What is four-wheel drive?

Power goes to both axles so all four wheels push. A normal car pushes with 2 wheels. Four-wheel drive sends power to the front AND back, so all 4 wheels grip. That helps on hills, sand and mud, where 2 wheels might just spin.

Try Driveshaft 4×4 Pusher for free

Gearbox & Drivetrain Cars booklet pack: 30 PDF booklets for $5.99. Instructions only; individual booklets remain free.

Explore the printable pack

Try it yourself

Race a 2WD and a 4WD car up a ramp made from a book. Which one climbs higher?

Build it: 5 builds that teach four-wheel drive

  • 🔗 Driveshaft 4×4 Pusher: Turn one wheel and ALL FOUR wheels turn — a spinning driveshaft joins the axles! (level 2 of 5, about 20 minutes, 15 steps)
  • 🐾 Twin-Spring 4×4: Two spring engines — one for the front wheels, one for the back. All four wheels push! (level 3 of 5, about 35 minutes, 16 steps)
  • 🚜 Skid-Steer Loader: No steering at all: left motor, right motor — spin it round on the spot! (level 4 of 5, about 65 minutes, 25 steps)
  • 🧗 Worm-Drive Crawler: Super slow, super strong: worm gears drive both axles and it never rolls back. (level 4 of 5, about 50 minutes, 20 steps)
  • 🌐 AWD with Central Diff: All four wheels driven, with a differential in the MIDDLE of the car — like a rally car. (level 5 of 5, about 90 minutes, 28 steps)

In the classroom

Common engineering questions

How can I try four-wheel drive at home?

Race a 2WD and a 4WD car up a ramp made from a book. Which one climbs higher?

Which builds teach four-wheel drive?

5 MightyCog builds teach it: Driveshaft 4×4 Pusher, Twin-Spring 4×4, Skid-Steer Loader, Worm-Drive Crawler and AWD with Central Diff. Start with Driveshaft 4×4 Pusher: 15 steps, about 20 minutes.

Ideas that go with it