Which is faster RWD or 4x4?

obi_waynne

obi_waynne

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All other things being equal would a car with RWD be faster down the strip than a 4x4? The difficult thing is weighing up the transmission losses of the 4x4 with the extra traction. Any comments/opinions on this would be most welcome?
 
Waynne, that is a intresting one, if you are making big power the 4 wheel drive will give you much better tracksion of the line.Even with my golf I have alot of tracsion problems of the line, were the 4 wheel drives tend to shoot of the line.The rwd making good power tend lift their noses allot and stepping out at the back.And then you need to play catchup down the line.I think the 4 wheel drives is much more forgiving of the line than fwd and rwd cars.
What times do the street legal cars run there by you guys on the 1/4 mile.
 
I see most cars getting 11-14 seconds. (Not that impressive really!) There are a few which have achieved 10 second times but these are usually large supercharged v8's.

What you really need is 4 wheel drive off the line and RWD the rest of the way. I wouldn't mind betting that this has been done somewhere!
 
Well. Hopefully i'll be able to post some pic's and a vid soon when I take the Scooby to Santa-Pod in a few weeks. She's not gonna be near the 10 seconds cars but hoping for around 12-13 seconds, which aint bad at all.
 
I know a fair few FWD cars running in the 13 second area, but if you can keep the power up, a 4wd car will win. It will always have more grip than a RWD car but the problem is having a car that has the power to overcome losses.

Dave
 
If you ask me I'd tell you, as far as 'the fastest' is concerned, that on a smooth track, RWD is going to win the drag race, AWD the 2nd place, FWD the 3rd position, & 4WD the 4th position; considering that all the cars are of same BHP & Torque!! Am I wrong??
 
sunny1588bd That does sort of roughly agree with my thinking. I want to see some hard stats perhaps a skyline do the same run in RWD and 4x4 mode. The 4x4 will (I think) always get away quicker. It is an interesting debate none the less! Thanks for your input.
 
4WDs are very powerful compare 2 other wheel base, indeed. But hey, I'm pretty happy with my Acura Vigor, 2.5 Litter, 195 BHP (after I replaced the Exhaust with this RSR-2 Muffler & Installed Cold Air Intake, the BHP simply had a boost!), AWD, and 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds!!! I often smoke quite a good number of cars out there, U can bet on me!! This other day I smoked this Mazda RX-8 & beleive me that bloke behind the stearing simply couldn't believe himself wot's going on!!!
 
waynne said:
What you really need is 4 wheel drive off the line and RWD the rest of the way. I wouldn't mind betting that this has been done somewhere!
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not sure but i think the new nissan gtr has this system rwd until the loss of traction at the rear and then turns into 4wd i read or heard it someware ???
 
Dear PGARNER, the system here U R talking is known as AWD, if I'm not wrong. AWD acts as a 4WD "only" when traction of any of the whells is lost. When the traction is back, it works as a FWD.
 
yeah what i was getting at was the previous post. even if the GTR doesnt no this as standard
i cant see why someone cant set up a AWD for rwd as standard converting to 4wd when traction is lost then reverting back to rwd when possible.




in theory this would give you traction off the line then save you the transmission losses associated with 4wd


sorry i thought AWD in most cases was just another 4WD. i didnt realize that so many just used FWD until necessary
 
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All rite, I've gotta put some lines here just to elaborate my tiny knowledge on the entire scenario. Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of these . . .
4WD = Four Wheel Drive, RWD = Rear Wheel Drive, FWD = Front Wheel Drive, AWD = All Wheel Drive; I guess we all know about this. Any 4WD vehicle is more muscular since it is spinning all of its wheels by all the power it has got, resulting in lot of fuel/gas consumption.

Most of the off roaders are 4WD. RWD vehicles spin the rear wheels only with a bit less fuel consumption than the 4WDs. Most of the racing cars & high performance cars are RW Driven. Also, drifting is effectively possible with RWDs. FWD vehicles are the common compact/family/coupe cars or sedans that we see more on the road these days.

These front wheel driven cars use only the front wheels to spin. The reason why there are front wheel base is the price/value of the car. Since front wheels are the closest to the engines, it makes cheaper than the 4wd or rwd. All Wheel Driven cars are basically alike of front wheel driven cars but there is this system that engages all of its wheels (like a 4wd) when traction of any of the wheels is lost.
when the traction is back to the normal position, an AWD get backs to a FWD!! The reason why most AWD is not a RWD is the cost of the transmission system. But then again there are AWDs that is a RWD in normal traction. If you ask me, I'll bet for a RWD since I believe that'll win the race!!
 
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Thanks for that Sunny, looks fine to me;)

I'm not sure if FWD is cheaper to make - the CV joints are quite complex. FWD is more stable and less prone to oversteer and this is the main reason our cars are FWD in the main.
 
