FF advantages

scirocco · 08-12-2004, 08:13 PM

Can anybody tell me why it is that FF supposedly is better in the rain than FR? I have driven and even drifted FF but i can't figure this one out. I don't know the specific meaning of this but maybe it is about the generally larger tires on the front wheels of FFs or more weight from the engine on the rear wheels or something... if somebody coud shed some light on this i would really appreciate this.. thanx in advance

insane · 08-12-2004, 08:58 PM

A front wheel drive car is well, driven by its front wheels so generally unless you use the e-brake you can't make the back wheels loose traction, whereas a rear wheel drive car is, yep, driven by the rear wheels and when it is raining there is less traction on the road than when it is dry and if you are not careful you will loose control of your car. so basically in the rain you do not have to be as skilled of a driver to keep a front wheel drive car on the road.

Thai Juku · 08-12-2004, 09:02 PM

Since I drive an FF, I would say the entire drivetrain contributes to it (duh). The weight distribution is key to its handling ability. FF puts the engine weight directly over the driven wheels which can improve traction on slippery or snow-packed roads. But if your at a stop on a water gutter (maybe making a right turn out of a neigborhood), with water present, and your front wheels are in the gutter, then you might be prone to peeling out/hydroplaning. Not that it matters, it's something I exprience all the time...

Thai Juku · 08-12-2004, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by insane
A front wheel drive car is well, driven by its front wheels so generally unless you use the e-brake you can't make the back wheels loose traction, whereas a rear wheel drive car is, yep, driven by the rear wheels and when it is raining there is less traction on the road than when it is dry and if you are not careful you will loose control of your car. so basically in the rain you do not have to be as skilled of a driver to keep a front wheel drive car on the road.

Skill has nothing to do with it...FR and FF can both equally keep traction in the rain or whatever terrain. It just depends on the speed.

scirocco · 08-12-2004, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thai Juku
Skill has nothing to do with it...FR and FF can both equally keep traction in the rain or whatever terrain. It just depends on the speed.

thats what i thought.. i guess they just say that cuz FR spins easier under power

RallyGT · 08-12-2004, 10:05 PM

i think the mr2 would habdle the best in the rain...you wouldnt slide as easy

Thai Juku · 08-12-2004, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RallyGT
i think the mr2 would habdle the best in the rain...you wouldnt slide as easy

Actually, its like any other FR. Its back is heavy, so it's harder to control and regain the traction. Thats why it spins out a lot when you try to drift it.

Spy001 · 08-12-2004, 10:21 PM

well you can definitely get the rear end of an FF out in the rain its all about the driver and the car itself, my old sentra acted like an FR in the rain. The thing with stability in either types of car is that if you give it to much gas, that is generally what makes you lose control, and giving it too much gas in an FF mostly just gives you a little understeer, and you can generally just let go then give it less. with FR you give it too much the back slides out and you can get into a buncha trouble...mind you i am generalizing.
RallyGT: the thing about MR2 is that it is mid engine as the name implies, so its harder to make slip, but still possible, and if you do, chances are you are screwed because all the weight is in the back and its way harder to bring it back

once again im just generalizing and im really mostly talking about normal everyday driving.

thai juku it isnt like any other FR, especially since it isnt an FR its an MR, the engine is on top of the rear axle. if you spin out, then the back end will have a lot more momentum and will be very difficult to bring it back

Thai Juku · 08-12-2004, 10:23 PM

^Yeah buddy just copy what I just said...Kidding...

Spy001 · 08-12-2004, 10:26 PM

are you talkin about me?

Thai Juku · 08-12-2004, 10:29 PM

...Yes...

spinitsidewayz! · 08-12-2004, 10:30 PM

my friend has an mr2. plows like crazy... and then the mr2 is also spin happy...

