How to Decide On Your Very First Race Car (Part 3)
Those who have ever been stuck in snow or mud, or have lost control of a car in rain or ice, will appreciate this article. We will be taking a look at the wheel drive of cars. What exactly is wheel drive? Well, commercials coming on television these days
use many different terms, such as “Automatic All-Wheel Drive” and “four-wheel drive,” but how many people actually know what it means?
Almost every driver knows that four wheel drive and all wheel drive is better than front or rear wheel drive. But what’s the difference? And what is better? Front wheel drive or rear wheel drive? Limited slip differential or standard? All wheel or four wheel
drive? Automatic all-wheel or standard all-wheel drive? These are many questions that new and used car buyers think of every day. However, it is also a major thinking process for those who are buying their first race car.
In order to decide what type of vehicle you should buy, you must first learn more about the different types. The simplest are obviously front and rear wheel drive vehicles. Simply, in a front wheel drive vehicle, the front wheels drive and also steer. In
a rear wheel drive, the rear wheels push the car forward. Both types have advantages and disadvantages.
Ever since the Ford Model T way back in 1908, rear wheel drives have been used most commonly. Why? Simply because front wheel drive was difficult to produce, also meaning that four wheel drive was out of the question. While front wheel drive is now available,
the rear wheel drive design is most conservative. However, recently, because of emphasis on fuel economy and economies of manufacturing have resulted in a boom of front wheel drive vehicles.
Front wheel drive is used in basically pulling the car. Instead of having the engine in the front, the transmission in the center, and axle in the back of the car, front wheel drive cars cram together all of these parts in the front. These days, front wheel
drive is more common than rear wheel drive.
Aside from putting all parts in the front of the car, the front wheel drive design offers improved traction. The entire weight of the car’s engine is put directly over the drive wheels, giving them better grip in snow and mud. In a rear wheel drive car,
that extra traction is not present, which is why drivers put extra weight in the trunks of their car, such as sand bags, when there is snow. Now back to front wheel drive. Front wheel also takes up less space than a rear wheel drive, making more room for passengers
and cargo.
Rear wheel drive typically offers better power and handling than a front wheel drive. That’s because steering and driving is separate, resulting in less work done by the engine. However, the rear wheel drive design uses up more space than a typical front
wheel drive and also offers less traction.
As far as racing goes, between front wheel and rear wheel drive, rear wheel drive is preferable. Why? If you are racing, you’re going to prefer more power and handling than gas-efficiency and cheap parts. Also, some forms of racing can be done only with,
or best with, rear wheel drive cars. Although power sliding can be done in front wheel drives, proper drifting is what rear wheel drive cars are for. Also, in drag racing, rear wheel drives are used mostly because they offer better acceleration that front
wheel drives. However, modified versions of front wheel drive cars, such as the Honda Accord, have been, and still are, used in drag racing.
However, why is it that both tires spin differently? One can spin faster, while one slows down. Why does every single car do this? And how? The answer is a “differential” which makes getting through snow and mud easier and also keeps your tires from wearing
out every month. differentials will be discussed in the next article.
Take a look!
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