Patent ID: 6976553

Claim:
A motor vehicle having a multimode traction system and particularly adapted for use both off-road and on delicate terrain, the vehicle comprising: a pair of rear wheels, a pair of steerable front wheels, an engine for generating torque to drive the wheels, a rear differential operatively connected within a drive train and supplying engine torque to the rear wheels, a front wheel coupler connected within the drive train and receiving engine torque, a manually operable mode switch settable in first, second, and third positions and located for easy operation by an operator of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the rear differential including a lock for locking the differential in response to setting the switch into the first or second of the switch positions, the coupler enabling torque received from the engine to be supplied to at least one front wheel to enable front wheel drive in response to setting the switch in the first position, and the coupler disenabling engine torque from being supplied to the front wheels in response to setting the switch in the second or third positions.