Spy001 · 08-12-2004, 10:30 PM

lol how am i saying what you said at the end i completely went against what you said

{edit} i just realized how i worded that seemed like i wanted to start an argument, and i meant no offense though

Thai Juku · 08-12-2004, 10:49 PM

Just kidding...I like to joke around sometimes...no harm done

Spy001 · 08-12-2004, 10:51 PM

awesome

there need to be way more chill people like you, not only on this site but in the world

Thai Juku · 08-12-2004, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spy001
awesome there need to be way more chill people like you, not only on this site but in the world

Word...

scirocco · 08-12-2004, 11:51 PM

wow 15 posts in just a few hours... also i guess the whole "FF better in the rain" thing is just plain wrong for good drivers, i can drive rwd real nice in the rain and when i spin its usually on purpose

CrazyHawaiian · 08-13-2004, 12:56 AM

Probably easier to control in the rain because a loss of traction induced by throttle will not generate oversteer. Whereas a RWD car will kick out if you use too much throttle in the rain, the FF will not. So the FF car is easier to control (from the perspective of by-standers). The real solution here is to learn throttle control.

Spy001 · 08-13-2004, 12:58 AM

thats what i said thats what i said!! haha sorry i probably didnt describe it correctly :-/

CrazyHawaiian · 08-13-2004, 02:19 AM

D'oh sorry I didnt even read any of the replies *slap 4head*

Spy001 · 08-13-2004, 02:22 AM

ahah its all good

Thai Juku · 08-13-2004, 02:23 AM

Sometimes FF can handle better than FR, take the Jun Prelude for example...

insane · 08-13-2004, 05:36 PM

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Thai Juku
Skill has nothing to do with it...FR and FF can both equally keep traction in the rain or whatever terrain. It just depends on the speed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, thanks for calling me a liar, then later agreeing with what I said.

Just read the post above this one...

Thai Juku · 08-13-2004, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by insane
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Thai Juku
Skill has nothing to do with it...FR and FF can both equally keep traction in the rain or whatever terrain. It just depends on the speed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, thanks for calling me a liar, then later agreeing with what I said.

Just read the post above this one...

I never agreed to anything you said...My facts are totally different than yours. You talk about how to lose traction with an FF, how FF and FR lose traction easily in the rain (duh, everyone knows that), and how it takes less skill to drive an FF in the rain...So read carefully and learn how to quote someone...

insane · 08-14-2004, 04:00 PM

Let me make this as clear as possible: Dude asked why a FF is supposedly better in the rain, so I said that because a FF is drivien from the front you can't swing the rearend out but what I should have said is that if your just driving in the rain like your car is only a transportation device, then the chance that your cars rear will swing out is very low, and if you drive a FR exactly the same way you drove the FF and the weather and road conditions were exactly the same as you encountered them while driving the FF you would have a higher probability of swinging the rear end on the FR. So in conclusion, since it is harder to swing out the rear on an FF a driver would not need much skill to keep it on the road. Why do you think car companies started building FF's?

08-12-2004, 08:13 PM	#1
scirocco Large Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Moon Posts: 354	FF advantages Can anybody tell me why it is that FF supposedly is better in the rain than FR? I have driven and even drifted FF but i can't figure this one out. I don't know the specific meaning of this but maybe it is about the generally larger tires on the front wheels of FFs or more weight from the engine on the rear wheels or something... if somebody coud shed some light on this i would really appreciate this.. thanx in advance

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

08-12-2004, 08:58 PM	#2
insane ...are you? Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 89	A front wheel drive car is well, driven by its front wheels so generally unless you use the e-brake you can't make the back wheels loose traction, whereas a rear wheel drive car is, yep, driven by the rear wheels and when it is raining there is less traction on the road than when it is dry and if you are not careful you will loose control of your car. so basically in the rain you do not have to be as skilled of a driver to keep a front wheel drive car on the road.

08-12-2004, 09:02 PM	#3
Thai Juku Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 523	Since I drive an FF, I would say the entire drivetrain contributes to it (duh). The weight distribution is key to its handling ability. FF puts the engine weight directly over the driven wheels which can improve traction on slippery or snow-packed roads. But if your at a stop on a water gutter (maybe making a right turn out of a neigborhood), with water present, and your front wheels are in the gutter, then you might be prone to peeling out/hydroplaning. Not that it matters, it's something I exprience all the time...

