Automatic Four Wheel Drive (A4WD) Front Axle Description and Operation

WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 6 other vehicles, including the 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2004 GMC Envoy XUV, 2004 GMC Envoy XL, 2004 GMC Envoy, and 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The Automatic Four Wheel Drive (A4WD) Front Axle consist of the following components:

Differential Carrier Housing
Differential Case Assembly
Inner Axle Shaft
Intermediate Shaft bearing Assembly (located on the right side of the oil pan)

The front axle on Automatic Four Wheel Drive (A4WD) model vehicles do not have a disconnect feature in order to engage and disengage the front axle. The Automatic Four Wheel Drive system uses the same differential carrier assembly and intermediate shaft bearing assembly, but the clutch fork, the clutch fork sleeve and the inner/outer gears have been replaced with a single splined sleeve that connects the inner axle shaft directly to the right side wheel drive shaft. This connection allows the right side wheel drive shaft and the intermediate axle shaft to be directly connected to the differential case assembly. It also results in having the wheel drive shafts, the intermediate axle shaft and the propeller shaft to spin continuously. When the transfer case is active, the clutch assembly within the transfer case controls the amount of torque applied to the front axle. The remaining components are the same as the selectable four wheel drive axle.