What do you think is best?
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 77
From: Columbia, SC
What do you think is best?
What do you think is best: RWD or FWD? Due to plain ignorance and being a chevy fan with some dollars to spare I bought mines instantly unaware they are
FWD! Just wanted to know how yall felt
FWD! Just wanted to know how yall felt
RE: What do you think is best?
[align=center]Front wheel drive vs rear wheel drive
[font="arial, helvetica"][size=2]by Jim Kerr & `Space : )[/align]The controversy has gone on for decades: which is better - front wheel drive or rear wheel drive? We used to have predominately rear wheel drive (RWD) automobiles on the road, but by the late 1970's, front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles were beginning to dominate. While the majority of current passenger cars are still front wheel drive, rear wheel drive vehicles are becoming more common. For example, Infiniti has gone back to RWD on their G35 model, and Cadillac has RWD on their new CTS model. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each drive system?
Let's look at front wheel drive first, as it is most common. Reduced cost: that is often the reason manufacturers design and build the way they do. FWD systems are cheaper to manufacture and install than RWD systems. There is no driveshaft or rear axle housing to build. The transmission and differential are located in one housing and less parts are needed. It also makes it easier for the designers to locate other parts beneath the vehicle, such as brake lines, fuel lines, and exhaust system.
Reduced weight is another advantage. Lowering a vehicle's weight improves acceleration, braking, and fuel economy. Traction is improved by having the weight of the engine and transaxle over the drive wheels. This is a big advantage on slippery roads.
A big advantage of FWD is interior space. No large bumps in the floorpan are required to accommodate mechanical parts. Look at current Honda Civics, and you will find great rear seat room in a small vehicle because of a flatfloor pan. With no rear differential, trunk space can also be increased.
The disadvantages of FWD are mainly the decrease in vehicle handling ability. With more weight over the front of the automobile, the back end tends to become very light. Rear tire traction is decreased and the car may swap ends on icy roads easier. This has been overcome by designers somewhat by placing as much weight as possible further back in the vehicle. Ideal weight distribution is often described as 50/50 front to rear, but FWD cars seldom get near this.
Another disadvantage is the load placed on the front tires. They must transfer all acceleration, steering, cornering, and braking forces to the road. The tires have only a finite amount of grip, so using some of it for acceleration must decrease it in other areas. The rear tires have very little load on them and are basically only along for the ride. This is why accomplished FWD racers say "put the gas to the floor and steer - the rear will follow".
All the disadvantages of FWD systems are advantages of RWD vehicles. With some of the mechanical parts removed from the front and installed at the rear, vehicle balance and handling are much improved. Using the rear tires for acceleration traction takes the load off the front, so drivers accelerating out of a corner have much more lateral grip. RWD is used on all the world's fastest road course race cars and many performance production vehicles for this reason.
Repair costs are another advantage of RWD systems. Although costs vary greatly by make and model, if you have transmission problems with a RWD vehicle, the cost of differential repair is not required, as it might be on a FWD system. The reliability of FWD cars has increased so much over the decades, that this might not be a big concern.
Disadvantages of RWD are higher assembly and production costs, more parts to have problems with, and less interior room in the vehicle. Independent rear suspension, used on many current RWD cars allows the engineers to position the body closer to the differential and driveshaft, so interior room has improved.
[b]Traction has always been a problem with RWD veh
[font="arial, helvetica"][size=2]by Jim Kerr & `Space : )[/align]The controversy has gone on for decades: which is better - front wheel drive or rear wheel drive? We used to have predominately rear wheel drive (RWD) automobiles on the road, but by the late 1970's, front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles were beginning to dominate. While the majority of current passenger cars are still front wheel drive, rear wheel drive vehicles are becoming more common. For example, Infiniti has gone back to RWD on their G35 model, and Cadillac has RWD on their new CTS model. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each drive system?
Let's look at front wheel drive first, as it is most common. Reduced cost: that is often the reason manufacturers design and build the way they do. FWD systems are cheaper to manufacture and install than RWD systems. There is no driveshaft or rear axle housing to build. The transmission and differential are located in one housing and less parts are needed. It also makes it easier for the designers to locate other parts beneath the vehicle, such as brake lines, fuel lines, and exhaust system.
Reduced weight is another advantage. Lowering a vehicle's weight improves acceleration, braking, and fuel economy. Traction is improved by having the weight of the engine and transaxle over the drive wheels. This is a big advantage on slippery roads.
