Drive train thread

[xd9x19]

Got a question about the Ridge's drive train. Are the rear wheels powered under normal operation? For example, I know under hard acceleration most of the power gets shifted to the rear wheels. However, in just "easy" driving or while cruising on the interstate, do the rear wheels have power or are they just sitting in a "ready" state for when needed? Somethin

It was raining on my way to work this morning. I was sitting at a stop sign waiting to turn left onto a highway overpass, so I had to accelerate slightly up hill. I heard a noise and looked up to see a Chevy pickup that was just completing a 270 degree spin. The truck was now perpindicular to the road and straddling two lanes of traffic, one going each way. The guy was lucky there was no one coming the other way when he did his little spin. He would have smacked somebody in the side with the bed of his truck or gotten sent for another ride if someone had hit him on the driver's side of the back end of the truck.

I looked at my daughter who was riding with me and said, "I don't have to worry about that happening in the Ridgeline." Just another confirmation of the Ridgeline being the right decision.

[ChrisM]

Originally Posted by xd9x19

Got a question about the Ridge's drive train. Are the rear wheels powered under normal operation? For example, I know under hard acceleration most of the power gets shifted to the rear wheels. However, in just "easy" driving or while cruising on the interstate, do the rear wheels have power or are they just sitting in a "ready" state for when needed?

It is my understanding that there is no power transmitted to the rear wheels under normal driving circumstances. The only time power is transmitted to the rear wheels is if there is front tire slippage or you manually engage it by using the VTM lock and only up to 18 mph.

Originally Posted by xd9x19

It was raining on my way to work this morning. I was sitting at a stop sign waiting to turn left onto a highway overpass, so I had to accelerate slightly up hill. I heard a noise and looked up to see a Chevy pickup that was just completing a 270 degree spin. The truck was now perpendicular to the road and straddling two lanes of traffic, one going each way. The guy was lucky there was no one coming the other way when he did his little spin. He would have smacked somebody in the side with the bed of his truck or gotten sent for another ride if someone had hit him on the driver's side of the back end of the truck.

I looked at my daughter who was riding with me and said, "I don't have to worry about that happening in the Ridgeline." Just another confirmation of the Ridgeline being the right decision.

The first week I had my truck, the two cars directly in front of me had a collision and the two directly behind me had a collision. I was thankful for the excellent ABS on the RL.

Drivers in Cincinnati do this thing that they swerve over onto the berm where there is far less traction whenever there is heavy braking like they don't trust their ABS or something. I think this is idiotic. Needless to say, they run into each other because of the decreased traction over on the berm and of course their total lack of driving skills. In Cincinnati, everyone who learned to drive here locally should have student driver stickers on their cars.

[sk8fool]

My understanding was that it acts as a front wheel drive vehicle and moves power to the back wheels when need to save mileage. Although if you move it out of drive and into 2nd or 1rst you can use the vtm-4 lock and it would be 4wd up to 6 mph where the power slowly moves from the back wheels up to 18mph where its back to fwd using the back wheels when needed.

And a side note the Ridgeline has to be the smoothest truck I've riden in. I finally got to use the 4wheel lock yesterday out mountian biking and It was smoth out on a bumpy dirt road. I felt a couple 6 inch ruts but otherwise it handled like i was on pavement.

[Ridge]

The ridgeline always sends power to the rear wheels as well as the front upon launch of the vehicle. Just cruising on the highway, it will be FWD, but if you gun it to pass somebody, power will be sent to the rear slippage or not.

[swampler]

Originally Posted by sk8fool

...and moves power to the back wheels when need to save mileage.

To save mileage? You get better mileage from a front wheel drive because you don't have all the losses through the driveshaft.

[Whaleya]

The 4wd system on the Honda isn't the greatest full time design on the market.

The system is cheaper to make since you don't have a center diff, just two clutch packs in the rear.

I would rather see a system where torque always goes to front and back, like Subaru. (computer controlled center cluth pack with a real rear LSD)


-W

[dg8r]

Originally Posted by Ridge

The ridgeline always sends power to the rear wheels as well as the front upon launch of the vehicle. Just cruising on the highway, it will be FWD, but if you gun it to pass somebody, power will be sent to the rear slippage or not.

Ridge, please do not take this the wrong way. I am not doubting your knowledge. Just want to know so I can read up on the inner workings of my truck

Where do you get this information?

Go Gators!!!!!

[shingles]

Originally Posted by Whaleya

The 4wd system on the Honda isn't the greatest full time design on the market.

The system is cheaper to make since you don't have a center diff, just two clutch packs in the rear.

I would rather see a system where torque always goes to front and back, like Subaru. (computer controlled center cluth pack with a real rear LSD)


-W

On many models of subbies, they in fact run a viscous center diff.

Honda's system actually always sends power to the back. There rear diff disengages the rear drive shafts via electro magnets... mechanical LSDs are cheaper than these electromagent ones.