Rear Wheel Power
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,966
Likes: 4
From: Made In America
St. Jude Donor '10-'11
Rear Wheel Power
Kind of a dumb quiestion but here it goes. I have noticed that alot of jeeps and even mustangs that only one wheel turns until they reach a certain RPM/Speed. What about our C4s? Both wheels or just 1 wheel spins?
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Indian Trail, NC
anyone else?
Burning Brakes
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From: Richmond Virginia
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
both tires should spin from the get go.
Melting Slicks
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From: Olive Branch (Memphis suburb) MS
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Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Glenbeulah Wi
I need to clarify something on this post. All cars use both wheels to transmit power to the ground. Most cars have a open differential which means both wheels get exactually the same torque and the wheel with less traction will spin (but they both have the same torque being applied to them). On cars with posi traction there is a mechaical device that locks both axles together on acceleration and the wheel with less traction will not spin until you have overcome the traction at the wheel with the most traction and then both wheels will spin.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
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There are varying degrees of it, but virtually all non-performance cars have open differentials. Even some "performance" cars do too.
"Positrac" is a name trademarked by Ford. I don't think Ford has made them in quite some time either.
"Positrac" is a name trademarked by Ford. I don't think Ford has made them in quite some time either.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
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I need to clarify something on this post. All cars use both wheels to transmit power to the ground. Most cars have a open differential which means both wheels get exactly the same torque and the wheel with less traction will spin (but they both have the same torque being applied to them). On cars with posi traction there is a mechanical device that locks both axles together on acceleration and the wheel with less traction will not spin until you have overcome the traction at the wheel with the most traction and then both wheels will spin.
Ford has generally used a more primitive unit in their 3-link/live axle Mustang. I suspect Jeep also has a similar thing in it. Usually the cheaper sports cars and most RWD passenger cars will have such primitive diffs in the rear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_(mechanics)
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,966
Likes: 4
From: Made In America
St. Jude Donor '10-'11
Im just saying. I have seen numerous cars do burnouts. The mustangs, jeep Cherokees, and even some trucks had only one wheel spinning. Automatics and sticks. It's the left wheel that was spinning. I know both wheels get power to make the car move. I was just asking why only one was moving at the lower rpms. It was quite perplexing. Thanks though. I understand now.