A big advantage of FWD is interior space. No large bumps in the floorpan are required to accommodate mechanical parts. Look at current Honda Civics, and you will find great rear seat room in a small vehicle because of a flatfloor pan. With no rear differential, trunk space can also be increased.
The disadvantages of FWD are mainly the decrease in vehicle handling ability. With more weight over the front of the automobile, the back end tends to become very light. Rear tire traction is decreased and the car may swap ends on icy roads easier. This has been overcome by designers somewhat by placing as much weight as possible further back in the vehicle. Ideal weight distribution is often described as 50/50 front to rear, but FWD cars seldom get near this.
Another disadvantage is the load placed on the front tires. They must transfer all acceleration, steering, cornering, and braking forces to the road. The tires have only a finite amount of grip, so using some of it for acceleration must decrease it in other areas. The rear tires have very little load on them and are basically only along for the ride. This is why accomplished FWD racers say "put the gas to the floor and steer - the rear will follow".
All the disadvantages of FWD systems are advantages of RWD vehicles. With some of the mechanical parts removed from the front and installed at the rear, vehicle balance and handling are much improved. Using the rear tires for acceleration traction takes the load off the front, so drivers accelerating out of a corner have much more lateral grip. RWD is used on all the world's fastest road course race cars and many performance production vehicles for this reason.
Repair costs are another advantage of RWD systems. Although costs vary greatly by make and model, if you have transmission problems with a RWD vehicle, the cost of differential repair is not required, as it might be on a FWD system. The reliability of FWD cars has increased so much over the decades, that this might not be a big concern.
Disadvantages of RWD are higher assembly and production costs, more parts to have problems with, and less interior room in the vehicle. Independent rear suspension, used on many current RWD cars allows the engineers to position the body closer to the differential and driveshaft, so interior room has improved.
[b]Traction has always been a problem with RWD veh
RE: What do you think is best?
[align=center]FWD vs. RWD. Which is better?
by: Peter Johnson & `Space : )[/align]There is an endless debate on automotive forums throughout the internet. Which is better; Front Wheel Drive (FWD) or Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)? Let's look at each.
Front Wheel Drive
Around since the 1920's, front wheel drive didn't catch on with American consumers until the gas crisis in the 1970's. As Americans struggled against high fuel prices, automakers began to seek new ways to increase fuel efficiency. The best way of course was to reduce the size (and thus the weight) of most vehicles. As Detroit aimed to make cars smaller, they needed a more efficient layout that would yield more interior room in a smaller package. Front wheel drive was the solution. By placing the engine and transaxle in the front, there is no large transmission housing or driveshaft tunnel running through the passenger compartment. In addition, engines were positioned transversely to reduce the size of the engine bay. And there was another advantage as well. With 60% of its weight at the front, 40% at the back, fwd holds an advantage in slippery conditions such as ice or snow as more weight is over the drive wheels reducing slip during acceleration. But most of the advantages end there. As most of the weight in up front, a fwd car is not as well balanced therefore it doesn't handle quite as well. Also, as vehicles continue to become more powerful, front wheel drive becomes more of a liability. Torque steer (when the steering wheel pulls to one side during acceleration) is a serious issue with many front wheel drive cars that exceed 250hp. As such, we've seen a resurgence in the popularity of rear wheel drive in more powerful vehicles.
Rear Wheel Drive
Prior to the fuel crises in the 1970's, rear wheel drive was king. Just about every vehicle, from economy to luxury, came with rear wheel drive. The shift from rear wheel drive to front took about a decade. Since the mid eighties, just about every economy car, family sedan, minivan and even many sport coupes came with front wheel drive. Luxury marks such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz continued on with rear wheel drive but Cadillac eventually moved every vehicle to front wheel drive. Once again, times have changed. Over the last few years we've seen more and more vehicles (re) introduce rear wheel drive. Why? Well, it simple. As cars become more powerful it is difficult to have one set of wheels doing the steering and the accelerating. By having the front wheels do the steering, and the rear wheels driving the car, you get a better-balanced vehicle. This eliminates torque steer and improves acceleration. Rear wheel drive offers better weight distribution (much closer to 50/50 than fwd), which in turn offers more predictable handling. Finally, with the advent of traction control and stability management systems, the front wheel drive advantage in slippery conditions has been significantly reduced. More and more rwd vehicles have the option of AWD as well. If nothing else, this is a great way for automakers to hedge their bets. Still, some consumers are skeptical of rear wheel drive. Perhaps they are the victims of clever marketing by Madison Ave. that tried to get people to accept fwd and forget all about the virtues rear wheel drive. They did a great job. Perhaps too good.
