Understanding the Drive Layouts
by: Alvin Agomaa
The drive layout is the arrangement of the engine, transmission, and driven axles. The types of drive layouts are Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/ FWD), Front engine Rear wheel drive (FR/RWD), Mid engine Rear wheel drive(MR), Rear engine Rear wheel drive(RR), Four wheel drive (4WD or 4x4) and the All Wheel Drive(AWD). Each of these layouts has their own performance, advantages and disadvantages.
Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/FWD) ? The Engine and the two driven axles are placed in front, where the power from the engine is transferred straight to the front wheels. This layout increases the interior space especially in small cars because there is no central tunnel needed for the driveshaft. FF layout has advantage when it comes on low grip surfaces, and its tendency to understeer reduces the risk of losing control. The disadvantage is the load placed on the front tires. The front tires must transfer all acceleration, steering, cornering, and braking forces to the road. This kind of tasks gives a lot of stress in front tires which may lead to wear and tear, while the rear tires have very little load on them.
Front engine Rear wheel drive (FR/ RWD) - This is the complement of FF layout, where the engine is placed longitudinally at the front but the two driven axles are placed at the rear connected through the driveshaft. With this kind of layout, installation of more powerful engine such as V8, V10 and V12 is not a problem. Since the FR has a driveshaft, central tunnel is present in this layout a little interior space is sacrificed. All of the disadvantages of the FF layout are the advantages of FR layout.
Mid Engine Rear wheel drive (MR) ? The drive layout that consumes a lot of interior space of the car especially the seating capacity, the engine is placed in the middle of the chassis and the driven axles are at the rear. Although it has more weight at the rear, entering a corner makes it more difficult because the front tires have less traction resulting to understeer and since the rear is heavy, the car tends to oversteer when exiting a corner. This kind of layout is commonly used in racing cars and sports cars because of weight distribution focused in the center of the car.
Rear engine Rear wheel drive (RR) - This layout places both engine and the driven axle at the rear of the vehicle, even though the rear wheels benefit from the additional grip due to the added weight given by the engine, the front wheels still need grip in order to steer the car effectively. That?s why RR layout car can also be prone to understeer.
Four Wheel Drive (4WD or 4X4) / All Wheel Drive (AWD) ? It is a term usually used to describe a car where the four wheels receive power from the engine simultaneously. This can be found in an off-road vehicle. A well distributed power to the four wheels improves the grip of the vehicle. The terms 4WD and 4X4
are used in jeeps and other off-road vehicles that require the driver to switch from 2WD used in street driving (two wheel drive) to 4WD to improve the grip depending on the road condition like mud, snow, etc. and it has a high and low gear selection. The AWD term was invented to identify the vehicle capable of driving all the wheels on any road condition without selecting high and low gear selection because the power is distributed on all the wheels. Unlike the 4WD with gear selection, you don?t have to select the appropriate gear to match the road condition. Most of the modern cars use AWD system for more traction and better handling.
About The Author
Alvin D. Agomaa is a car enthusiast who also write articles to give out advices about car maintenance, tips for buying cars and the like. For free car classified listings visit http://www.ozfreeonline.com/cars/.
|
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
by: Joseph Kenny
Do you know most of the car accidents are caused because of one or the other fault in the car tires? Most of the car accident reimbursement that the car owners have to pay to the accident victims or the loss they have to incur in terms of insurance money they get is all due to fault in car tires. So, when you go out to buy a car then with all the factors like performance, brand, price, appearance, comfort, and maybe even safety, do consider the performance and integrity of the car tires as well. Even if you own a pre-owned car do make sure that your car tires are in good condition and match your car type, the kind of use it is put to and the geographical demand of the area where you live.
Reliable Tires
Remember different kinds of vehicle require different kinds of tires. So, you must do some research on your car type and its matching tire type. Do not trust the previous owner if you are buying a...
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
Cooper tires > Is Your Car Tires Safe?
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
by: Joseph Kenny
Do you know most of the car accidents are caused because of one or the other fault in the car tires? Most of the car accident reimbursement that the car owners have to pay to the accident victims or the loss they have to incur in terms of insurance money they get is all due to fault in car tires. So, when you go out to buy a car then with all the factors like performance, brand, price, appearance, comfort, and maybe even safety, do consider the performance and integrity of the car tires as well. Even if you own a pre-owned car do make sure that your car tires are in good condition and match your car type, the kind of use it is put to and the geographical demand of the area where you live.
