Do I need Advanced 4wd (4A)?

[Cygnusx1]

4A is basically 4wd. My understanding is that it does not operate the way most people think it does. It does not sense slippage and engage, rather it is engaged and senses when there is excessive friction and disengages to avoid damage on dry pavement and tight turning scenarios. Don't jump down my throat this has been argued about on here in other threads but it makes sense from my own experience.

That being said, 4A it is nice for around town, in parking lots and such in variable conditions. I hate it when the wheels bind up while parking and turning in town so 4A does a good job of eliminating that. I never use it off road hough. 4wd is absolutely fine at highway speeds even in mixed conditions and is my preferred mode when there is significant snow or ice. 4A is nice so you don't have to switch in and out of 4wd when there is mixed conditions.

Wrong. You can see it on the AWD monitor. It absolutely distributes power to the wheels that are slipping. There should be no great mystery here. 4A is all wheel drive. It is comparable to any suv that has permanent AWD; such as relatively older mercs, Audis and Porsches, before they intoduced on time AWD. If you regularly drive in rain or other slippery situations, you will appreciate the additional traction that 4A affords. You can engage it at any speed and drive at any speed. It is not 4H. Just get it. Whenever it rains or snows, I pop it on. No need to overthink it like most of the half-wits out there.

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[Rick Astley]

Looking into getting a 2 dr Bronco (either base, BB or maybe OBX). My question is do I need the advanced 4wd on it for a daily driver? It looks like the only way to get 4A is either base sasquatch (impossible to find) or as an option to an OBX. I'm trying to keep the cost down as much as possible but was wondering if I need the advanced 4wd as I live in MI and we do get some snow where I live. I don't plan on doing much (if any) offroading. What do you think?

Also does anyone know if it's possible to snag a lower end 2dr with "A" Plan pricing? I"m in the metro Detroit area and I see quite a few of these on dealer lots but not sure if they would sell to me at "A" plan or not? Unfortunately I guess I missed my window or order but I think a lot of folks might be walking away from their orders?

Search for what 4A is and does. There's an in-depth writeup that includes contributions from B6g member @Rocketeer Rick .

Nothing wrong with looking and self-educating.

 

[dejones64]

You're in MI. Get it. BD might be best choice.

Beat me to it. I'm in MN and have the BD with 4A. Roads aren't always slick or slippery. Some ice, snow, dry... never consistent. 4A is best, no worry about switching out of 4H to 2H all the time to meet the conditions. I'm not too keen about driving in 4H on dry pavement. 4A has worked best for me all winter, never once used 4H.

 

[JerryC]

Where I live we get patches of ice and snow after a storm with patches of dry roads in-between. 4A means that I'm not shifting in and out of 4H dozens of times .

"Slippery" mode uses 4A, just turn the dial and go.

 

[PurpleBronco2.3]

4A works as an all wheel drive rather than the usual off-road 4H and 4L systems. Much safer for on road driving (sport mode, slippery modes) and doesn’t bind up the gears like the others would on road. I went base squatch and the only thing I want that I don’t have is the 12” screen but it wasn’t worth the 12k more to get the OBX Squatch.

 

[omi205]

I would say look for a badlands. Your going to want it. Especially in Michigan. Cheers.

 

[sjjohnny]

Wrong. You can see it on the AWD monitor. It absolutely distributes power to the wheels that are slipping. There should be no great mystery here. 4A is all wheel drive. It is comparable to any suv that has permanent AWD; such as relatively older mercs, Audis and Porsches, before they intoduced on time AWD. If you regularly drive in rain or other slippery situations, you will appreciate the additional traction that 4A affords. You can engage it at any speed and drive at any speed. It is not 4H. Just get it. Whenever it rains or snows, I pop it on. No need to overthink it like most of the half-wits out there.

Agree 100%. Even on gravel ,washboard roads, where you are bouncing around, you can feel the extra traction 4A gives you. I have a BD w/ 4A - it's great.

