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Submitted by: HondaSUV Commented: Fri Jun 28, 2002 1:11 pm |
RT4WD FAQs
1. How does it handle in sand or mud?
Driving in Sand and Mud
Word of Advice, always be on the alert and go slow on the gas. Down shift to 2 as starting off on that gear will less likely cause the tires to spin and dig further down.
The CR-V handles pretty well on fairly loose and not so deep mud due to its light weight and interesting 4wd setup. The tail will tend to wobble left and right as it searches for traction but once it gets it, the car will proceed in a straight line. That makes driving more fun, especially in slippery mud. Just watch out for deep ditches as ground clearance can be a factor here. Be careful not to get one of the front tire stuck, the limited slip will cause the other side to spin, thus loosing traction and the 4wd may not kick in.
Sand driving is tricky as the loose surface can make even the meanest 4wd vehicle loose traction and start burying the tires. I have tried it on loose fine sand (loose to the point where your feet will sink in it as you walk thus making it pretty tedious) and driving on it felt like riding on cushion. The steering will wobble left and right slightly as it hunts for traction and will keep doing so until you drive out of the sand.
The CR-V is dressed with street tires and wasn't built to be a hardcore off-roader! Keep your fingers crossed when driving in sand and pray not to get stuck. Have a tow rope handy, deflate tires down to 15psi (remember to pump air back in tire after leaving sand) and go with a shovel!
One trick we've learned after driving the CR-V in sand dunes is to keep the vehicle speed up. That way, the car is kept moving and stands a lesser chance of getting bogged down in sand. Remember, sand is very bad for any 4X4 as it sucks every pound of torque out of the engine. Driver skills come into play here and if you know what you're doing, you can enjoy yourself driving a CR-V in the sand.
2. Does 4WD work going backwards?
Yes, it does.
3. How does it handle on snow/icy roads?
Yippee, drove it in snow and ice today. The CR-V handled like a charm! Not only was the traction incredible, the control and feel of it made me forget that I'm driving in hazardous conditions. Compared to sand and mud driving, this is a no brainer...just drive! I tried to make the back slide out but found that to be quite difficult to do. Stops are good considering I do not have ABS and I think my Bridgestone Touring TAs serve the purpose for occasional ski trips in the mountains. There are tires out that performs better and I will list them here as I gather the information.
4. What happens when one wheel is stuck?
The CR-V doesn't have limited slip differentials. Therefore, if one wheel is stuck (meaning not moving), chances are, you are going to get stuck. Since the RT4WD was never meant to be used for hard-core off-roading, care needs to be taken to avoid situations where you loose traction to one wheel on either side of the car. What happens in those situations is the wheel with the lowest traction would spin but no power would be transferred to the side with the most traction. This is opposite to most other "more sophisticated" 4wd systems as found in the Jeeps, Subarus, and Mercedes Benz, where power is dynamically routed to the wheel with the most traction.
For the most part, the RT4WD works very well and if suited for 90% of driving conditions.
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Comments from Melissa
Running about, doing errands after another "snow event" as they call it here. Then I saw it out of the corner of my eye- an UNplowed parking lot with at least 10inches of snow covering it. My brain argued with itself: "yes"/"no", "yes"/"no"........well, "yes" quickly won out and I made a sharp right into the lot, snow flying like confetti.
The little black beast had no (none, nada, nil) trouble at all. Wheels didn't spin-didn't slide; went forward, backwards and in fancy little figure 8s with ease. It drove so well, I even felt a little embarassed! SO- it passes the first of what I'm sure will be many tests that the Maine elements will put it through. This time it got an A+. Its sassy, it goes with my entire wardrobe AND it can play in the snow like a puppy. Love that CR-V.
Link to article on RT4WD driving tips. |
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Submitted by: botman! Commented: Fri Jan 24, 2003 7:16 am |
I think I found an error in this page... one that could be quite confusing to someone trying to figure out the CR-Vs 4WD abilities...
| Quote: | Be careful not to get one of the front tire stuck, the limited slip will cause the other side to spin, thus loosing traction and the 4wd may not kick in.
