flman wrote:
So I read the OM, and yes, part time is not really part time? What the hell kind of terminology is that? Any ways the last 4wd diesel vehicle I owned that had a 2 year production run also had PT and FT. It was the infamous Polaris Diesel. PT = power to front wheels only on rear wheel spin, FT = power to all 4 wheels.
Good thing I read this post.
PT/FT refer to the torque bias in the transfer case... the "type" of 4wd. These designations were around long before our transfer case was thought of.
Part-Time (Command-Trac) - Uses a system akin to what we all think of as a traditional 4wd. A big chain directly connecting the front output to input and rear output within the transfer case. This system is designed to aid the vehicle in low traction situations (sand, gravel, loose dirt, snow, ice, etc) and give traction by sending power to both front and rear axles. It is the oldest, simplest, and one of the most reliable variation of multi-function transfer cases (2wd/4wd).
Full-Time (Quadra-Trac) - Uses a system akin to trucks with a traditional Full-time 4wd system, or something like a modern AWD passenger car. These systems are constantly sending power to front and rear outputs without driver input. This allows front and rear outputs to spin at different rates with the addition of a limited slip coupling. Like a traditional LSD, this coupling "locks" the front and rear outputs together if one is beyond the allowable slip rate, like if the rear looses traction. During normal driving on high traction surfaces the front and rear axles will naturally spin at different rates at different times, using the limited slip coupling damage to the drive train is prevented.
We have the choice of both systems in our transfer case. (Selec-Trac). Although the transfer case is slightly weaker than the Command-Trac units, they are still a decent unit. The option of using either a PT or FT torque bias allows us to have 4wd better suited for variations in traction surfaces.