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A comment on 4WD vs. AWD. What's the Difference?.

Re:4WD vs. AWD. What's the Difference? by lsllc on Saturday August 27, 2016 @09:34PM (#12374925)
Alright, time to bust a myth. As an AWD owner, every time I have a tire issue, they tell me I need to replace all 4 even if the others are good ... because AWD. "Won't someone think of the tires ... the tires need to to be the same size so they can rotate at the same rate."

Clearly, with AWD the car is designed to allow wheels to rotate at different rates (hence the diffs). Otherwise you would't be able to make a turn. Once you dispel that myth, they then tell you to replace the pair ...

Why do dealerships, repair shops and tire places keep insisting on replacing all 4? ... good for tire sales I guess.

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Re:4WD vs. AWD. What's the Difference? by mariusc23 on Saturday August 27, 2016 @09:38PM (#12374935)
The reasoning I've heard is that your differential will get worn out.
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Re:4WD vs. AWD. What's the Difference? by lsllc on Saturday August 27, 2016 @10:23PM (#12375039)
That makes no sense to me. Unless you are driving in straight lines, the 4 wheels will always be turning at different rates (and consequently, the front and back axles will be rotating at different rates).
[ Parent | on HN ]