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| Quote: | 4. What happens when one wheel is stuck?
The CR-V doesn't have limited slip differentials. Therefore, if one wheel is stuck (meaning not moving), chances are, you are going to get stuck. |
Think this could be fixed for those that are trying to learn. Shouldn't the first quote read something like "the open differential will cause...". (I believe that's what an non-limited slip differential is called.
Rene |
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Submitted by: akis Commented: Mon Apr 07, 2003 11:57 am |
| Everything has to do with the driver's skills...I give 90% to the driver and 10% to the car.The CR-V goes everywhere a normal car can't go,and i think this is one of the reasons that we have this car.Snow, is the best for my CRV,and the YOKOHAMA GEOLANDAR 205 70 15 tyres help the car to give his best.. |
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Submitted by: asot Commented: Mon Apr 07, 2003 11:07 pm |
A Greek magazine had recently an article/test on 4WD. They put the CR-V (2.0l, 150PS) on a Dynamometer and found out that most torque and power (max 50%) is going to the rear axle from 3200-4000rpm. From there, it drops and in 4800 rpm, there is NO REAR drive!!!.
This also happens if the system gets overheated (eg if the rear axle works for more than 2-3 minutes at a high demand).
I Tested this myself, when found in a difficult steep hill with grass, the rear pump over heated, an orange warning light appeared and had to wait for 15min to have the rear wheel drive work again.
Keep this in mind for safe performance of your CR-V 4WD in all circumstances!!!
Antonis
Larissa GREECE
CR-V 2002, 4wd, EX |
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Submitted by: jontaylor Commented: Sun May 18, 2003 3:43 pm |
| As a recent new owner of a crv, I am experiencing a rumble/vibration from the rear of the vehicle when driving slowly with the steering on full lock, is this just diff lock up or is there a problem? |
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Submitted by: BOBK Commented: Wed Jun 18, 2003 4:47 am |
| Can anyone help on the issue of replacing the factory-issue tires with something better suited to driving in the mountains? I am not a fervid off-roader, but want to take my CRV up hills on dirt roads in modest East-Coast mountains. The city tires seem inadequate. Has anyone tried Pirelli Scorpions? OR Goodyear ATs? Or anything else that has worked well on snow and dirt? Grateful for any tips. Thanks. |
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Submitted by: bing Commented: Fri Jun 20, 2003 10:37 pm |
For sound and vibration coming from the rear of your V, please read this article on rear diff. fluid changes.
http://www.hondasuv.com/crv/viewtopic.php?t=92
As for tire upgrades, a lot of members have tried Bridgestone Dueler HLs and Michelin LTX (larger sizes) and like them.
Read here for more info on tires.
http://www.hondasuv.com/crv/viewforum.php?f=18 |
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Submitted by: wildswing Commented: Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:29 am |
More techy info here in this RTAWD technical paper from Honda Canada, posted by member gueb on the Quebec CR-V site.
_________________
Mark. Satin Silver '02 EX Auto
Ontario Memberclub Moderator |
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Submitted by: wildswing Commented: Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:32 am |
While replying to new member JoesCRV2002's thread entitled "Rear Diff problems" I realized that my own thread about my experience with differing tire sizes and it's effect on my rt4wd dual pump system had been zapped by the last server crash. I'm just reposting it here...
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I just went through an amazing adventure that involved my tires and RTAWD system. It was a real eye opener for me about the design and marketing of tires. Sorry for the length of this post but a lot has gone on over the last couple of months and I wanted to see it to conclusion before posting. The tires in question are my original oem 205/70R15 BF Goodrich Touring T/A SR4. Four originals are on the pavement (incl. the original spare) and a new tire, purchased last summer due to an irreparable flat, is the spare. The new tire is the same make, model and size as the originals.
