It all depends on whether or not you know how to drive as to which car is best for you.
Ice Driving! Which engine layout is best?
- Thread starter PanGasket
- Start date
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If only there were an option for a half-track... ;)
I much prefer RWD of the choices presented because:
1) It's what I grew up with
2) It makes more sense to me to separate the wheels that steer from the wheels that propel (you can only steer a loose FWD so much by manipulating the parking brake)
3) It's hard to throw rooster tails of slush/mud/roadkill on windshields behind you with FWD
I much prefer RWD of the choices presented because:
1) It's what I grew up with
2) It makes more sense to me to separate the wheels that steer from the wheels that propel (you can only steer a loose FWD so much by manipulating the parking brake)
3) It's hard to throw rooster tails of slush/mud/roadkill on windshields behind you with FWD
Engine weight over the drive wheels is best on snow. Nothing works well on ice. When I was a kid we went anywhere in a 62 Corvair. Drove by VW Beetles that were stuck.
A few year ago my brother was in Germany for his job and driving a rental ( Audi I think ) with all wheel drive and traction control. He was amazed.
A few year ago my brother was in Germany for his job and driving a rental ( Audi I think ) with all wheel drive and traction control. He was amazed.
ckj688
Well-Known Member
I've driven both (I now have an awd car) but FWD scared the sh*t out of me. I hate turning with the same wheels that spin. With rear wheel at least I can downshift and drag the back while maintaining control in the front. Just my opinion, felt a lot safer in a rear wheel drive car.
slant6/4speed
Well-Known Member
Best I found is is a SAAB 93 (old Saab 2 stroke) with 4 studded tires. Can go up steep hill covered in ice!
The best ice driving vehicle I ever had was a 1976 Chevy 1 ton wrecker...
6X6 454 auto with studded snows all the way around.
If I did get stuck (never) I could winch my *** out if there was something within 200 ft to hook onto.
FWD is ok because it pulls in the direction that you steer and you aren't trying to push thru 8 to 10 inches of snow with a tire, you dig thru it.
My older brother has 2 Audi Turbo Quattros and they will push snow with the headlights. He runs Blizzack tires on his winter beater and they are amazing. The rubber is best when it is cold and some snow on the ground as the tires tend to get hot on dry pavement.
6X6 454 auto with studded snows all the way around.
If I did get stuck (never) I could winch my *** out if there was something within 200 ft to hook onto.
FWD is ok because it pulls in the direction that you steer and you aren't trying to push thru 8 to 10 inches of snow with a tire, you dig thru it.
My older brother has 2 Audi Turbo Quattros and they will push snow with the headlights. He runs Blizzack tires on his winter beater and they are amazing. The rubber is best when it is cold and some snow on the ground as the tires tend to get hot on dry pavement.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
You can't even do that on much of the American junk, certainly not my 95 Olds.........guess I COULD try a great big string to the release knob.......
MoparLvr
Well-Known Member
When it comes to stopping on ice they're all pretty much the same (although weight has a contributing factor). Winter tires vastly improve traction or lack of on any vehicle during icy/snowy conditions. Front wheel drive vehicles have an advantage over rear wheel drive vehicles when moving from a stop. Experience is the key to staying on the road and accident free during adverse weather conditions. I've driven them all in the last 34 or so years and the roads here are icy for at least 4-5 months of the year. To the "op" my old Exploder was a completely different handling vehicle when I put winter tires on it.
4flats
Well-Known Member
I prefer RWD, but we don't get a huge amount of ice here (normaly) and almost no snow on the roads. I think for snow/ice the best thing to have is a low-horsepower vehicle. It's not going to stop/steer any better, but it's easier to control the spin. I think that is another reason VW Bugs do so well, it's a lot harder to get into trouble wit 65hp over the drive wheels than 200hp with not much weight in the back. FWD (to me) is just squirrelly.
The most "controllable" car I ever had in ice was an '89 camaro with a v-6. When it did get out of shape it was very predictable and easy to correct. I had a '79 Scout 4wd that was just plain frightening on dry pavement - over-powered, 35 in tires, limited slip, lots of play everywhere. A 4wd set-up for mud is the last thing you want to drive on ice.
The most "controllable" car I ever had in ice was an '89 camaro with a v-6. When it did get out of shape it was very predictable and easy to correct. I had a '79 Scout 4wd that was just plain frightening on dry pavement - over-powered, 35 in tires, limited slip, lots of play everywhere. A 4wd set-up for mud is the last thing you want to drive on ice.
dgc333
Well-Known Member
I have been driving in New England winter for 40 years now and have had lots of experience with both RWD, FWD and 4WD. Each has their own handling pecularities.
