#3 question about awd in 95 legacyL wagon(rear wheels broke?

[seattlelegacy2.2]

Hi, recently purchased 95 awd legacy L wagon, 134K miles, well maintained.
I drove my x's 95 awd brighton a bunch, on deep sand hills, and also on hills of packed snow, and on muddy deeper snow rutty road, anyways, that 95 legacy wagon seemed to have no slip at all when accelerating on sand or snow, even on up hill, don't remember if I really floored it, but seems like it tracked up great.

So it rained here for first time in couple months, (I know, seattle, hard to believe), and I accelerated on pavement, not hard acceleration, and my right front wheel would spin.
Is the traction control electronic? What could be reasons for this? is some slippage normal? (seems that I remember it isn't on car I drove, as I said before).
On normal freeway driving, my new car pulls slightly to right, this seems to be the case accelerating or not, think its just an alignment issue. the tires are all good, michelins, plenty of tread and all 4, with even wear.
Is there a differential issue maybe? I want to learn a bunch about these cars, I plan on driving this one a long time, and then getting another one. I think they are awesome cars. I have basic car knowledge, have owned 45 or 50 cars before, try to work on them myself. But I haven't owned a subaru. These engines are different design than OHC 4, or a V-6. And the traction control is foreign to me as I have owned many broncos, nissan 4x's, blazer, trailblazer, all older ones, with typical 4low/4high transfer case and locking hubs and limited slip differentials. (subaru awd traction control is awesome IMO)
Thanks a bunch in advance,
Nate

[kyle86na]

Your L does not have traction control, the Subaru AWD is pure mechanics in your vehicle. It is as powerful as it is due to the nature of the boxer 4 mated to the Symetricaldrive train. Equal length axles at all corners. you have an open front differential, which is why you slipped, but since it is a full time AWD power was at the rear before you slipped,and you retained control.

I would guess your alignment is bad.

[Huffer]

So it rained here for first time in couple months, (I know, seattle, hard to believe), and I accelerated on pavement, not hard acceleration, and my right front wheel would spin.

Does it do this consistently? If not, you probably hit a patch of oil + rain.

[seattlelegacy2.2]

Your L does not have traction control, the Subaru AWD is pure mechanics in your vehicle. It is as powerful as it is due to the nature of the boxer 4 mated to the Symetricaldrive train. Equal length axles at all corners. you have an open front differential, which is why you slipped, but since it is a full time AWD power was at the rear before you slipped,and you retained control.

I would guess your alignment is bad.

Thank you,
Nate

[seattlelegacy2.2]

So it rained here for first time in couple months, (I know, seattle, hard to believe), and I accelerated on pavement, not hard acceleration, and my right front wheel would spin.

Does it do this consistently? If not, you probably hit a patch of oil + rain.

First time I have not been on dry pavement. only time it did this, that was probably why, ya, big intersection, months of no rain, car oil on road and new rain, makes sense.
and as LSi contributor said, open front differential, no traction control. I was worried something was wrong, thanks guys,
Nate

[seattlelegacy2.2]

Ok, as described above, the 95 brighton I drove, in snow and deep sand, well, it had this weird deal that when doing slow sharp turns, like in a parking lot going in sharp turn or whatever, the differentials or axles would do this weird vibrating and gear skipping type noise. Have you ever gone slow in a sharp turn in a car that had a true locked posi rear? you know that sound it makes? it was just like that. my x bought the car used at a dealer and it did that from day one when she bought it, until she sold it, but nothing ever broke, and it drove fine, got up to 28mpg on freeway trips. is it possible that it had somehow had some kind of posi or locker in it? I don't know. I know my new 95 legacy has no weird sound like this in sharp slow turns. but I did get the right front wheel spin on the wet oily pavement. ever heard of anything like this? any thoughts about this?
thanks,
Nate

[Huffer]

Torque bind.

Put the FWD fuse in the engine bay (top of passenger side strut tower). If the scrubbing/binding goes away on tight corners, it means your transfer clutch packs in the transmission are not fully releasing.

Drain AT fluid, refill with AT Dexron III rated fluid and add some Lubegard ATF Protectant (red bottle). removed FWD fuse.
Drive like this for approx 50-100miles.
Drain AT fluid, refill again with the same mix.

Torque bind should be gone or hugely reduced. If it's reduced then keep the process going until it's gone.

Let us know if it fixes the issue.

[jey]

Right the modern AWD Subarus are not supposed to do that.

[seattlelegacy2.2]

Torque bind.

Put the FWD fuse in the engine bay (top of passenger side strut tower). If the scrubbing/binding goes away on tight corners, it means your transfer clutch packs in the transmission are not fully releasing.

