FWD vs. RWD

Silent Stone · 2010-02-11T06:03:36+00:00

Recently I was lurking, and I read someone talk about RWD vs. FWD in the snow (sorry, i don't remember who). It seems that most anyone I know seems to think that FWD is safer or has better traction, and I might remember hearing FWD cars marketed this way when they first started appearing in the 1980s (I was pretty young, so I things might be kind of fuzzy). At the same time though, I hear some of the older folks (read: 40s and up) say that FWD was all about cutting costs and it offers NO traction or control benefit over RWD. The OP even mentioned something like "Oversteer is when the passenger is scared, understeer is when the driver is scared). I'm no scholar, but what I know about physics (from a layman's perspective) sort of supports the second group (RWD is still superior from a performance/safety/control aspect). Unfortunately, I'm often accused of trying to outsmart my appliances, so maybe I'm just being an idiot. Does FWD live up to the hype, or am I just being stodgy if I side with RWD? Thanks. -John

Feb 11, 2010 28 Replies

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cuhulin 16 years ago

When I bought my 1948 Willys Jeep for $300.00 a few years ago, the Jeep was worn out, it is still worn out now, two burnt valves.If I ever get around to rebuilding my Jeep, I reckon I will find out what four wheel drive is like.

I know of two local area guys whom restored their old Jeeps.One of the Jeeps is a World War Two Jeep, the guy works in the parts department at a local Volvo truck dealership.The other guy owns a 1951 Jeep.

On the web, Brian's World War Two Military Jeeps

Nobody likes World War Two era vehicles more than I do. cuhulin

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Scott Dorsey 16 years ago

It's weird. It's no fun on the highway. It is different than modern AWD... but there's no hydraulic slip joint to fail either. Once you get it onto a dirt road where the tires can do the slipping, it's great.

Get the head job done on that thing, it's a fun vehicle.

--scott

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Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B 16 years ago

How the hell do you figure out all those friggin' levers?!?!?

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Scott Dorsey 16 years ago

If you have the right MOS on your ticket, they send you to jeep school where they tell you want the levers are for! If you don't have the right MOS you aren't allowed to touch it and you have to call the motor pool sergeant to send over a driver...

--scott

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Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B 16 years ago

That's why Colonels and Generals always had a Sergeant driving for them!

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cuhulin 16 years ago

During World War Two, the Pentagon figured the Jeeps had a lifespan of about two to three weeks.What does that say about the Troops whom were driving/riding in those Jeeps? cuhulin

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N8N 16 years ago

Head job? I'm ASSuming, being a '48, that it's valve-in-block.

Personally, I would just swap a Studebaker V-8 into it (seriously, it's a pretty easy swap) but I'm sick like that.

nate

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cuhulin 16 years ago

My 1948 Willys Jeep has an old Jack & Heintz winch mounted on the front bumper.The two large winch cables, the guy I bought my Jeep from, he said his dogs chewed the two cables in half.Jeep also has an old factory made metal top, top with sides, the two doors are missing.It was like that when I bought my Jeep. cuhulin

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Scott Dorsey 16 years ago

I think it has more to say about the 88 than anything else.

--scott

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