Typically RWD cars don't have as much weight over the rear wheels as the front wheels so the back end will break loose and come around quite easily. If only your back wheels are sliding and you still have traction with the front wheels it is pretty easy to steer out of that kind of slide. You can make a RWD work very well in the slippery conditions adding ballast over the rear wheels. Back when there really weren't any FWD and 4WD was rare and expensive everyone mounted up studded snow tires (or had tire changes in the trunk) in the winter and put ballast in the trunk or the bed. When I was younger the plows didn't even go out until there was 4" of snow on the roads and people didn't have issues getting around because they did what was necessary to make there vehicles work.
With FWD you now have the majority of the vehicles weight over the front wheels which gives you an advantage with traction compared to a non ballasted RWD. BUT, if you get the front wheels sliding you have lost all control of the car and are just along for the ride at that point. With the front wheels driving the car as well as steering you will loose control of the front end at a lower speed than with RWD. These days the roads are plowed much better and you almost never see more than an inch or so build up on main roads but I see more people spun out and stuck than when I was younger and most folks had RWD. I think most of that has to do with almost no one uses dedicated snow tires these days or studs and I doubt you could even mount tire chains plus a very large precentage of vehicles these days come with 60 series or wider profile tires which are the worest thing in the snow.
4WD and especially the AWD vehicles that have a center differential are definately the best for traction. You can have the front or the back break loose ans still have some control that will allow you to drive out of the slide. BUT, folks tend to drive much faster than they should in the slippery conditions and I see alot of 4WD and AWD a stuck along way off the road or upside down off the road.
I personally have been able to deal with slippery conditions with all three types but feel much more secure in my 4WD pick-up with some ballast in the back. One observation I can make is the police in my area are out driving in the worest of conditions all the time and always have been. I am not aware of any departments that don't use RWD Crown Vics or Chargers and I never see them stuck. That has to tell you something!!
Typically RWD cars don't have as much weight over the rear wheels as the front wheels so the back end will break loose and come around quite easily. If only your back wheels are sliding and you still have traction with the front wheels it is pretty easy to steer out of that kind of slide. You can make a RWD work very well in the slippery conditions adding ballast over the rear wheels. Back when there really weren't any FWD and 4WD was rare and expensive everyone mounted up studded snow tires (or had tire changes in the trunk) in the winter and put ballast in the trunk or the bed. When I was younger the plows didn't even go out until there was 4" of snow on the roads and people didn't have issues getting around because they did what was necessary to make there vehicles work.
With FWD you now have the majority of the vehicles weight over the front wheels which gives you an advantage with traction compared to a non ballasted RWD. BUT, if you get the front wheels sliding you have lost all control of the car and are just along for the ride at that point. With the front wheels driving the car as well as steering you will loose control of the front end at a lower speed than with RWD. These days the roads are plowed much better and you almost never see more than an inch or so build up on main roads but I see more people spun out and stuck than when I was younger and most folks had RWD. I think most of that has to do with almost no one uses dedicated snow tires these days or studs and I doubt you could even mount tire chains plus a very large precentage of vehicles these days come with 60 series or wider profile tires which are the worest thing in the snow.
4WD and especially the AWD vehicles that have a center differential are definately the best for traction. You can have the front or the back break loose ans still have some control that will allow you to drive out of the slide. BUT, folks tend to drive much faster than they should in the slippery conditions and I see alot of 4WD and AWD a stuck along way off the road or upside down off the road.
I personally have been able to deal with slippery conditions with all three types but feel much more secure in my 4WD pick-up with some ballast in the back. One observation I can make is the police in my area are out driving in the worest of conditions all the time and always have been. I am not aware of any departments that don't use RWD Crown Vics or Chargers and I never see them stuck. That has to tell you something!!
Super T
Thisfieldistooshort
I own both, I prefer RWD so long as it's on appropriate tires. When you slide in FWD, you don't feel it coming and you push until you hit something. With RWD, you can get a feel for when it starts to give and for the most part, steer through it. Plus, it's more fun!
leblanc
member 2883
If your racing a front drive is far superior, but for street use there are SOME RWD that kick a--. RWD in winter are fun though.
stroked 340
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Around here FWD..that is of coarse only because 4-wheel drive was not an option..
PlumCrazyJay
70 Dart
FWD with radial snows, preferable studded for driving to work. RWD for doing donuts on packed snow and ice and just to have fun.
TheTecher
Evan the jeeper.
