GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hi group, today we had 14" of wet snow. My AWD Vibe didn't let me down, took several runs up my long driveway but made it up and onto the road which was not plowed.Snow was packed in the driving lights.Just got to thinking does anyone make a positive lockup kit for the AWD eliminating the viscous coupling in the rearend?My 90 Camry 4WD has a switch on the dash to engage a clutch setup inside the transmission. Much better and a positive awd!!Too bad Toyota didn't incorporate this into the Matrix's and Vibes. Although the Camry is a 5 sp........

No such thing does exists... I wish it did, just like the older Corolla 4WD WagonsSuzuki version does

You'd have to make it yourself!

I drove my MT stock 5sp FWD vibe 600 miles at 30 mph through snow and even climbed the sisquous without chains. If that's the case then the AWD should handle awesome in the snow, unless it doesn't maintain correct power to all the wheels. There are usually controllers that you can buy for trucks to correct overpowering and program the percentages of power distribution. I know they make them, and I know they have them for GM cars and Toyota trucks, but the vibe or matrix, I dunno. You'd have to make the PL but I dunno how that would work. It would still fight with the stock system. Your best bet would be to drop the rear diff, and axles, and just incorporate a better toyota drivetrain back there, or just remove the center driveshaft. People used to do it all the time on Cr-v's, it frees up a little power, but makes it completely rear-wheel drive. You'd just have to put lots of fluid in the rear diff all the time to keep it from going dry or clunking and moaning.

Quote, originally posted by Serj22 » or just remove the center driveshaft. People used to do it all the time on Cr-v's, it frees up a little power, but makes it completely rear-wheel drive. Well then he might as well just drive his Pacer!Off topic... Quote, originally posted by Serj22 »30 mph through snow and even climbed the sisquous That's a fun drive (although a little slow....)

I thnk that the AWD viscous coupling is designed for some small amount of slip, and the front/rear differential and transfer case gearing is all carefully designed to take that slip into account. If you replaced that with a locked up non-slip coupling, you could be running around with the rear wheels trying to spin faster than the front wheels, which is probably unstable, or at least hard on tires. If you could measure the exact difference, you could calculate what size smaller tires you'd need to run on the rear axle, but even then it might still mess with ABS (if you have that)

I think you mean FWD nor RWD if you remove the center shaft........

If one had a complete lockup at the rear, it would be a lot better, like my Camry. Lock it up for snow or slippery conditions, disengage for normal driving. I know if my Camry is locked you can feel resistance in the drivetrain especially when turning sharp at low speed. But like I said the lockup is done in the trans not at the rear, and its a 5 sp.It goes better in the snow than the Vibe.I could flip the pacer upside and go like hell, remember those snow saucers!!

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Quote, originally posted by pacerman » remember those snow saucers!! Used to have one of those... you could either keep sitting forwards and end up tumbling down the hill or sit normally and fly blind, (removed) first into whomever was unfortunate enough to get in the way!!!