smithe Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Ok not really, although it feels like I have a million to ask but I will only ask one for now. What is the difference between the push button and the lever type 4wd systems? Mine has the lever to pull up. Looking around the site I have seen both types mentioned on the same year cars. Thanks in advance, Erik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[HTi]Johnson Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Do you have a hatchback? If you have a hatchback, that's just the old way of engagin 4wd. If you have a wagon or known as a EA82, you have dual range. Hi and Lo 4wd. The push buttons are just single range 4wd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithe Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Johnson']Do you have a hatchback? If you have a hatchback' date=' that's just the old way of engagin 4wd. If you have a wagon or known as a EA82, you have dual range. Hi and Lo 4wd. The push buttons are just single range 4wd.[/quote'] Thanks. It's a wagon I just picked up, it's my first Subaru. I saw on the lever that it had a high and low, I engaged them both when I test drove it, and it seems to operate just fine. So far I am pretty happy with the little beast, I will see tomorrow how happy I really am when I take it to get emissions tested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audio_file Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 pretty simple really . . . the push button is a single range (on or off) AWD type system, simple to activate, but limited. . . with the lever, you usually get not only on/off, but hi/lo as well (Dual Range). that option is very popular with those who like to take their soobs off the beaten path because the "lo" option provides you with a lower gearing set than you'd get with the simple pushbutton awd (like granny gears). those 4LO gears are also nice for those with oversized tires, and just more fun overall (you can use the hi/lo lever like a "half gear" selector i.e. 1/2, 1, 1 1/2, 2, and so on as you move up and down thru the gears using both levers) also, because the lever is obviously a mechanical system, it provides "for sure" feedback that you are in 4x4 when it really counts! (not that i've ever heard of any issues with the pushbutton not working) chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audio_file Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 ooops, buzzed in too late, already answered by the way, welcome to the USMB chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[HTi]Johnson Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Yeah, and only use the 4wd OFF ROAD. You use it on pavement or really compact gravel...you will break something eventually. It needs to be able to slip the wheels if it has to. If it binds, it puts a lot of stress on the drivetrain, if something breaks, hopefully it'll be the axle, because they are probably the cheapest component in the drivetrain. Now, off road, where you expect your tires to slip...4wd all the way! Or, say you have a really steep, straight, road that's on a hill that you need to go up from a stop, 4wd Lo-Range won't hurt as long as you try not to turn too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithe Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks for all the info and the welcome, it's about what I expected it to be as far as the 4wd system. I have only ever used the new type push button setup like in my Tundra. Now to resist asking about lifting it and the like. I have many more hours of pouring over articles here to figure out the best/easiest setup for my sons and I to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audio_file Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks for all the info and the welcome, it's about what I expected it to be as far as the 4wd system. I have only ever used the new type push button setup like in my Tundra. Now to resist asking about lifting it and the like. I have many more hours of pouring over articles here to figure out the best/easiest setup for my sons and I to work with. there is much info here regarding lifts on your wagon, from 2" to 8" and everything in-between . . . just do a little searching . . . there are also a few members here who build lift kits and accessories for soobs, let your intentions be known, and they will be more than happy to assist! chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Johnson']Yeah' date=' and only use the 4wd OFF ROAD. You use it on pavement or really compact gravel...you will break something eventually.[/quote'] With stock tires that's unlikely unless you try to do donuts with it. I use 4WD all the time on dry pavement with my stock height rigs and I have yet to see a single failure related to it. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[HTi]Johnson Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 With stock tires that's unlikely unless you try to do donuts with it. I use 4WD all the time on dry pavement with my stock height rigs and I have yet to see a single failure related to it. GD Good point. But it's something that shouldn't be done all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 One tight turn in 4 high is usually enough to learn most folks that this practice isn't fun to drive anyway. You would have to be about as smart as a bag of hammers to keep driving it in 4WD after a single attempt to park it in an ordinary lot space.... my point is only that warning him of potential damage is really uneccesary as he's only going to try it once, and a single time is not going to hurt it. If it were we would be seeing tons and tons of old Subaru's for sale with bad 4WD related components. That just isn't happening, thus I say it's a non issue. No need to scare the man - some things are best learned by experience. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithe Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Thanks for the advice, I drive a 4 wheel drive Tundra normally in the wonderful Northwest and know to not drive in 4wd on dry pavement. I just had seen comments on the same model/year of my Subaru having a push button and the lever. I will admit my experience with 4wd vehicles is seriously limited for a guy who will be 40 in a few months, the Tundra and now the Subaru are the only two I have owned. Actually, I had never seen anything but the push button type, which my truck has for both hi and lo, and nobody else I know with 4wd vehicles has anything but a button or two as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 and nobody else I know with 4wd vehicles has anything but a button or two as well. Buttons didn't become vogue till the late 80's. Basically it started as a marketing ploy towards women. Anything made before that will have a lever, and you might have to get out and lock in the hubs. And a lot of newer stuff still does. I know the last Nissan (pathy) I was in still had a lever and it was an automatic. More exotic, or larger vehicles often had ways of engaging stuff without levers prior to that, but it was done because a lever would be too difficult to operate - many of the 2-1/2 Ton Military trucks for instance had a switch that would air-engage the front wheels after you had shifted it to 4WD. Otherwise only the tandems would have power. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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