Newbie 4WD Question

Hi, bought my "w" reg Jimny 9 months ago from a disabled lady, only 20k m and in showroom condition.

Just today got to test the 4WD system in the snow. Engaged 4WD, got the light on the dash, front wheels spinning but rear wheels stationary?

I'm confused, seems like the 4WD hasn't engaged but the manual says in 2WD the rear wheels only are driven yet mine were stationary, there was clearly drive only to the front?

Have been reading up on the air locking hubs but don't understand what's happening here?

Help appreciated?

Thanks

Val

When in 2wd the power goes too the rear wheels only.
When in 4wd the power goes too the front as well as the back.
If you get a friend to look at the rear wheels when you are in the same situation then he or she will see that one of the rear wheel will be spinning.

Ok thanks, done that, on shallow snow I engage 4wd and pull away sharply causing wheel spin and can see all 4 wheels slipping so clearly 4wd is engaged.

When I got stuck in deeper snow I saw the front wheels spinning and the rear stationary so the system has taken power away from the rear, is this normaL? The snow wasn't that deep so it was very disappointing to get stuck?

Val

If power is going to the front then that means power is dfinately going to the back no ifs or buts.
And if the front wheels are slipping then that means one of the wheels has lost traction at the back so power is lost through the spinning wheel. It sounds like everything is fine with your system.

There is no system that sends the drive to only the front or rear, it's all mechanical and there is no centre differential the split the power front and rear, both front and rear get equal drive when in 4wd.

What is happening is that your front wheels have no grip so are spinning and your rear passenger wheel, which you can't see from the driver's seat is spinning.

Your rear driver's wheel will have no drive to it due to the way a differential works as above, all the drive is being spun out through the slipping rear passenger one.

You shouldn't be getting stuck though.

Put it in 4wd high on snow and be gentle bringing up the clutch to gently feed the power in, rather than wheel spin.

How much tread do you have on your tyres?

Kirkynut

With the Suzuki you get the drive split in 2 equally So 1/2 goes to the front wheels and the other half goes to the back. This is because there is not a differential in the transfer box. (This divides the power up and also via gears gives you high and low 4wd.) I cannot understand why you had both front wheels spinning and both rear wheels stationary, Did you have someone outside vehicle watching the rear wheels? If not then the o/side rear wheel may have been stationary while the n/side rear may have been on a patch of ice under snow and been spinning like mad.