In Malta we got very good Sierra/escort cosworth 4wd (totally standard interior) with a good time of 9.9sec and 10's for other cars we call them super street we use a modified hydro transfer case which will swicth to rear wheel drive after the 60ft and runs around 7's to 8.5's
 
herb said:
not sure but i think the new nissan gtr has this system rwd until the loss of traction at the rear and then turns into 4wd i read or heard it someware ???
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yeah, on top gear i think
that car is brill,,its limited to 180 kph,but when the sat nav sees its at a race track, the limiter switches off, great car
it done a 7 min something on the nurmberg ring too

great news nasp fans and honda fans

honda are building a new nsx and wont produce it until it can beat the time of the gtr on the same ring:cheesy: very intresting indeed
il try and find the site i saw this on, il post it up when i do

waynne im not comparing here,these are japans 2 top sport cars,have been for years,they can compare between themselves, i admire both cars,;) its just for members to see
if im doing wrong let me know and i wont post
cheers mate:blink1:
 
then you also have to look at, in order for the 4wd car to make the same output hp as a RWD at the wheels, it has to make more torque due to added weight and more componets that have to move. So is it a fair to say they have the same #'s?

IMHO I believe in the RWD will win.

Prevtec-did you find that web site? I would like to check it out!
 
Rwd, as 4wd cannot spin a easy, unless loads of power and even then they can bog down on the line.

Porsche 911 great, as rwd and engine over wheels, a great combo for acceleration, same with Hillman Imp, see them blast off the mark, as with rear engine bike conversions and mid engine with rwd.

Locked diff in rear better than 4wd for traction, when did you last see a top fueller dragster with Fwd or 4wd ?
 
sunny1588bd said:
Dear PGARNER, the system here U R talking is known as AWD, if I'm not wrong. AWD acts as a 4WD "only" when traction of any of the whells is lost. When the traction is back, it works as a FWD.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry I've only just read this thread but i'm afraid your wrong buddy. AWD is permanent 4 wheel drive. Where as the term 4x4 can be switchable.
 
Generally speaking, if you're talking about maximum traction and acceleration from a standing start, RWD is preferential, hence the reason I and most other weapons grade racecars use it.

When you consider the 60ft times of things like a Bugatti Veyron, as opposed to a lightly pepped up Fox body Mustang, you realise how much a 4WD system bogs down on the line compared to a RWD setup.

At a RWYB, look at Lambos etc crawling off the startline as the 4WD tugs on the engine, bogging down and taking the first 60ft to overcome it.

Weight transfer is as much a critical thing as the drive wheels. If the chassis setup is correct, RWD will hookup and go with minimal fuss & lots of consistency.
 
i agree that rwd is faster with good set up, but like street modifid 20ltr engine turbo
with 450bhp to 550bhp, 4wd good set up they made incradible 60ft
 
benford said:
i agree that rwd is faster with good set up, but like street modifid 20ltr engine turbo
with 450bhp to 550bhp, 4wd good set up they made incradible 60ft
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It depends on what you deem a good 60ft time. The UK version of street legal is Street Eliminator, where cars need to run on DoT approved tyres, unleaded fuel, full exhaust systems, MoT and a tax disc.

The quickest 60ft is in the 1.25 region. Bear in mind they weigh circa 3200lbs on average. All of which are RWD.

A quick glimpse at the average 60ft time for a Nissan GT-R, seems to be in the 1.8 region, and I'd judge the Nissan to have the most highly developed traction system available on a road going vehicle.
 
That's a good time 1.25!
for the front wheel drive what is the best to do for traction?? i got a focus RS with 385BHP on wheels with 286NM and soon will give 65bhp of nitro and with road legal tyres i make 1.87 60ft with 24" M&H tires x 10.5 we made 1.67 but second gear the gearbox went out of job!
 
benford said:
That's a good time 1.25!
for the front wheel drive what is the best to do for traction?? i got a focus RS with 385BHP on wheels with 286NM and soon will give 65bhp of nitro and with road legal tyres i make 1.87 60ft with 24" M&H tires x 10.5 we made 1.67 but second gear the gearbox went out of job!
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I assume you meant nitrous oxide rather than nitro. Nitro, otherwise known as nitromethane, is a blend of TNT and other chemicals, which isn't for use in roadgoing, nor most race engines.

The M&H tyres are quite good, I'd maybe drop the psi do around 8-10, and see what affet it has, assuming you haven't tried that already.

On the nitrous side of things, will that be activated before throttle application, or on WOT switch? If the latter is the case, you might find it makes no difference to the 60ft as if it wont hookup off the line, it's unlikely you'll be at WOT. Try it and see what happens. The tyres might cope with it, or might not.

The extreme version of this would be wheelie bars and jacking the rearend of the car up to keep the weight distribution as forward as possible.
 
of couse nitrous oxide!! but first i am looking for a transmition and drive shafts!!!
thanks with the information
 
:)My rs have 420bhp on the fly wheel with Advand 408 245/45/17 it done 13.1 1/4 mile
with M/T tyres slicks 22.5" 11.3sec rection time 1.76 and the chassis is complete standard just Gas coil overs in front but this weekend we have the 1/4 mile and i have dot M&H tyres if the gearbox hold the power! we see
 
You could try asking any of these people,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdAz2sbUm3E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuvBLWciOXs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt-iazP1688

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewJwXjpOMZE&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTWi1-LnANY





QUOTE ".........RS with 385BHP on wheels with 286NM..........." UNQUOTE

This doesn't sound quite right. 286Nm is 211lb-ft of torque yet with the quoted 385hp you'd be making way more than that from any rpm above 5,252.

Someone has mis-calculated somewhere. ;)
 
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