Craig Mack

I have always heard FWD blows for launching cars. Is it becuase the weight isn't evenly distributed ?

Can someone please explain the advantages of RWD & AWD vs. FWD. And maybe RWD vs. AWD.

Thanks

Evil Yak

RWD-weight shifts back onto rear wheels when launching... good grip
FWD-weight shifts away from front wheels when launching... bad grip
AWD-what weight shift??? all wheels grip baby!!!

Craig Mack

....

So why the hell does Nissan make the Maxima (or any car for that matter) FWD ? Is it cheeper ?

Is their any hope for FWD cars when it comes to drag racing ?

AznWontonboy

FWD still can do good, but its just that RWD and AWD do better. You still see 11-12 sec FWD cars..

Craig Mack

But how come they even make cars in FWD ? Cost ? Yea your right. That lady Lisa Kubo ran like 8 second 1/4th in a civic.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

FWD is a much more compact package for automakers to build. It also creates room in the enterior as there is not driveshaft "hump" to deal with. FWD cars are superior to the RWD cars in wet and snowy conditions due to the fact that the majority of the weight is over the drive wheels. Porsche and old VW w/ their engine in back RWD is of course the exception.

Craig Mack

I see. Much more practicle.

What about AWD ? Mmmmm...awd maxima...

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Don't laugh. The new Jaguar X-type AWD is based on the Ford Modeo(or Contour) FWD chassis. What they did is keep the FWD and transverse engine mounts but added a tranny that has another output shaft going to the rear. Nissan infact has such a tranny for the Japan only Pulsar GTI but it's CA not VQ based. But the idea is the same.

TintDaMax

Also, FWD gives you more control in corners

Craig Mack

So FWD is better for suspension reasons ? How so ?

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

No it's not. Anytime you have the drive wheels and the steering wheels on the same side, it's going to be a handling compromise. Just can't avoid that.

Craig Mack

So what your tellin' me is TintDaMax is a foo ?

mAdD MAX

Isn't Jaq's AWD baised towards the front wheels and should the front wheels lose traction, something like 30% of hte torque goes to the rear?

I know the AWD system in Subarus are different depending on their transmission choice...if you have a manual tranny, the AWD is mechanically controlled and you have a 50/50% bias of power to the front/rear.

If you have an automatic Subie, the AWD system is electronically controlled and the car is something like 90/10 front/rear bais..and if the wheels slip, then a portion of the power goes to the rear.

Same goes for the Quattro system in the Audi TT and in the Passat AWD.. their system is not Torsen based (I think?) but I do know its FWD baised...not like the Quattro system in the A4/6/8..

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Yup. Sounds right to me. They did it that way becuase there was no way they were going to offer a FWD Jag. lol. Yeah it's FWD first then AWD.

HoJo

Ummm... No

HoJo

Ummm... Yea

max'n out

All wheel drive is by far the best to have in all conditions. But typically it doesn't get as good as gas milage as the others. (for the most part i know theres exeptions). However awd is not always evenly distributed most are 70% front 30% rear. Audi is the only one i know for sure that has 50% 50%. Now if you have awd 50/50 with a wieght distribution of close to 50/50 look out. But most car weight is more like 65/35. Bmw is the one closet to 50 50 with like 52/48.

AznWontonboy

Can you show me which cars are 70% front and 30% rear power distribution? Bmw still have something like a 60% power transfer to the rear wheels and 40% to the front with the near 50/50 weight balance.. good combo.

max'n out

The cars that come to mind with about 70/30 are the eagle talon's awd, and the new jag. Most are split either 70/30 or 30/70 execpt audi. Which ones do you really wanna know...i could be here for awhile listing them all.

BottleFedMax

Another disadvantage of AWD is the weight factor. Let's just say that a Max weighs about 3200 lbs fully loaded and a Audi S4 weighs about 3800 lbs.

PeaBodyJones

rwd is good

Craig Mack

Yea but a Maxima from the Ice-age isn't

PhatGuy

A fwd car is better in the snow I find.

black019

didnt those old school maximas have rwd???

Craig Mack

Yup.

black019

i wonder why nissan changed it???

PeaBodyJones

why yes we do. jealous?

Bryan H

fwd superior to awd and rwd in the turns?
who lied to you?

there is a reason why audio is stomping *** in the speed vision gt series.
why?
awd
whats behind it? rwd
behind that? fwd

nothing beats a awd feeling out of the hole on cheap street tires. NOT all of the awd cars hook. mine prefers to spin through first and second at the track.

rwd will always be king of traction
awd is just to breakable but ranks very high up there
fwd. defeats the whole purpose in general for traction while trying to race.

Stereodude

All automakers have bascially switched. It has a lot to do with drivability. A front wheel drive car behaves much more predictably at the limit than a rear wheel drive car. This is especially true in snow and rain. So it's good for the moronic car buying public (mostly everyone). You put most drivers in a rear wheel drive car in the snow and they all end up in ditches. In front wheel drive cars they manage.

Stereodude

AznWontonboy

Where did you get this? I was under the thought that it was cheaper to manufacture.. Bmws, Mercedes, Jaguars.. Rarely front wheel drive.

PeaBodyJones

most sports cars have rwd...

Stereodude

The Germans do their own thing. They're driving enthusiasts, so they still use RWD because it generally gives you a better handling vehicle. Those cars are imported to the US, but were designed for the europeans. Most cars that are designed for the US population in mind are front wheel drive.

This is just information I've gathered talking to various engineers in the auto industry.

Stereodude

max'n out

Heres the deal. Fwd has become the thing because it just keeps diging. No matter the wheather it will just keep diging. Try that with a rwd car. You know what it does. your gonna go in a circle. This makes the car drivable to every lamo out there that can't drive. Rwd is used in sports cars because "it is better to push than pull". But the new line of thinking is it's better to "push and pull" (awd). Also fwd cars understeer where as rwd cars oversteer and awd car tend to be neutrel. Most people can deal with understeer most can't deal with the car spinging out behind them. If you know how to drive rwd is more sporty cuz you can keep speed going. If you can't drive then having fwd understeer is what you need cuz you can stay on the gas and it most likely woun't spin out and you can keep going.