Can you tell me what are the advantages/disadvantages of RWD compared to FWD!

 

really i'm no expert on this but if i had to guess, i think RWD cars don't experience the understeer that some FWD cars have, also they're usually better for acceleration in some cases. I've also heard that FWD cars have better braking power the RWD, but i'm sure someone else can answer this better.

 

1) The weight distribution from the front and back would be more equal (50/50) since the drivetrain would be in the rear.

2) The power from the engine would push your car forward in a RWD versus the FWD "pulling" the car.

3) Overhangs (from front wheel wells to the front bumper) would be minimized since the engine can be pushed further into the chasis with the drivetrain not being in the front.

but I think the everyday driver is safer with a FWD. The directional vector and force is given by the same wheel rather than the front just steering and the rear pushing.

 

One other advantage of RWD versus FWD is you can control/induce oversteer with your throtle instead of your brakes. This gives you much more room to play with for control and positioning your car coming out of the turn.

 

Torque steer!!! FWD cars are prone to torque steer, while this isn't an issue in RWD cars. Imagine how much a SC Maxima must torque steer, but if you could take the same Maxima and make it RWD you wouldn't have that problem. Lets remember that all street cars are built to understeer even the performance models. But if you choose you can invoke oversteer. But you'll have to try really hard or drive agressively in low traction situations i.e, snow, rain, or mud.

 

if you have a LSD, would that eliminate torque steer?

 

Everything said is true... But you guys left out one factor.... RWD cars can do really cool power slides

 

No.

 

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No it wouldn't eliminate torque steer but I think it would reduce it a bit. Not to mention, the LSD equippped car get better traction out of tight corners, whether its FWD or RWD.

 

RWD cars launch better. I dont know the exact science of it but when u come off of the line hard more presure is applied to the rear wheels and less to the fronts--ull notice the hood comes up when u launch hard. This is beneficial in a rear wheel drive car becuz it forces the rear tires into the ground harder, however in a front wheel drive car it decreases the force on the front wheels creates nasty things like excess wheel spin and doesnt allow for as much power to the ground...

hope thats helpful...

 

One advantage of FWD is less drivetrain hp/tq loss. RWD have higher losses because there is a driveshaft plus two axles/halfshafts. The FWD car doesn't have a driveshaft therefore less power is lost.

Otherwise, fwd has a hard time competing with rwd. On average, RWD corners better, stops better, accelerates better, better on your tires, gives a better "feel", etc.


Dave

 

With all this advantages, why most cars are FWD? Is it only because they handle better in bad weather?

QUOTE]Originally posted by Dave B
One advantage of FWD is less drivetrain hp/tq loss. RWD have higher losses because there is a driveshaft plus two axles/halfshafts. The FWD car doesn't have a driveshaft therefore less power is lost.

Otherwise, fwd has a hard time competing with rwd. On average, RWD corners better, stops better, accelerates better, better on your tires, gives a better "feel", etc.


Dave [/QUOTE]

 

With all this advantages, why most cars are FWD? Is it only because they handle better in bad weather?

QUOTE]Originally posted by Dave B
One advantage of FWD is less drivetrain hp/tq loss. RWD have higher losses because there is a driveshaft plus two axles/halfshafts. The FWD car doesn't have a driveshaft therefore less power is lost.

Otherwise, fwd has a hard time competing with rwd. On average, RWD corners better, stops better, accelerates better, better on your tires, gives a better "feel", etc.


Dave [/QUOTE]

 

get a wheelie bar and your traction on straight line acceleration should be much better. read it in a mag somewhere. but like you said, when you take off, the front of the car lifts up, with the wheelie bar, the back will not dip down and the front will not lift up any more, so the front wheels are planted.

 

Thanks for all of your comments.

Don

 

From what I understand, FWD cars have drive shafts. Unless they replaced something else on my Sentra and called it a drive shaft. I know sometimes drive shafts are called something else.

 

I respectfully disagree. A Limited Slip Differential eliminates the problem of having the no-traction wheel spin freely while the yes-traction wheel conveys no power. However, torque steer is evident even when both wheels have perfect traction.

 

i always thought that a LSD gives equal amounts of power to each wheel. but what do i know im just amateur to this stuff. but DBM, why is the torgue steer still evidnet with perfect traction? when saying perfect, do you mean equal amount of traction too?

 

What I mean by "perfect traction" is "no wheel slip". I say torque steer is evident with perfect traction because of personal experience. You can try this for yourself in a deserted parking lot. With the car at rest, turn the steering wheel to 2/3 of full lock, in either direction. Accelerate rapidly, but without enough power to break traction. You will feel torque steer!

 

hmmm yea i know the LSD thing... but well this is kinda off topic but they say the Cadillac STS with 300hp barely exibits any of the symptoms of torque steer... how did they do that? like is it some computer timing and the precision handling system or whatever its called?
oh yea.. why most cars are FWD? try driving a RWD car with no traction control on snow or ice...
it can be done but its HARD! especially for me... california boy haha

 

I remember reading a while ago that it's cheaper to build a FWD car because it has less parts than a RWD car. One other thing, I think FWD cars last less.

So it all boils down to dollars and cents! not performance!

 

This is correct. FWD is cheaper and lighter. The position of the transmission and the lack of a driveshaft permits a roomier passenger cabin. For most vehicles and most drivers, FWD is better. For the performance enthusiast and the true on-the-track racer, RWD is better.