Skid control training.

This is the place for posts that don't fit into any other category.

Moderator: RichardW

User avatar
fastandfurryous
Posts: 1388
Joined: 07 Jul 2004, 17:57
Location: On the road, travelling at high speed. Meep Meep.
My Cars:
x 4

Post by fastandfurryous »

I dunno... I've experienced oversteer in a 405 in the past due to crap rear tyres in the wet, and as long as you're quick, you can catch it. Unlike in a rear-wheel drive car, applying power while steering into the slide tends to help pull the car out of the slide (as long as it's gentle power, and not flat-out!).
Front-wheel drive is undoubtedly safer, and does allow a car to accelerate through a corner harder than with rear-wheel drive.... Ask anyone who has had a rear half-shaft break on a Series land-rover, and has then engaged 4-wheel-drive (to gain front-wheel drive only) to continue driving until they can be bothered to change it. Roundabouts suddenly become much faster than before! Same vehicle, different driven axle, and dramatically different handling!
User avatar
Kowalski
Posts: 2557
Joined: 15 Oct 2003, 17:41
Location: North East, United Kingdom
My Cars: Ex 05 C5 2.0 HDI Exclusive 145k
Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k

Post by Kowalski »

In the BTCC rear wheel drive was an advantage and punishment was handed out to BMW in the form of a success balast. In the same series Nigel Mansell demonstrated the catchability of oversteer on a front wheel drive car i.e. even he couldn't catch it. Audi demonstrated the advantage of its quattro system, even when they were balasted in later seasons, as soon as it rained they disappeared off into the distance.
User avatar
fastandfurryous
Posts: 1388
Joined: 07 Jul 2004, 17:57
Location: On the road, travelling at high speed. Meep Meep.
My Cars:
x 4

Post by fastandfurryous »

I guess it depends just how fast you are travelling, what the car is, what the road conditions are etc... etc...
I know for sure that I have caught oversteer in a front wheel drive car a number of times, although this has usually been on slow tight bends in the wet rather than long fast bends with good grip available. I then changed the rear tyres, and got rid of the problem! (I think it may even have been aquaplaning at the rear!)
User avatar
Kowalski
Posts: 2557
Joined: 15 Oct 2003, 17:41
Location: North East, United Kingdom
My Cars: Ex 05 C5 2.0 HDI Exclusive 145k
Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k

Post by Kowalski »

The whole front wheel drive is faster argument is probably a bit like the automatics are faster or diesels are faster arguments. The simple answer to "which is faster" in all of the above cases is that it depends on the skill of the driver.
Myself, I've not driven a rear wheel drive and I know my car pretty well so I'd be faster with front wheel drive. Given time and practice I'm sure I'd become faster with the rear wheel drive. Will anybody lend me a car to practice with?
I seem to remember Top Gear sending a Mondeo 2 litre around its test track quicker than a 2 litre BMW 3 series.
Post Reply