08-12-2004, 10:05 PM	#6
RallyGT Domestic Drifter Join Date: May 2004 Location: SLC, Utah Posts: 463	i think the mr2 would habdle the best in the rain...you wouldnt slide as easy

08-12-2004, 10:21 PM	#8
Spy001 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 412	well you can definitely get the rear end of an FF out in the rain its all about the driver and the car itself, my old sentra acted like an FR in the rain. The thing with stability in either types of car is that if you give it to much gas, that is generally what makes you lose control, and giving it too much gas in an FF mostly just gives you a little understeer, and you can generally just let go then give it less. with FR you give it too much the back slides out and you can get into a buncha trouble...mind you i am generalizing. RallyGT: the thing about MR2 is that it is mid engine as the name implies, so its harder to make slip, but still possible, and if you do, chances are you are screwed because all the weight is in the back and its way harder to bring it back once again im just generalizing and im really mostly talking about normal everyday driving. thai juku it isnt like any other FR, especially since it isnt an FR its an MR, the engine is on top of the rear axle. if you spin out, then the back end will have a lot more momentum and will be very difficult to bring it back

08-12-2004, 10:23 PM	#9
Thai Juku Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 523	^Yeah buddy just copy what I just said...Kidding...

08-12-2004, 10:26 PM	#10
Spy001 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 412	are you talkin about me?

08-12-2004, 10:29 PM	#11
Thai Juku Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 523	...Yes...

08-12-2004, 10:30 PM	#12
spinitsidewayz! skidster Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: sd Posts: 342	my friend has an mr2. plows like crazy... and then the mr2 is also spin happy...

08-12-2004, 10:49 PM	#14
Thai Juku Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 523	Just kidding...I like to joke around sometimes...no harm done

08-12-2004, 10:51 PM	#15
Spy001 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 412	awesome there need to be way more chill people like you, not only on this site but in the world

08-12-2004, 11:51 PM	#17
scirocco Large Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Moon Posts: 354	wow 15 posts in just a few hours... also i guess the whole "FF better in the rain" thing is just plain wrong for good drivers, i can drive rwd real nice in the rain and when i spin its usually on purpose

08-13-2004, 12:56 AM	#18
CrazyHawaiian Sample One Time!! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Hawaii Posts: 1,276	Probably easier to control in the rain because a loss of traction induced by throttle will not generate oversteer. Whereas a RWD car will kick out if you use too much throttle in the rain, the FF will not. So the FF car is easier to control (from the perspective of by-standers). The real solution here is to learn throttle control.

08-13-2004, 12:58 AM	#19
Spy001 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 412	thats what i said thats what i said!! haha sorry i probably didnt describe it correctly :-/

08-13-2004, 02:19 AM	#20
CrazyHawaiian Sample One Time!! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Hawaii Posts: 1,276	D'oh sorry I didnt even read any of the replies slap 4head

08-13-2004, 02:22 AM	#21
Spy001 Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 412	ahah its all good

08-13-2004, 02:23 AM	#22
Thai Juku Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 523	Sometimes FF can handle better than FR, take the Jun Prelude for example...

08-13-2004, 05:36 PM	#23
insane ...are you? Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 89	quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by Thai Juku Skill has nothing to do with it...FR and FF can both equally keep traction in the rain or whatever terrain. It just depends on the speed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, thanks for calling me a liar, then later agreeing with what I said. Just read the post above this one...

08-14-2004, 04:00 PM	#25
insane ...are you? Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 89	Let me make this as clear as possible: Dude asked why a FF is supposedly better in the rain, so I said that because a FF is drivien from the front you can't swing the rearend out but what I should have said is that if your just driving in the rain like your car is only a transportation device, then the chance that your cars rear will swing out is very low, and if you drive a FR exactly the same way you drove the FF and the weather and road conditions were exactly the same as you encountered them while driving the FF you would have a higher probability of swinging the rear end on the FR. So in conclusion, since it is harder to swing out the rear on an FF a driver would not need much skill to keep it on the road. Why do you think car companies started building FF's?