4eat braking behavior

[PopsicleMud]

I just bought my first 4eat equipped car, a '91 XT6, and I have a question about how the AWD works in braking, especially in snow since we might have some coming soon and I haven't found this topic addressed specifically.

 

One nice thing about 4WD is that it helps with braking in the snow because it helps keep one set of wheels from locking up before the others. Does the 4eat AWD system do this too? If the rear wheels start to lock up under braking, does the duty C solenoid send power to the rear, evening out the braking like a 4WD system?

[benebob]

I've never had one that does it. In fact I know our racer will lock up the rears under hard braking dives as the rear lifts of the ground but it doesn't send power back there.

[PopsicleMud]

Thanks for the answer.

I was hoping that the TCU would engage the clutch pack whenever the rear drive shaft spun significantly slower than the front, whether under power or braking.

I just realized that I sort of mis-stated the question. It wouldn't really "send power" to the rear wheels, just link the fronts and rears through the clutch pack.

[MountainBiker]

Don't know about 4EATs that old. But recent ones will disconnect the transfer clutch if ABS is engaged. During other braking conditions, the 4EAT computer has a map that control what is done, but I really doubt that the transfer clutch will provide much anti-skid control. The clutch isn't really up to that task.

[idosubaru]

XT6 doesn't have ABS in the US. i've never noticed any changes in the trans when braking in the bunches of XT6's i've owned over the years. not saying that nothing happens, but it's certainly nothing significant. at this point the systems on the XT6 are so old that new rotors, rebuilt calipers, new hoses and complete brake fluid flush will likely do much to improve your braking.