[size=4]Today cars are more powerful yet yield better fuel economy. As such, we can look at fwd and rwd more objectively. Is one better than the other? Fwd still holds an advantage in terms of packaging efficiency, offering greater interior room in a smaller package. Rear wheel drive provides better handling and acceleration and with the addition of traction control, virtually eliminates the fwd advantage in the snow. In the end, it depends on what you want from your car. If it's performance,
by: Peter Johnson & `Space : )[/align]There is an endless debate on automotive forums throughout the internet. Which is better; Front Wheel Drive (FWD) or Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)? Let's look at each.
Front Wheel Drive
Around since the 1920's, front wheel drive didn't catch on with American consumers until the gas crisis in the 1970's. As Americans struggled against high fuel prices, automakers began to seek new ways to increase fuel efficiency. The best way of course was to reduce the size (and thus the weight) of most vehicles. As Detroit aimed to make cars smaller, they needed a more efficient layout that would yield more interior room in a smaller package. Front wheel drive was the solution. By placing the engine and transaxle in the front, there is no large transmission housing or driveshaft tunnel running through the passenger compartment. In addition, engines were positioned transversely to reduce the size of the engine bay. And there was another advantage as well. With 60% of its weight at the front, 40% at the back, fwd holds an advantage in slippery conditions such as ice or snow as more weight is over the drive wheels reducing slip during acceleration. But most of the advantages end there. As most of the weight in up front, a fwd car is not as well balanced therefore it doesn't handle quite as well. Also, as vehicles continue to become more powerful, front wheel drive becomes more of a liability. Torque steer (when the steering wheel pulls to one side during acceleration) is a serious issue with many front wheel drive cars that exceed 250hp. As such, we've seen a resurgence in the popularity of rear wheel drive in more powerful vehicles.
Rear Wheel Drive
Prior to the fuel crises in the 1970's, rear wheel drive was king. Just about every vehicle, from economy to luxury, came with rear wheel drive. The shift from rear wheel drive to front took about a decade. Since the mid eighties, just about every economy car, family sedan, minivan and even many sport coupes came with front wheel drive. Luxury marks such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz continued on with rear wheel drive but Cadillac eventually moved every vehicle to front wheel drive. Once again, times have changed. Over the last few years we've seen more and more vehicles (re) introduce rear wheel drive. Why? Well, it simple. As cars become more powerful it is difficult to have one set of wheels doing the steering and the accelerating. By having the front wheels do the steering, and the rear wheels driving the car, you get a better-balanced vehicle. This eliminates torque steer and improves acceleration. Rear wheel drive offers better weight distribution (much closer to 50/50 than fwd), which in turn offers more predictable handling. Finally, with the advent of traction control and stability management systems, the front wheel drive advantage in slippery conditions has been significantly reduced. More and more rwd vehicles have the option of AWD as well. If nothing else, this is a great way for automakers to hedge their bets. Still, some consumers are skeptical of rear wheel drive. Perhaps they are the victims of clever marketing by Madison Ave. that tried to get people to accept fwd and forget all about the virtues rear wheel drive. They did a great job. Perhaps too good.
[size=4]Today cars are more powerful yet yield better fuel economy. As such, we can look at fwd and rwd more objectively. Is one better than the other? Fwd still holds an advantage in terms of packaging efficiency, offering greater interior room in a smaller package. Rear wheel drive provides better handling and acceleration and with the addition of traction control, virtually eliminates the fwd advantage in the snow. In the end, it depends on what you want from your car. If it's performance,
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,986
From: North Fond du Lac, WI
RE: What do you think is best?
I like the RWD for handling reasons and increased power reasons. In drag racing it's harder to get larger tires on a FWD due to steering components and general lack of room.
I also like the better steering in RWD. In WI my RWD cars have always worked better than FWD and I'm firm on that. My Fiero was simply the best and that was due to the way it was designed. Put the engine where it belongs - in the rear over the rear drive wheels. Let the front do what it is supposed to do - steer.
