They also have a center differential.

Part-Time 4x4 Wheel Drive

A part-time 4X4 wheel drive system is lacking a center differential. A part-time 4x4 can instead be turned on or off so that you can drive with two-wheel front drive or with four-wheel drive. This versatility is achieved by a mechanism that locks the front and rear drive shafts together when you switch the vehicle into four-wheel drive. Two-wheel drive is recommended for everyday driving on cement and 4x4 wheel drive for off-roading. Part-time 4x4 wheel drive vehicles are not designed to spend most of their time in 4-wheel drive; it is designed to be an optional feature that is only occasionally turned on.

On-Demand 4x4 Drive Systems

With an on-demand 4x4 drive system, your vehicle senses when it needs to be in two-wheel drive and when it needs to be in four-wheel drive. Your vehicle will automatically switch into four-wheel drive when it runs into mud, snow and slippery road conditions. Your vehicle will, on its own, transfer power to the secondary axle. This provides you with four-wheel drive protection and benefits without you having to make the switch manually yourself. 

Contact a dealership that has new jeeps for sale for more information and assistance. 

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