Central lock vs 4wd (1 Viewer)

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Whats the difference between the 4WD that shows on the dashboard vs the one designated for the central lock , front or rear.
Mine is 1997 fzj80, I have lockers on the front wheels that should be turned manually in order to activate the 4WD. THE 4WD IS ACTIVATED by pressing on the button but is it considered as a central lock?
 
In your case I think it goes like this:

When the external hubs on the front are not engaged you are in 2WD.

When you engage those you are in all wheel drive (also known as full time 4WD or 4WD High range) which is what we have in the states. In this mode the power will goes to whichever of the 4 wheels looses traction.

If you then engage low range, or the Center Diff Lock button (if equipped), then you are in true 4WD. Now the power is split equally to the front and rear axels and will go to whichever wheel looses traction on that axel.

If you then engage the rear diff lock then the power goes to both rear wheels equally but the front will still go to whichever front wheel looses traction. Engage the front locker too and now power goes to all 4 wheels equally.
 
AKA limited slip?

No limited slip acts more like a locker. It sends power to the wheel that is not slipping. Just not as good as a locker.

If you run locked, it is hard to turn, get wheel hop when making turns, bad tire wear, bad road manners.
 
No, limited slip is a clutch, not an open diff.
watch this, the diff stuff starts at 2:26
 
I just don't understand why the default 4wd design (non locked) is to send power to the wheel losing traction.

Because 99% of the time you are driving there is no loss of traction and driveability and comfort would not suffer. When there is a loss of traction then there are options like the viscous coupler, center, front and rear diff lockers to overcome that condition.
 
In your case I think it goes like this:

When the external hubs on the front are not engaged you are in 2WD.

When you engage those you are in all wheel drive (also known as full time 4WD or 4WD High range) which is what we have in the states. In this mode the power will goes to whichever of the 4 wheels looses traction.

If you then engage low range, or the Center Diff Lock button (if equipped), then you are in true 4WD. Now the power is split equally to the front and rear axels and will go to whichever wheel looses traction on that axel.

If you then engage the rear diff lock then the power goes to both rear wheels equally but the front will still go to whichever front wheel looses traction. Engage the front locker too and now power goes to all 4 wheels equally.
Thanks for all the details , so in my case when the 4WD is pressed and low range is set i can consider it as a center differentiql lock .
 
In your case I think it goes like this:

When the external hubs on the front are not engaged you are in 2WD. YES

When you engage those you are in all wheel drive (also known as full time 4WD or 4WD High range) which is what we have in the states. In this mode the power will goes to whichever of the 4 wheels looses traction. NO

If you then engage low range, or the Center Diff Lock button (if equipped), then you are in true 4WD. Now the power is split equally to the front and rear axels and will go to whichever wheel looses traction on that axel. YES

If you then engage the rear diff lock then the power goes to both rear wheels equally but the front will still go to whichever front wheel looses traction. Engage the front locker too and now power goes to all 4 wheels equally. YES

@Pascoscout This rig doesn't have the normal full time 4WD. if you engage front wheel locker hubs only ( central Diff lock not engaged) no power goes to the front drive shaft from the transfer
 
Also, it is important to remember the difference in terms betweem '4 wheel drive' and the reality of '4 wheels driven'.

In the first, is means nothing more than the drive-train is in a condition that will ALLOW any of (or all of) the wheels to be 'driven' (depending on tractive conditions).

In the second, (lockers front and rear, center diff locked) ALL wheels WILL be 'driven' regardless the traction available. In my mind this is the ONLY true 4 wheel drive. I know I will get argument about this and concede there are semantics involved.
 
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@Pascoscout This rig doesn't have the normal full time 4WD. if you engage front wheel locker hubs only ( central Diff lock not engaged) no power goes to the front drive shaft from the transfer
Thanks you for your reply, so in case the 4wd is engaged on high range no differential lock on any of the wheels, hence the power will be transmitted to the wheel that losing traction. And in case the low range is engaged along with 4WD it will be considered as central differential lock ?
 

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