Rear Wheel Drive or Front Wheel Drive?

[NaughtyusMaximus]

I'm not really a car buff, but I'm interested, and seeing as I've never really been able to discern the difference between the two, I wouldn't mind a comparison.

 

[geno]

-$15,000 - FWD
+$15,000 - RWD
+$70,000 - AWD/RWD

 

[Viper GTS]

Rear = Performance, handling
Front = Everyday driveability, superior handing in inclement weather

Viper GTS

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

Alright.
So why is it that RWD is better for performance and handling? And why is FWD better for drivability, etc.?

 

[ElFenix]

RWD is better balanced, and for high horsepower is the only way to go due to a phenomenon of FWD cars known as "torque steer." in bad weather FWD is easier to handle becauase the drive wheels are the steering wheels. RWD should be having a comeback in passenger cars pretty soon due to traction control, which makes them perform as well as AWD cars in bad weather. chysler is developing a new RWD car platform, i believe. FWD will probably always be used for compact cars since it leaves more space in the back, for seating and trunk.

 

[cjchaps]

It has to do with pushing vs. pulling. For instance, in the snow a RWD car will tend to has its a$$ slid out, where a FWD car that is pulling and not pushing rarely fishtails like RWD cars in snow tend to do. I say go AWD!

 

[Viper GTS]

In forward acceleration motion, the car's weight gets transferred to the back wheels. In rapid deceleration, the cars weight gets transferred to the front wheels. More weight on drive wheels = better traction = better performance.

Front wheel cars have the advantage in slippery conditions due to the fact that the drive wheels are pulling the car, not pushing it. Plus they (usually) have the full weight of the engine on the drive wheels, giving them a distinct advantage in non-accelerating situations.

Viper GTS

 

[Taz4158]

RWD all the way. The best cars in the world are RWD or AWD. I want to be pushed not pulled, makes for far better handling and controllability.

 

[Soybomb]

ElFenix I'd like to see some documentation of rwd with traction control being as good as awd, thats a bold statement. Also toruq steer can be practically eliminated today with things liek equal length driveshafts, only the strongest of fwd needs to have a problem


Viper's got good info put up.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Tires have a finite amount of grip, that grip can either be used laterally (to steer a car) or longitudinally (to propell a car), or in a combination of both. However, since there is only a finite amount, if a tire is used both laterally and longitudinally (ie. driving a car and steering as in a front drive car) then there is less grip available for each direction. In a rear drive configuration, the front tires are devoted to lateral forces while the rear are devoted (for the most part) to longitudinal forces, this allows the grip of all four tires to be used most efficiently. Also, a car handles best when it has a 50% front / 50% rear weight distribution, front wheel drive cars almost never achieve this because the vast majority of essential mechanicals are packed up front and not spread throughout the car, so a front driver has poor weight distribution. Also, in acceleration a car's weight shifts backwards, increasing grip for the rear wheels and lessening the grip of the front wheels, which gives an advantage to rear drive cars in acceleration as they are able to put more power down to the road. However, in inclement weather, you want all the weight possible to be on the drive wheels to give them better traction, which is where front drive's main advantage is. Front drive also gives you the advantage in inclement weather of providing thrust in the desired direction of travel, but that is not as important as the weight over the drive wheels. Front wheel drive is also safer for an inexperienced driver because there is less possibility of oversteer, which is when the rear end of a car "breaks loose" and the car spins. Because of the lessened latera grip of the front tires caused by grip being used for propulsion as well, a front wheel drive car tends to "plow" towards the outside of a curve when it's handling limit is exceeded. A rear drive car, on the other hand is more apt to spin in that situation. This is an oversimplification, but it takes care of most of the main points.

Zenmervolt

EDIT: Dang it, I took too long typing this out, started after Maximus' 2nd post.

 

[Jumpem]

RWD is fun in the summer. Nothing like smoking both back tires while sliding around a corner sideways in my uncle's 440 '69 Dodge Charger.

 

[NaughtyusMaximus]

<<Viper's got good info put up>>

Especially his Bertha Antidote.

Thanks for all the info guys!

 

[mechBgon]

Don't forget economy of manufacturing. Being able to bolt the engine/transaxle assembly together outside the body, and install it in one chunk, makes it simpler to build a FWD.

Another reason that RWD may help with handling is that the front wheels don't have to share their steering traction with the engine. If a FWD car is on the edge of its cornering limits and the driver suddenly drops throttle or gives it more gas, the front tires will start to slip because the combined cornering force and engine drag/thrust have exceeded the available traction... and there goes the steering. The car will start to slide outwards in the turn. Granted, having the engine over the drive wheels gives a lot of starting traction, and there's nothing wrong with FWD, but I would rather drive a RWD if I had the choice.

 

[beat mania]

Hmm ... very informative thread.
Can someone answer this: how are things differ between FR/MR/RR?

 

[Emulex]

rwd if you using a torquey motor, fwd for non-torquey motors.

General rule of thumb.

if you like to be able to dump 300 ft/lbs of torque from launch actually grab, you better be using rwd or AWD.

 

[Viper GTS]

FR/MR/RR

Huh?

Lost me on that one... Either that or I'm being a dumbass...



Viper GTS

 

[Supradude]

FR/MR/RR?

i think you mean FF/FR/M

FF is front wheel drive/front engine
FR is front wheel drive/rear engine
M reffering to Mid-engine/ front wheel drive...

FF and FR has been discussed...
mid-engine has it's advantages too... very balanced weight, hm... i haven't been talking cars in a while so i don't remember much exact detail... but the mid-engine cars are supposed to handle very well i.e. NSX, MR-2

 

[Valhalla1]

RWD.. I'll never drive a FWD car.

 

[Viper GTS]

OK, I got ya...

Mid engine, all-wheel drive is the best of both worlds. 50/50 weight distribution, &amp; the best handling characteristics of RWD AND FWD.

Viper GTS

 

[StageLeft]

valhalla I guess you'll never live in a cold climate then!

 

[Moonbeam]

When I want a cnange I drive backwards.

 

[Viperoni]

Last time I checked (under my hood anyways) the engine in a RWD car is usually over the front wheels anyways.

 

[Viper GTS]

Viperoni...

I take it you don't drive a Porsche?



Viper GTS

 

[geno]

<< FR/MR/RR >>


Those are all possible drivetrain layouts. FR is Front engine Rear driven, MR = Mid-Rear (NSX, Most Italian cars,etc) and RR is Rear engine (behind or on the rear axle) Rear driven (Most Porsches are regarded RR instear of MR).

 

[Valhalla1]

<< valhalla I guess you'll never live in a cold climate then! >>



that is so true. I live in west texas, in literally a desert. I also have a medical condition that makes me react to cold objects (ie a cold coke can, or my billet aluminum shift knob in my car on a cold night :Q) and cold weather, causing my skin to swell up with blood, sort of an allergic reaction. made me pass out this summer, floating down the guadalupe river in tubes on 4th of july weekend, my back and ass were in the cold ass water for a couple hours.. when I stood up to walk because it got too shallow, I passed out and couldn't stand up for a good 30 minutes because the blood had filled up in my back, swelling it up and not enough was in my brain. :Q

so no.. NO cold climates for me. snow is like a death sentence to me. :|