Reasons why front wheel drive sucks

[Silv6]

Need some ammo on why front wheel drives suck, so far: Torque steer, poor traction, and they just suck.

[MTMike]

Depends on what you're using it for.

It's much better than RWD for traction in snow & rain.

[Brett Garret]

Front wheel drive:

Pros- Least drivetrain power loss, fuel efficient, handling provides higher steering control, great for staying slow ;)

Cons- Lack of overall handling (rearend is moves whereever front goes therefore creates problems in hazardous conditions)- you cant 'push' into or out of a steer like RWD, traction and torque is harder to attain during weight shifts (off a launch weight is moved to the rear of the car off of the pushing tires - this is why FWD has a massive torque loss)

Guys feel free to add or correct any of what I've said. Thanks.

[Silv6]

not really helping mike, try to be a team player! j/k

use would be the same as my camaro, get from point a to b while having some fun, accerating fast and turn fast.

[oil pan 4]

They have about a 75%-25% weigh distribution. That is a direct link to the bad handeling.
I have never seen a FWD that is as easy to work on as a camaro. You have to unbolt the enging to change some thing or take apart the frame to get to the clutch and crap.
And there is all most nothing you can do about it.
Maybe the cylinder head gasket is easyer to change, be cause there is one, same thing with spark plugs and wires (less of them).

[95Batmobile]

RWD is the safest in evasive maneuvering. Say there is a puppy in the road, the RWD car can swerve, miss the puppy, and be able to easily get back on track. AWD and FWD will usually kill the puppy [img]smile.gif[/img] Saw a test on this, but they used a stuffed bunny instead hehe

[chas]

constant velocity joint

not very fun to drive.

[FireStorm]

FWD has several disadvantages when related to vehicle performance. First of all, since vehicle weight shifts to the rear of a car during hard acceleration, FWD cars will always be fighting a losing battle when it comes to straight-line acceleration. Handling performance also suffers on FWD platforms since the option of using "throttle-induced oversteer" or sliding the rear end doesn't exist (unless you get really creative with the emergency brake).

In the end FWD is a very practical way to power a vehicle but its inherent design is contradictory to performance. Look at it this way: Your car came with four wheels, why put the stress of steering, braking, and acceleration on only two of them?

[KBeezy]

How many of you took physics or know basic rules of science?

Its much more efficient, effective, easy to push an object than to pull it. Think about it that way ;)

[fi12ebird]

Damn thats deep [img]smile.gif[/img]

[C.O.Jones]

Originally posted by KBeezy:
How many of you took physics or know basic rules of science?

Its much more efficient, effective, easy to push an object than to pull it. Think about it that way ;)

Push! Cause the old lady in line in front of me will move a hellova lot quicker with my boot up her ***.

[majeskyb]

Come on guys, you all know that plate drifting owns you! I always loved that massive understeer that I'd get in my Avenger when I had it. I find it's funny how they say how much safer FWD is, until it's raining outside, and you start sliding towards a tree whith your wheels cranked all the way in the other direction

Also, like at least one other person has mentioned, the placement of the engine. When I changed my serpintine belt, it look less than five minutes to remove the old one, and install the new one. My friend that has an eclipse,. refuses to do that job because of how hard and time consuming it is. One other thing. how hard it is to work on the rear cylinders, head, etc. An example is the 3000gt. To change the rear spark plugs, they have to remove the uim to even see them. PIA if I do say so myself

[ January 16, 2005, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: majeskyb ]

[mike h]

Originally posted by FireStorm:

Look at it this way: Your car came with four wheels, why put the stress of steering, braking, and acceleration on only two of them?

x2, couldnt have said it better

[nikon]

Originally posted by oil pan 4:
same thing with spark plugs and wires (less of them).

you've never seen a V8 FWD car?...Bonneville GXP, aurora, cadillac, how can you say theres less of them unless you automatically assumed we were talking about a honda?

[BirdOfPrey01]

PRO's of FWD.

Better handling in bad weather conditions.
Less loss of power through drivetrain compared to RWD or AWD.

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CON's of FWD
The driveline design is weaker physically than RWD or AWD.
Weight transfer is horrible for launching. The car is being pulled rather than pushed which results in a more stress on the transmission harder to catch traction.

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In the end, FWD cars are not for drag racing, but they can do well extremely well in endurance and daily driving [img]smile.gif[/img]

People that like to pull hard 60 foots with their FWD vehicle will only put their driveline to a death of messy crunched parts. Only make high power from a roll, not a stop unless you want to buy a new driveline [img]smile.gif[/img]