Meanwhile, the driveshaft and rear differential (necessary to send power to the rear tires) add weight in the rear. Engineers can move the front wheels forward, so that the engine – which doesn’t have to be connected to those wheels – sits behind the front axle. “A rear-drive car can typically approach that,” says Zellner. The ideal weight distribution, then, would be split about 50/50 between front and rear (actually, 48/52 to help with forward pitch during braking). An ideal car would distribute its weight evenly, so each tire had to bear the same load, and none would give way earlier than all the others. There are, I learned, five basic reasons:ġ) “Balance”: The car rides on four patches of rubber, each about as big as your hand.
So I called up a helpful GM suspension expert, Vehicle Chief Engineer Ed Zellner.
Why are rear-drive cars more fun? Every enthusiast may know the answer, but I didn’t.
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