I'm actually at the point where I'm doing just a few more mods on my Monte and calling it quits. I was going to go turbo, but I'm taking what I have, adding headers and PCM. Maybe 3.3 or 3.25 pulley and calling it quits. I'm going to pick up a fiero on the cheap and turn it into a pocket rocket.
I also like the better steering in RWD. In WI my RWD cars have always worked better than FWD and I'm firm on that. My Fiero was simply the best and that was due to the way it was designed. Put the engine where it belongs - in the rear over the rear drive wheels. Let the front do what it is supposed to do - steer.
I'm actually at the point where I'm doing just a few more mods on my Monte and calling it quits. I was going to go turbo, but I'm taking what I have, adding headers and PCM. Maybe 3.3 or 3.25 pulley and calling it quits. I'm going to pick up a fiero on the cheap and turn it into a pocket rocket.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,986
From: North Fond du Lac, WI
RE: What do you think is best?
Oh yeah, my number one problem in WI snow is that you always need to come out of your turn first before hitting the accelerator otherwise the front looses traction and you plow nose first into a snowbank and typically get stuck. With RWD if you happen to go to quick into a turn, you can floor it to kick out the rear end a bit, straighten out,and find enough traction to miss the bank. When that doesn't work, you can still hit the snowbank sideways and bounce off it.
Now I don't exactly recommend bouncing off snowbanks as at somepoint it will put in dents and ruin a paint job, but for that "I was going way to fast for that turn and didn't realize it was icy" problem it can sure save alot of time.
BTW - for those in the colder climates: practice turning in an abandoned parking lot that asglass slick with ice to learn "controlled turning" - go slow and try to turn 90 degrees. Learn howquick you loose traction andhow to fix it. Alsoalways drive slower than you think you should. I always see teenagers that think they "know" their car and will fly by doing 70 on the Interstate when everyone else is doing 45. The reason their doing 45? They were once those same kids doing 70 and put there car in the ditch and got the repair bill this includes me.
. Since I've personally slowed down in the winterI can proudly say I haven't been in an accident for 17 years.
Now I don't exactly recommend bouncing off snowbanks as at somepoint it will put in dents and ruin a paint job, but for that "I was going way to fast for that turn and didn't realize it was icy" problem it can sure save alot of time.
BTW - for those in the colder climates: practice turning in an abandoned parking lot that asglass slick with ice to learn "controlled turning" - go slow and try to turn 90 degrees. Learn howquick you loose traction andhow to fix it. Alsoalways drive slower than you think you should. I always see teenagers that think they "know" their car and will fly by doing 70 on the Interstate when everyone else is doing 45. The reason their doing 45? They were once those same kids doing 70 and put there car in the ditch and got the repair bill this includes me.
. Since I've personally slowed down in the winterI can proudly say I haven't been in an accident for 17 years.
Monte Of The Month -- March 2007
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,264
From: Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
RE: What do you think is best?
i know that fwd drive cars handle a lot better in the snow and slippery roads then rwd, rwd is a lot more fun, but i think that you get a little bit more speed being that its a fwd in these monte's...its a lot easier to pull a car then it is to push a car...i'm happy with my monte...even though rwd is fun cuz you can do burnouts
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,482
From: Southwestern OH
RE: What do you think is best?
There's about 3 million current & former Monte owners wishing Chevy would make a RWD Monte again. (me included)
I can live with my '06 LTZ being FWD but the car's appeal and fun factor as far as driving it would increase about 100x if it was RWD.
I can live with my '06 LTZ being FWD but the car's appeal and fun factor as far as driving it would increase about 100x if it was RWD.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,986
From: North Fond du Lac, WI
RE: What do you think is best?
I've always had better luck with RWD in the snow for handling. The front tires don't grip properly when you try to accelerate and make a turn... eg: everytime you're on ice at a stop light it never wants to turn properly. I can alwaysmake the turn in a RWD without problems.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 833
From:
RE: What do you think is best?
I would love to see the Monte go back to rear wheel drive
I like the current body style now.... maybe would do something with the rear tail lights
but give me a big block v-8 that will get the same mileage as of the 5.3L I would be
one of the first to take one...
I like the current body style now.... maybe would do something with the rear tail lights
but give me a big block v-8 that will get the same mileage as of the 5.3L I would be
one of the first to take one...