rileyrat said:
Also many people are way to confident in its abilities and leave it in its full time 4WD setting. If they would bother shifting the transfer into high lock or 4 low it would quickly make it through anything.
Maybe I'm understanding you wrong, but the Hummer is fulltime 4x4. I understand there is a lower gear case transfer, but it stays in high when driving normally (on road). The only time you use the lower transfer case is when you are off road and getting in trouble. It changes the gear ratios in the transmission allowing for more torque. You can't turn the 4x4 off in a Hummer. There is the same system in the Land Rover and G-Wagon.
The traction control that it sounds like you're talking about it ABS. Depressing the brake pedal during a panic stop or heavy braking causes the pedal to "bounce." This is the computer releasing the brakes on certain tires to prevent lock up and skidding.
But if you're talking about standard TC then what that normally does is transfer power between the wheels providing more torque to the wheel with the greatest amount of traction. It also works to prevent wheel lock up my actuating the brake calipers preventing wheel lock up.
In vehicles like the Hummer and LR the TC is able to completely cut off power to a wheel that has no traction at all (if it was in the air or spinning in mud or on ice for example). This has a lot to do with the differential system setup also. In the Hummer I believe you have the option of locking all differentials or ones for the rear. The LR doesn't have that option because the TC computer will automatically decide what will be locked or not. In the D-series LR's they have a differential lock.
The power plant in a LR Disco Series II is a 4.6L V8 with 217hp@4750rpm and 300lb-ft torque@2600rpm. The Range Rover uses a 4.4L V8 with 282hp@5400rpm and 325lb-ft torque@3600rpm. But if we're talking about off road stuff then the Defender is probably the LR that you want to look at. That has a 3.5L V8 with 116hp@4000 rpm and 189lb-ft torque@2500 rpm. But the reason it's a better off road vehicle is the better approach, break over, and decent angles because of the short overhang. Remember there are different types of offroad driving. Most military vehicles will
never need to do rock climbing type of stuff so the Hummer fits the bill well. It can have a very wide stance because you don't need a narrow vehicle most of the time.