What is the differece between HP and RWHP?

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Mar 24, 2006 | 04:32 PM

jules9

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From: Garnet Valley Pa

What is the differece between HP and RWHP?

I thought these cars are 350 hp stock but then I see some dynos showing 290 rwhp.I know it means rear wheel hp but what is the difference between the two.Sorry if this sounds stupid but I am not a mechanic.

Mar 24, 2006 | 04:35 PM

austin683

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RWHP means rear wheel horse power, power that actually gets to your wheels. regular HP is measure at the crank or engine. You lose horsepower due to drivetrain.

Mar 24, 2006 | 04:40 PM

Tenderfoot

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Quote:

Originally Posted by austin683

RWHP means rear wheel horse power, power that actually gets to your wheels. regular HP is measure at the crank or engine. You lose horsepower due to drivetrain.

General rule of thumb is 15% loss of power for a manual car, 18% loss of power to the rear wheels for an automatic.

Mar 24, 2006 | 04:46 PM

jules9

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From: Garnet Valley Pa

They should just say that.But i quess 350 hp it looks alot better than 290rwhp.Thats funny stuff.

Mar 24, 2006 | 04:52 PM

GR8-LIFE

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jules9

They should just say that.But i quess 350 hp it looks alot better than 290rwhp.Thats funny stuff.

Its marketing in a sense.

What they should say is bhp - brake horse power. The weird thing is in the mod indusrty, hp = rwhp by default. But with car manufacturers, hp = bhp by default

Mar 24, 2006 | 05:49 PM

Polar Jet

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If insurance companies actually do take the hp figures into consideration for their policies, they must be in on it with the auto manufacturers.

Mar 24, 2006 | 06:11 PM

edensknight

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Quote:

Originally Posted by austin683

RWHP means rear wheel horse power, power that actually gets to your wheels. regular HP is measure at the crank or engine. You lose horsepower due to drivetrain.

Mar 24, 2006 | 06:14 PM

talon90

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Quote:

Originally Posted by austin683

RWHP means rear wheel horse power, power that actually gets to your wheels. regular HP is measure at the crank or engine. You lose horsepower due to drivetrain.

All of the friction and rotating mass of the drivetrain eats up the difference at the rear wheels.