3.73 Open Style Axle

[r21free]

I was pulling out stumps with my wifes bronco.I notice in 4 low all four wheels turned. / pulled....Is that how open axles work?

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[‘21OBX]

ABS system lightly applies the brake to the spinning wheels to compensate. At the sand dunes both of my front wheels were spinning as well without a front locker.

 

[RagnarKon]

Yes. That’s how it works.

• On an open differential… the differential generally sends the power to the wheel with the least amount of resistance. So if you have one wheel sitting in the air… most of the engine power is going to that one wheel.
• On a locked differential, the two wheels are locked together and turn at the same rate. So if one wheel in the air is spinning, the wheel on the ground is going to turn at the same rate. Obviously helpful for certain off-roading situations and rock crawling.

If you are in 4x4 low and all four wheels are on the ground, then they both will generally have the same amount of resistance, and therefore will all receive power.

I should note this is an fairly oversimplified explanation. Nowadays with modern traction control systems and antilock brake controllers, my explanation isn’t 100% accurate. But it should give you a general idea of what is happening.

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