Torque bind should be gone or hugely reduced. If it's reduced then keep the process going until it's gone.

Let us know if it fixes the issue.

Her brighton that she sold had the binding. I was wondering if it was some weird posi thing someone put in her car, because of the noise and that it got such great traction.
I haven't driven my car in snow or sand or mud for that matter, I guess I need to do that before I start worrying if I have lame traction or something. Good news is my Legacy L has no binding noise or "torque bind". thanks again

In search of off roading.

[Bookem]

Torque bind.

Put the FWD fuse in the engine bay (top of passenger side strut tower). If the scrubbing/binding goes away on tight corners, it means your transfer clutch packs in the transmission are not fully releasing.

Drain AT fluid, refill with AT Dexron III rated fluid and add some Lubegard ATF Protectant (red bottle). removed FWD fuse.
Drive like this for approx 50-100miles.
Drain AT fluid, refill again with the same mix.

Torque bind should be gone or hugely reduced. If it's reduced then keep the process going until it's gone.

Let us know if it fixes the issue.

Can this be the case with a manual? My BD will do this more when it is warmer but not all the time. Would the procedure to fix just drain trans fluid and refill?

[Huffer]

Torque bind in a 5mt isn't the same as a 4eat. If you're experiencing similar symptoms then you have an issue with your rear diff as with a 5mt AWD you have a consistent 50/50 torque bias

[seattlelegacy2.2]

After further suspect of awd working right, I did a few quick accelerations from a stop on a slightly wet gravel parking lot, and only got wheel spin on front right, rear wheels made no marks in gravel.

I then put front wheels on pavement, rear wheels on gravel, and floored it from a stop, front right tire screeched and car went forward, but zero Rear wheel spin in the gravel. I then tried this again with a little power braking, and floored it, and no rear wheel marks in gravel at all. (I had the door open looking back to see if wheels spun at all,- nothing.)
Short of jacking up entire car on jack stands and putting it in drive, I am confused that it seems that my rear wheels are not powered. I looked under there just to double check that it wasn't a bogus awd sticker on my back window. :shock: Yes, there is a rear differential and rear drive axels going to rear wheels. I thought someone said it is all mechanical four wheel drive. when its wet and I punch it, the front wheel will spin, and car won't really move, as if the rear wheels aren't pushing the car. Then I remember reading somewhere something about a fuse that disconnects the rear wheels from working? this just all seems weird, and I don't know what is up with this. sorry if I am missing something here in understanding what is up, any help I appreciate, thanks, Nate

[Red Baron]

Wow, I've never had the wheels spin when I accelerated in rain, and I've even tried to get the wheels to spin, and my alignment is way out. Now, when I slam on the brakes and yank the wheel hard, that's a different story...

Is your car a manual or an auto? Only the auto tranny has the thing to put the fuse in to make it FWD. Either way, just stick with the AWD.

Oh, and regarding your desire to go off roading... your not Ken Block, neither is your car a rally equipped 500hp wrx. AWD does not mean ATV... trust me, been there done that... go here if you don't believe me...viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14057 (https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14057)

[jey]

Your AWD is working right - you actually want the power to go to the tires with the most grip. If you have your front tires on pavement and rear on gravel, then you want most of the power to go to the front so you can transfer it forward motion, not shifted to the rear, scrubbing around on pavement.

The biggest myth about Subaru AWD is that the power distribution is "always 50/50". It is more advanced than that - power distribution varies front/rear based on how much available traction there is front vs. rear.

[jamal]

Torque bind in a 5mt isn't the same as a 4eat. If you're experiencing similar symptoms then you have an issue with your rear diff as with a 5mt AWD you have a consistent 50/50 torque bias

no. 5mt center diffs go bad too and the torque bias is based on traction and wheel speed.


edit: beaten

[seattlelegacy2.2]

Thanks Red Baron and Jey. Car is auto trans.
right front wheel always spin easy in rain, but it is slick, hasn't rained in good while when this first rain comes.
I definately don't want the car to be two wheel drive only, so if there is some way to check and see if this fuse is in or whatever that was mentioned.

about power not being totally 50/50, and wheels with traction getting power, I wonder why my car barely moves forward for as long as I want to spin the front tire when accelerating from a stop. it really doesn't seem like the back wheels are pushing me forward at all. where is this fuse thing that can make car front wheel drive, please? so I can take it out if that is what is happening here?
could my transfer case be broken? maybe its the fuse thing, I swear I should put my whole car on jack stands and put it in Drive and see if the dang back wheels spin at all :smt017
thanks, Nate