Vehicle Stability
Importance of tire placement to reduce loss of control vehicle accidents
Front Wheel Drive Stability Test Video
I have 2 identical cars and several sets of tires with different treads which allows for testing
"
I did not think I was going too fast". A common remark from people losing
control of front wheel drive vehicles. What the average person and some
experts are not aware of is that there can be as high as 950 pounds or more
weight on the front axle of their vehicle than the back. So a car that feels
like a limousine on the front holds like a golf cart on the back
A 3000lb car with a weight ratio of 65% front weight and 35% rear weight will
weigh 1950lb on the front and 1050lb on the rear. After you use 10 gallon of fuel
from the rear tank one of the front wheels has as much traction as both
rear combined.
If you analyze single vehicle accidents you will find most of them had
better tires on the front than the back or a very large weight difference. In
fact the worst balanced cars have 4 times as many fatalities as cars designed
with better balance. How are you going to tell how fast is too fast under these
conditions when it is possible for a balanced car to handle fine on a slippery
surface at 50 mph and an unbalanced car to lose control at 20 mph and
both to feel the same to the drivers.
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