H3- Full time, or part time 4WD?

Today when comming home, had a little argument with my Dad. He says that the H3 is part time 4WD, or Automatic 4WD. I always thought they where full time 4WD?

H3 is full time. All wheel drive is automatic 4WD and the 4wd turns on when slipping is dectected...isnt part time 4wd like wranglers with the 2wd option? Full time is still selectable but there is no 2wd option I believe AWD doesnt have a selectable option. Anyone correct me if I am wrong

They are full time. Both front and read are powered through an open differential in the transfer case. There is power to both, but if you are in 4-hi and put the front wheels on ice and rears on pavement on a hill, the fronts can spoon and the rears can sit still. And vise versa. Then when you put it in one of the 4- lock modes, you are locking the transfer case differential, thus locking front and rear together. Exact same operation as an axle with an Eaton.

Short of it is, you are right. Full time 4x4.

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Right, AWD usually uses sensors to send the power to any wheels with traction. It's more of an "active" system, and won't be selectable.

Part time is like a good old fashioned truck with two or four wheel drive.

so if jeeps dont have the locking tcase diff they are like us in 4Hi unlocked?

No, in two wheel mode they only power the rears. Fronts are just rolling. Four wheel mode is the same as our 4-lock mode.

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Then some vehicles have an "auto 4x4" mode, like my old GMC Envoy. In this mode it drives around in two wheel drive, and if it senses the rear wheels starting to spin faster than the front it automatically engages the front axle. Once torque is relieved from the system it will disengage the front and return to two wheel drive.

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I remember reading a while ago that there *is* a standard definition of 4WD vs. AWD. As I recall, one of the key things that makes 4WD 4WD and not AWD, is the presence of a manually selectable low range.

In other words, AWD is the type of system you see on Audi, BMW and others who have "on road" AWD systems. These systems are intended for on-road applications, maybe to increase traction in rain and snow but not meant for off-road conditions. Full time 4WD is what we have on our trucks.

Ok, Thanks!

Scarsman I know that 2wd is only to the rear but I thought not all transfer cases are locked?

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Well, excluding AWD systems, a transfer case is either going to be part time or full time. Full time cases, as we have, have a differential setup in them and both front and rear outputs are live all the time, but it is possible for either the front or rear to spin alone if conditions are right. But, we can then engage 4-lock and they are locked together and must both turn.

A part time case will power the rears all the time, and the front only when shifted into 4wd. When in 4wd it is "locked" and both front and rear must turn. This is what a Jeep uses.

I can't think of any full time vehicles without a 4-lock mode. Is that what you mean?

Of course, I do reserve the right to be wrong! ;-)

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fulltime with 60/40 power split in hi and 50/50 in low