A drive system control method and a drive power transmission control system for
a four-wheel drive vehicle are provided for enabling the vehicle to operate selectively
in an ordinary mode and an anti-vibration mode. In the ordinary mode, the connection
force of a coupling device which is provided between front and rear wheel torque
transmission axles is kept relatively high, and the front and rear wheel torque
transmission axles are brought to connect prime drive wheels with secondary drive
wheels, so that four-wheel drive traveling of the vehicle can be realized. The
operation mode of the vehicle is switched from the ordinary mode to the anti-vibration
mode where the secondary drive wheels slip when the vehicle begins to start in
the ordinary mode. In the anti-vibration mode, the connection force of the coupling
device is relatively weakened to substantially separate the front and rear wheel
torque transmission axles from each other. Thus, the resilient force produced by
the torsion of the front and rear wheel torque transmission axles which is caused
by the slip of the prime drive wheels or the secondary drive wheels is released
between the front and rear wheel torque transmission axles, so that the vibration
which would otherwise be generated when the vehicle performs the four-wheel drive
starting can be suppressed compared with that in the prior art.