Reliable Tires
Remember different kinds of vehicle require different kinds of tires. So, you must do some research on your car type and its matching tire type. Do not trust the previous owner if you are buying a...
Is Your Car Tires Safe?
Cooper tires > Is Your Car Tires Safe?
Hotwheels Live Up to Their Name
Hotwheels Live Up to Their Name
by: Scott Bianchi
Hot Wheels Live Up to Their Name
The more research I do for my website the more I realize that there is an awful lot of things in this world I know nothing about.
I am trying to build a more substantial hobbies section for my site.
While doing so I came across something I never expected to be such a widespread hobby, collecting Hot Wheels.
When I was little I used to play with Hot Wheels in the dirt, drop rocks on them, put them under the tires of my parents cars and watch them get crushed when they drove off.
What did I know, I was 7 years old and they cost about $.50 each back then.
How could I have
known that I was probably throwing away hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
You read that correctly, possibly thousands of dollars wasted.
There are a handful of sites dedicated to Hot Wheels collecting.
Two sites that...
Cooper tires > Hotwheels Live Up to Their Name
How to Take Great Flower Photos
How to Take Great Flower Photos
by: Kelly Paal
I know that many out there want to improve their photography in one aspect. Flower photography. With gardening as popular as it is this shouldn?t be a surprise. Flower photography while looking like one of the simplest forms of photography can quickly become one of the most difficult. Here are a few tips for you. (Keeping in mind that basic good photography skills are always used.)
- Soft diffuse...
Cooper tires > How to Take Great Flower Photos
Muscle Cars, Like Dinosaurs, Once Ruled The Earth
Muscle Cars, Like Dinosaurs, Once Ruled The Earth
by: Brian Edwards
Detroit, or the world, has never produced an automobile that rivals the muscle cars of the 1960?s and early 1970?s. They were big, powerful and wonderfully unrefined. No one would call them sports car in the traditional sense. They were not nimble and curves were dangerous at most any speed. However, what they lacked in sophistication they made up for in brut force. In many ways the GTO?s, Mustangs,...
Muscle Cars, Like Dinosaurs, Once Ruled The Earth
Cooper tires > Muscle Cars, Like Dinosaurs, Once Ruled The Earth
Office Furniture: Save Money When Setting Up Your Office
Office Furniture: Save Money When Setting Up Your Office
by: Mary West
Getting the right office furniture is part and parcel of setting up a business operation. That applies to simple home offices as well as large multi-city enterprises and everything in between.
Here are several things you can do to ensure that you buy office furniture as economically as possible.
* The first step is to plan your office. Write down your exact needs. Figure out...
furniture Cooper tires Office Furniture: Save Money When Setting Up Your Office
Cooper tires > Office Furniture: Save Money When Setting Up Your Office
How To Make SURE Your Prospects Stay Glued To Your Sales Copy!
How To Make SURE Your Prospects Stay Glued To Your Sales Copy!
by: Craig Garber
If you want to make sure your prospects stay GLUED to your
sales copy once they start reading, then this is the most
exciting and important message you will ever read!
Keeping your prospects glued to your sales copy isn't easy,
but remember what I said yesterday:
The sole purpose of your first paragraph is to get you to
read your second paragraph. ...
Cooper tires How To Make SURE Your Prospects Stay Glued To Your Sales Copy!
Cooper tires > How To Make SURE Your Prospects Stay Glued To Your Sales Copy!
7 Designer Fashion Investments For A Gorgeous Look All Year Round
7 Designer Fashion Investments For A Gorgeous Look All Year Round
by: Janice Wee
What are the 7 fashion essentials that are worth while investing in? 7 must haves that would take you through spring, summer, autumn and winter without a hitch?
#1 A Chiffon Dress
In summer, a chiffon dress can be worn on its own. In autumn and winter, that dress is still in vogue. Just layer it with your winter wardrone. Wear your dress with a knit turtleneck and you...
Cooper tires 7 Designer Fashion Investments For A Gorgeous Look All Year Round Understanding the Drive Layouts
Cooper tires > 7 Designer Fashion Investments For A Gorgeous Look All Year Round