 

[CarlSpackler]

I don’t care what part of Michigan you’re in, you’re getting more than “some snow”. I lived in RO for years, when the local news freaked out about a snow storm, we’d get a dusting. When they said nothing at all I’d be hammering whatever car I owned at the time through miserable amounts of snow because Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne have no clue how to plow side streets. 4A in Michigan isn’t really a necessary option, it’s more of a quality-of-life feature. Get it.

 

[PSUTE]

It's a real "nice to have" but not a need. Others have given the description of how it works, I live in an area where I go from dry road to snow in a heart beat. Love the "set it and forget it" aspect, but never had it before, seemed to have muddled through without it...

 

[QCBroncodad]

I have the 4A option and so far have not had to use it or even 4H and I’ve had some pretty crappy weather lately with mix of ice and snow, my wife however uses it every time. 20 years of driving in crappy weather with fwd or rwd cars and trucks and I have gotten used to driving in winter wonderland and how to master turning my wheel to the direction of the slide. Saying all that, it’s not a high cost to have it in your rig even if you don’t have to use it (but someone who has less experience might need it).

 

[Bradley]

Just gotta add.... We get snow here, say 6" and then it gets compacted, the next day the temperature is above freezing and then not, so it all ices over.... Basically like driving on a skating rink. I turn off the traction control/advance trac (still not sure what that thing is) put it in 2W and literally go skidding down the road and drifting around corners. It's a blast. My wife loses her shit on me but whatever.
The times I don't want to risk hitting a light pole, I put it in 4H and it's awesome. Having old Broncos and having to lock the hubs, I just don't know what the 4A technology really does.... Sounds cool but still old school enough I guess to not use it.

 

[lemonslush]

Do you need it? No idea. Do I need it? yes infact I canceled my first order because they didnt add the 4 auto. Were I live mixed weather driving sucks if you dont have awd and that 4a basicaly works like awd. it also gives you better handling on dry. Honestly, the must have for my build was 4a and a hard top everything else was meh. Have a WT coming so all those boxes are checked.

 

[Butzy]

Looking into getting a 2 dr Bronco (either base, BB or maybe OBX). My question is do I need the advanced 4wd on it for a daily driver? It looks like the only way to get 4A is either base sasquatch (impossible to find) or as an option to an OBX. I'm trying to keep the cost down as much as possible but was wondering if I need the advanced 4wd as I live in MI and we do get some snow where I live. I don't plan on doing much (if any) offroading. What do you think?

Also does anyone know if it's possible to snag a lower end 2dr with "A" Plan pricing? I"m in the metro Detroit area and I see quite a few of these on dealer lots but not sure if they would sell to me at "A" plan or not? Unfortunately I guess I missed my window or order but I think a lot of folks might be walking away from their orders?

Well.......what are you driving now? Does it have it? I could take it or leave it living in OH and PA. I don't "need" it. I had awd in my Lincoln mkx and 4A in the bronco....I feel like it causes unnecessary fuel consumption. If I "need" traction, I switch to 4wd and I'm good. I always stay in 2h until I feel slippage. If you have 4h, you're fine. 4a is luxury.

 

[Eddie_bower]

Driving long distance on snowpack roads in 4H at speed is fine. At least speed appropriate for snowpack roads. Also it can be shifted between 2H and 4H at will and at speed. So long as a wheel isn't spinning. The Bronco has good, maybe excessive, safeguards to avoid shifting with wheel spin.

the issue is people pop it into 4wd for wet roads or roads with barely any snow.

That’s where 4A is nice

 

[JimmyG]

Snip...

Also does anyone know if it's possible to snag a lower end 2dr with "A" Plan pricing? I"m in the metro Detroit area and I see quite a few of these on dealer lots but not sure if they would sell to me at "A" plan or not? Unfortunately I guess I missed my window or order but I think a lot of folks might be walking away from their orders?

I can tell you that Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor honored A/Z Plan pricing and I've heard of others. Should be as easy as a call to the dealer and ask them. Good luck!

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