I have never gotten my jeep stuck with these tires
FWD has a small advantage in the snow. As most everyone noted, you've got more weight on the wheels with FWD, so you have better traction. You're pulling instead of pushing, so the front of the car is easier to control. And, your steering is better because the wheels are driven, as long as you're not spinning them. Start spinning them and you lose all of that advantage and then some. So, you have more traction, which is good, but if you break traction, you're worse off.
But, as always, the driver behind the wheel is more important. So is a properly equipped car (good tires, brakes, etc.). On ice you're pretty much boned either way. Giving your mother a FWD car will not change her driving ability. In fact, if she's used to driving a RWD car, it might make it WORSE. Driving a RWD vehicle in low traction conditions you can get away with overpowering and spinning your rear wheels, since you can still steer. Do this in a FWD and you can't.
And obviously, AWD/4WD wins over either. But don't forget that stopping, which is the biggest problem anyway, is the same. Everyone has 4 wheel brakes. The biggest advantage is having more driving traction. And, in the case of real 4WD's with lower gear ranges, being able to drive slower while maintaining RPM and traction.
But, as always, the driver behind the wheel is more important. So is a properly equipped car (good tires, brakes, etc.). On ice you're pretty much boned either way. Giving your mother a FWD car will not change her driving ability. In fact, if she's used to driving a RWD car, it might make it WORSE. Driving a RWD vehicle in low traction conditions you can get away with overpowering and spinning your rear wheels, since you can still steer. Do this in a FWD and you can't.
And obviously, AWD/4WD wins over either. But don't forget that stopping, which is the biggest problem anyway, is the same. Everyone has 4 wheel brakes. The biggest advantage is having more driving traction. And, in the case of real 4WD's with lower gear ranges, being able to drive slower while maintaining RPM and traction.
RedSwinger
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Yes, I know it is not an option . . . but I wouldn't take anything for my 4x4 Jeep Grand Cherokee Hemi! It has been great this week . . . even with the pi$$ poor response by the city, county and state road crews!
PanGasket
has cork sides
Tell me about it. Over by my house, my road is still a solid chunk of ice at the end. :angry7: I just drive carefully on it. Though ive seen 2 or 3 idiots slide off it into the middle of the main road cuz they dont know how to drive on ice.
shafer
Well-Known Member
weight of engine over front tires help to make great traction
65cudalover
Well-Known Member
my jeep cherokee is best it has 4wd!
Frankie
Member #9641
I have not read through the entire thread, but the OP question is regarding "Ice driving". I doubt that FWD or RWD are good for ice. When I lived in NJ, icy roads were not uncommon during the winter, especially on mornings following a winter rain.
I had a 71 Scamp, a 76 B200 van, and a 69 GTX at the time, and an 81 Jeep CJ six cylinder, with a 6' plow on it, and my wife had an 81 Olds with FWD. They all sucked on Ice.
Now, in snow, the little FWD Olds was better than all my RWD Mopars. But the Jeep really shines in the snow. The funniest thing was that if you had the plow hanging on it in the lifted position, and no one was in the back seat or there was no other weight back there, it used to unload the rear axle almost completely. I used to have to bolt the hard roof on it to counter the weight of the plow. A half dozen 50 pound sand bags behind the back seat helped a lot, too! lol. But, without the weight, I used to have to keep in in 4 wheel drive if the roads were wet, because the rear tires would spin on wet pavement.
I had a 71 Scamp, a 76 B200 van, and a 69 GTX at the time, and an 81 Jeep CJ six cylinder, with a 6' plow on it, and my wife had an 81 Olds with FWD. They all sucked on Ice.
Now, in snow, the little FWD Olds was better than all my RWD Mopars. But the Jeep really shines in the snow. The funniest thing was that if you had the plow hanging on it in the lifted position, and no one was in the back seat or there was no other weight back there, it used to unload the rear axle almost completely. I used to have to bolt the hard roof on it to counter the weight of the plow. A half dozen 50 pound sand bags behind the back seat helped a lot, too! lol. But, without the weight, I used to have to keep in in 4 wheel drive if the roads were wet, because the rear tires would spin on wet pavement.
shafer
Well-Known Member
problem with 4x4 is people dont use their head. They get to confident about having 4wd and throw caution to the wind. I cant tell you how many times i have watched a 4x4 pass me on the istate in snow and ice and i catch up to them 10 miles up the road in a ditch. my 2 Cents.
slant6/4speed
Well-Known Member
A few years back I found out that a 61 Corvair is really good in snow.
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