RWD vs FWD

I'm not good at all with judging anything so I cant really do weight transfers well normally I end up just crashing anyways, I normally cant even judge when to break and end up going into corners way too fast or slow. Rear wheel drive makes it easier to make last minute adjustments.

 

And this ladies, gentleman and enbys, has summarised why I prefer FWD over RWD. Not because its genuinely better. But because yes driving a FWD round a town is easy, but driving one at speed, takes something else that RWD just lacks.

 

I think of it from the other side. Yes, it is possible to drive an FF quickly, even "artistically", but the difference is, with FWD you compensate for weaknesses, with RWD you exploit strengths.

 

FWD Advantages:

Cheaper to produce
Better Fuel Mileage
Less Weight on the Vehicle
More traction on slippery conditions

RWD Advantages:

Simple and Rugged (Taking more abuse)
Better Handling, More Balanced,
Better traction on normal conditions (dry)
Axles usually outlast FWD axles

FWD Disadvantages:

Nose-Heavy which isn't optimal for handling (high speeds, high load handling)
More prone to Torque steer
Relatively Fragile (Half-shafts and CV joints are more prone to injury)

RWD Disadvantages:

VERY POOR traction on slick surfaces

AWD Advantages:

Exceptional Traction in both dry and slippery conditions
Handling and Driving dynamics are better

AWD Disadvantages:

More weight added to the Vehicle (Slightly worse MPG's, Acceleration slightly slower)
Costs considerably more than their 2WD counterparts


You're Welcome!!

 

Exactly my point though. Overcoming weakness is to me far more interesting than exploiting strength

 

Oversteer vs understeer.

 

either can do either
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average fwd, mechanically is inclined to oversteer, only understeers due to application of power or braking to front wheels. Average rwd is mechanically inclined to understeer or at least be more neutral, oversteers from application of power.
yet you can coerce other characteristics out of either. Most rwd cars are designed to maintain understeer as much as possible rather than oversteer now. There are rwd cars with front weight bias. There are fwd cars with 50:50 bias.

torque steer I see alot of people reference. That's a design trait independent of front versus rear drive. Caused by unequal left and right half shafts. Most front wheel drive cars are unequal, most rear are not, but there are exceptions in both cases. Although torque steer on the steered axle will amplify it's effects so it is worse on a fwd design featuring it. The saab 900 is equal length half shaft fwd for example. Pickups and off-road vehicles where you see the offset differential on a solid axle? Torque steer.

mechanical strength is again completely independent of layout. If anything the prop shaft in an fr config leaves the rwd more vulnerable.

 

I prefer a nice longitude engine 4WD (and yes, 4WD and AWD are different. 4WD is much more durable). But between FWD and RWD, I'd have to choose RWD because you can have a live rear axle, longitude engine placement, and it's what 4WD is based on.

 

...What exactly would be preventing a front wheel drive car from having a live rear axle?
Edit: other than manufacturers not using live axles anymore(except on vehicles for 3rd world countries)

 

Turning left to go right is possible with both, but its a fuck of a lot more fun if you're doing it for the length of an entire turn under your own power and not a handbrake.

And yes, you can drift a 114HP Volvo. I swear, it's possible.

 

*live*, implies, live drive. And actually most economy hatchbacks are a dead rear axle variation, effectively an unpowered live axle.
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pfft handbrake, dont need that to drift a FWD

 

Yeah, I know, I've done it in FWD cars, but nothing beats going sideways because you're spinning up the rear wheels. It's just better.

 

Or... Have both maybe? If not somebody would probably make a mod for both FWD and RWD.

 

I would personally perfer, a, AWD. Reason that is if you spin out you can recover easily.

 

For pure speed around corners and driving fun, RWD is king.
For low traction conditions AWD rules.
For fuel economy, easy handling and interior space FWD is best.

But overall, if a car is good it shouldn't matter at all wether it's FWD or RWD.

 

the funniest thing about this thread is that almost nobody in it has any real world experience taking these different drive types to the limit

never change, beamng. never change.

 

Well, I have noticed that my Sunbird will actually try to oversteer if you throw it into a turn too hard, though that may be due to having ruined suspension, no weight on the back end, and front tires worn to near slicks. Driving seriously on a track and not just noobing around on backroads, it might display more traditional FF behavior.

 

You would have to be pretty stupid to even consider driving a car anywhere near its limit in real life, its dangerous and pointless when you can do the same things in games for a lot less money and much less risks.

 

When I have access to private land, risks involved drop exponentially.

Though yes I am one of those idiots that puts cars on their limits. Far more experience with FFs than any other layout though.
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front wear causes a tendancy towards understeer rather than over.

But like i've said before, its damn easy to get the tail out in an FF, you dont need power dumped through rear wheels for it at all.

 

i like a good fwd car (mostly they are german) i own a golf with a bit of extra speed under the hood and i like the fact that i can throw it around in a street race without the worry of it spinning out, i also owned a bmw (witch was a RWD) and that thing slided alot (a bit to much for my taste)

so my conclusion they better make a FWD version for the cheaper slower cars and a RWD version for the heavier engine's, or a AWD 4WD for the rally. i just think whatever the driveshaft is its gonna be hella fun to wreck.

(but mainly i hope fwd there are to little in beam ng)