A couple of months ago we brought the V in for it's 32k km service which includes a tire rotation. I found out that my dealership normally only does 4 wheel rotation, so I asked for the spare to be included. It was new so I wanted to get it into the rotation. See, we had an irreparable flat about a year ago so the original spare was already on the car. This spare tire was purchased from a local BF Goodrich dealer. Since the flat happened shortly after my first rotation, the spare was still brand new. Anyhow, I marked the spare just in case they didn’t do it and turns out they only did 4, so I returned the next morning and had them put the spare on the left front (shoulda put it on the right rear but that's another discussion). Immediately after that we took off on a weekend road trip. About 3 hours into the drive I started to hear a wining noise when lifting off the accelerator. No noise when accelerating, keeping an even speed or braking. Just when lifting.
When we returned I brought the V back to my dealership. Later that day I spoke to the tech. He said he test drove it and heard the noise. Put it up on the lift and found the rear end to be unusually warm. He changed the oil and tested it again. Same noise and same heat. He swapped the tires again and the noise and heat went away. Their verdict was that the difference in circumference, thus rotational speed, between the new tire and the rest was enough to drive the rear diff front hydraulic pump on the RT4WD system at a different rate than the rear pump under normal dry driving conditions. That's what caused the excess heat and noise from the rear diff.
Ok, I'll buy that, but why. No way would any car company design a car that can't handle a little difference in tire wear. I then went home and reread Honda's RTAWD technical paper posted by member gueb on the Quebec CR-V site. It says that Honda has built in a 2.5% tolerance to account for uneven tire wear.
I then returned to the dealership to continue questioning them on my options. "So what do I do if I get another flat?” I asked. They said that after having driven so far on the original rubber, I may have to treat the spare as temporary and get the flat fixed. I didn't buy that. Why would Honda give you a full size tire (other than it being needed for the rtawd) and mount that spare on an alloy rim if it wasn't intended to stay on the car? It would otherwise be on a cheap steel rim, right? What if the next flat was beyond repair? I'd be forced to use the spare permanently then. In that event they suggested buying 2 new tires and having them mounted on the same axle. I knew now that they too were grasping at straws and I suggested that they call Honda's tech line and I would do the same.
I spent a lot of time talking with tech line, sending email back and forth about tire wear and it's effects on the RTAWD system. I even went to the extent of measuring the tread depth on all 5 tires with a digital vernier caliper. I measured in 8 spots along either side of the center tread and averaged it for each tire. The overall average of the 4 original tires was 0.258" with the original spare, now on the right front, having the most tread at 0.284". Tread depth on the new tire was 0.292".
Huh? Wait a sec. My dealership was telling me that if I get another irreparable flat I need to buy 2 new tires and put them on the same axle, but I just had the new tire (0.292" tread depth) on the left front and the original spare (0.284" tread depth) on the right front. That's only a difference of 0.008" in their tread depths. That's within the variation in my measurements so they could be even closer than that! It’s as if I had 2 new tires on the front.
I brought that info back to my dealership and they were stumped. The technician said that Honda tech told him that a variation of 1/8" to 3/8" in circumference could have an effect on the RTAWD system. I countered by saying that we were basically talking about the same thing, tread depth (overall diameter) and circumference. My smallest tire, on the right rear, had a tread depth of 0.235". That's a difference of 0.4 inches in calculated circumference between the smallest and largest tire at the time of the problem. Ok, so that's above the 3/8" tolerance my tech gave me, but I still wasn't buying it. It was just too hard to swallow the concept that Honda did not design their system to deal with a new tire. Eventually Honda tech line simply referred me back to my dealer because they could not come up with a reasonable explanation for what was going on.
I was about to give in, but since the only tolerance limit I could get out of anyone was expressed as a variation in circumference, I decided to measure the circumference of my tires. All of the original tires came out to between 81 13/16" and 81 9/16" around. The new tire's circumference was 83 1/8"! That's nearly 1 1/2 inches bigger around than the average of the 4 original tires! I checked again and had a friend double check my measurements. No doubt about it. That new tire was much larger than the others even after accounting for tire wear. Now my attention turned to the tire manufacturer, BF Goodrich.
