Mercedes-Benz 2002 G-Class - Manual (Page 254)

251 Driving systems
Technical
data
Instruments
and controls
Operation Driving
Instrument
cluster display
Practical hints Car care Index
A few words about differentials and differential
locks
When a vehicle negotiates a turn, wheels on the outside
of the curve must travel farther and rotate faster than
the inside wheels. The differential, the operation of a set
of gears that allow the powered wheels in a vehicle to
turn a different speeds, provides for this essential
function.
The drawback is that the differential also sends most of
the engine's power to the wheel with the least load or
strain on it. For example, if one of a vehicle's powered
wheels sits on a patch of snow and spins because there
is no traction, all of the engine's power will go to that
wheel because the power will take the path of least
resistance. Meanwhile, the opposite wheel, sitting on
dry pavement where it could get enough grip to start the
vehicle moving, sits idle because it gets no power.
The Electronic Traction System (ETS) addresses this
problem and provides for good control and steering
ability by automatically slowing the slipping wheel and
thus increasing the power to the other non-slipping
drive wheels to get the vehicle moving. The ESP and ETS
in this vehicle feature such intelligent limited-slip
differential technology, ideally suited for on-road and
light off-road driving. The position “LOW” of the
transfer case (see pages 247and 226) also enhances
off-road driving capabilities.
More extreme off-road conditions may call for another
cure which is to engage a differential lock, preventing
the differential from operating altogether. This vehicle
offers as standard equipment three differential locks:
front, transfer case (center), and rear. Each can be
engaged simply by pushing a dashboard-mounted
button (see pages 253 and 254 for engaging differential
locks). When the transfer case (center) differential is
locked, half of the engine's power is automatically
distributed to the front wheels and half to the rear
wheels. When the rear differential is locked, power
going to the rear wheels is equally distributed, so that
both rear wheels turn at the same speed and torque.
When the front differential is locked, all four wheels
now turn with equal power and torque. Please be aware
that engaging the differential locks will significantly
reduce steering ability of the vehicle.
J_G463.book Seite 251 Mittwoch, 19. September 2001 8:06 08