Tuesday 27 April 2010

Front Vs Rear Wheel Drive

Front Vs Rear Wheel DriveBy Bond Mejeh

One decision that is always faced when buying a new car is, "Should I get rear wheel or front wheel drive?" Well, here are some things to consider when answering that question. Most cars today are designed with front wheel drive as they're typically safer, where you'll find that commonly sports & race cars are packing rear wheel drive.

First things first, if your car is front wheel drive, this means the engine powers the front wheels, so the front wheels is what powers the vehicle along. Rear wheel drive is when the engine powers only the rear wheels causing them to push the vehicle along. The main difference is the fact that front wheel types are easier to handle, especially for beginner drivers.

Rear wheel types can be a bit more difficult as the car tends to over turn when cutting sharp corners, that is, unless you specifically know how to handle these vehicles. However, with front wheel drive, the car can do the opposite and under turn if taking a corner too sharp. In the end, they are easier to control than the over turning of rear wheel drive.

Another good thing about the front wheel type is that the engines tend to be smaller, giving more room for the inside of the car and giving the car less weight to pull, thus giving you better gas mileage. This is due to the fact that in a rear wheel drive car, an extra engine compartment is usually installed in the back of the car where, of course, it is used to power and push the back wheels along. The placement of the engine in the front of the car also helps with traction especially in rainy or snowy conditions, as the increased front weight helps give the tires traction on the road. However, if trying to go up a hill, it doesn't provide as much traction, as there is nothing pushing the car from the back. This is where a rear wheel types can become more helpful. Another bad thing is that the CV joints in front wheels tend to wear out quicker because there is more weight consistently being applied to the front of the car and those two front tires. The universal joints used in rear wheels do last longer as the entire weight of the car isn't always bearing down on them while driving.

As you can see, both front and rear wheel drive have their pros and cons, but over all front wheel drive is the safest way to go; especially for those less experienced drivers.

Bond Mejeh produces automotive related articles for Quick Cash Auto, a cash for cars service. Quick Cash Auto not only buys pre-owned vehicles of any year, make or model, but they also provide numerous articles about vehicle repair and automotive news.

Please visit http://www.QuickCashAuto.com for more information and be sure to check out our automotive blog.




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