Hi,

theres an article over on Popularmechanics.com that is making the point that tires are really the only important item in handling at highway speeds and slick surfaces.

The author appears to have the background to make the claim, but I wondered folks around here might think. He does admit that RWD does tend to fishtail vs the alternatives. But, he says that's a matter of better accelleration, and not better handling.

In my own meager experience, I used to switch to 4WD (when I had it), when things got slippery. I thought that it helped, but that was basically just an impression.

I find FrontWD to be good as well -- until you lift off or hit the brakes. Things seem to change for the worse when you do.

Comments welcomed,

hj

 

A good rear-biased AWD system will mop the floor with anything else. Driving skill is a huge part of it, but in my experience rear wheel drive is more predictable and easier to control on the edge.
Plus rwd and awd don't yank the wheel out of your hands when you get on it-

 

Looks at all the Crown Vics still in use as patrol cars. I'm really liking the traction control feature on F-150. That feature on any RWD vehicle is priceless IMO.

 

i have never had a front wheel drive or all wheel drive vehicle, and really never plan on getting one either, because i have no need for one.
but then again, i have no problem at all with my rear wheel drive vehicles because i am not a total idiot, and know how to drive.

 

The CV is discontinued. Ford is trying to sell a front-biased AWD Taurus in its place. I have never driven an AWD car, the closest was a full-time 4x4 1974 Jeep, and that was not a pleasant experience on dry roads. The newer systems are electronic.

Having driven RWD with and without limited slip, FWD and part-time 4x4 in snow and ice, but I never "push" the handling in those situations, the RWD L/S BMW sedan with all seasons felt the best. Maybe that was because of the type of car with 50/50 weight balance and lower cg than the trucks.

 

Yes of course. I was making comment about how well they do get around as they are still in use.

 

i have an AWD Bmw 328xi coupe. The car is an absolute joy to drive in all conditions with a rear bias awd, I do prefer my RWD vehicles over FWD for sure and have driven through lots of snow and foul weather no problem with no traction control at all. My 4X4 superduty is an absolute snow monster and has never given me any "pucker factor" while in 4X4 in the 10 years i have had it. Scared me a few times in 2wd though, she does like to wag the tail sometimes.

 

I agree with the fact tires play a very important role in traction & handling.
I have 50 years of driving vehicles. 40+ years of driving 4x4s. I have used 4x4s where we had to chain up 4x4s to get out of very remote areas. I grew up in the high desert in a very rural area. As the years went by tire improvements in design were clear to us in our traction on & off road.
We have a FWD Honda my wife commutes in to the Eastern Sierra's near Mammoth Lakes CA. I look for tires with as much sipeing as I can. Siped tires provide much better traction on ice & slick surfaces. With the more modern tires I have not had to use chains on 4x4s & FWDs. My wife has to carry chains in California by law but has never had to use them.
Having said all this, being a good, aware driver ties it all together for safe travels. But for the idiots out there nothing works including 4x4s. If you gave them tanks they would just kill more people before they wreck.
Craig

 

I'd rather have a FWD with open diff and winter tires than anything else on all season tires. Got into snow storm the day after changing back to summer tires with my Audi A4 and it was just ridiculous.

That being said I do get a lot of snow near Montreal and I don't think I will be driving non-AWD or 4x4 cars much anymore. The Acura TL is FWD; has traction control and limited slip differential. I'd rather drive the MDX anyway the road has some snow or is very wet.

Right now I'm aiming to get the F250 and keep the MDX

In a few years I'll probably go back to one big truck and one economy car but probably a subaru or something with AWD.

 

AWD BMWs feel fabulously like rear-drivers until you need the traction. I spent a lot of time in an X5 that was a hoot to drive, even in the snow. The added traction from the front was great, but the rear torque bias kept things interesting.