Here’s where it gets interesting. I checked the BF Goodrich Canada website. The spec sheet for the 205/70R15 Touring T/A SR4, shows 3 separate part numbers for that same model of tire and get this; they're all different! I immediately went out and check the tires. Sure enough, the 4 original tires have the same printing pattern on the sidewalls and have the same DOT number (APM0B0914301). The new tire has a different printing pattern and DOT number (APM0B0212502) on the sidewall. Humph!
I immediately fired off an email to BF Goodrich Canada tech support. After a couple of days, one of their engineers calls me back. He explained that the same size and model tire was used for the CR-V, Chevy Lumina and Pontiac Grand Prix that year and all got their own model specific versions of the 205/70R15 BF Goodrich Touring TA SR4; each a little different from the other. The one used for the CR-V in 2002 has a diameter of 26.1 inches while the other 2 models are 26.3 inches! Big lesson learned here, at least for me. Tires having the same manufacturer, model name and size can be physically different!
So after all that, it turns out that the local BFG dealer sold my wife the wrong tire last summer when she got the flat! They're replacing it with the proper tire (unfortunately prorated, but at this point I'm just glad to get this over with)! FYI...the correct BFG part number for the 2002 CR-V is 57956.
_________________
Mark. Satin Silver '02 EX Auto
Ontario Memberclub Moderator |
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Submitted by: tolis Commented: Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:31 pm |
 1st the Sand: I took my crv (and my girlfriend) on the beach, and I had the idea to park it next to where we would camp. The sand was far from powder, and the foor would sink for almost 10cm. The going was fine, with front wheels slipping and the RTAWD working fine. Two days later however, when it was time to leave the area, I wasn't persistant enough to engage the rear wheels, so I got stuck  . When I realised what was wrong, only the upper half of my front tyres was visible. Fortunately, I used two large chunks of wood I used for the fire, and after putting them in the right place I was free again  .  So when you start on sand, be persistant with the gas to engage the RTAWD, or else a lot of digging is involved (from the car and a lot more from you).
2nd the Snow: I go skiing every year, so there have been many tests on snow, on road and Offroad (in areas I know very well). Only complaint is that there is no short gearbox, so even with the 1st gear you cant go as slowly and have as much torque as one would need. So, especially in the beginning, I just had a lot of restarts. In conclusion, I 've never been disappointed, and my snow-chains are still brand new.
A tout a l'heure, mes amis
When I manage to find company, I will try it harder  , and let you know.
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I want to take my CRV where
no other SUV has gone before |
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Submitted by: asverbrugge Commented: Sun Dec 03, 2006 5:33 am |
| I am currently living in Malaysia and take my CRV to sandy beaches on a regular basis. I started to have problems with the AWD a few weeks ago, there was not enough power on the rear tyres. The local garage replaced the rear differential but now a funny noise is coming from the rear. I tried to get of the beach slowly, my front tyres started spinning but the rear ones did nothing and I got stuck. When can you tell your AWD is working as should be? How is the power distributed between the front and rear in AWD (50-50?). Can the noise come from the clutch disc in the differential? Should the rear tyres always work when the front ones are spinning or is it possible that the friction on the rear tyres is too high to get it turning? The local garage and myself do not know what to do next. Can anybody help me out. |
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Submitted by: The Swedish guy Commented: Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:12 pm |
if you have a Gen "2,5" ( facelifted gen 2) with VSA doesnt VSA and RT4WD contradict each other here??
A slipping front wheel is needed to engagae the RT4WD while the VSA senses this slip and brakesthe spinning wheel to make all wheels spin at equal speed..thsu dis-engaging RT4WD...
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2005 Silver Moss CR-V ES |
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