- Sneak attack, sneak attack, sneak attack.
Sneak attack.
Oh boy, are we in for a treat today?
Wrong wheel drive, fail wheel drive.
Bro, you want some McDonald's trays so you can drift?
You read the title, screw your back wheels,
we're talking about the ones in the front baby.
Check out the name tag, you're in my world now grandma.
- Check out the name tag you're in my world now grandma.
- Front wheel drive cars
are generally thought of as modern economy cars,
but did you know that having the front spinney boys
dates back over 120 years ago?
That's almost as long as Scotty Kilmer
has been an auto mechanic.
- Thought when I'm all by myself, actually fixing cars.
Guess what?
I swear all the time.
- The FWD was intended to help save money on production.
Making cars cheaper,
have weight over the drive wheels to increase traction.
and help with fuel efficiency.
It all looks good on paper right?
Wrong, under steer, torque steer, no doughnuts.
Yet you still see performance cars being pumped out
featuring power, exclusively to the front wheels.
ST's,
GTIs,
Type R.
These cars are fantastic.
So why does front wheel drive get so much hate?
(upbeat music)
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We have everything.
Getting into a tidbit of the history
dealing it with front wheel drive.
Like I said earlier, it's been around
since the late 1800s to early 1900s.
John Walter Christie from New Jersey designed a FWD car
in 1904, and in 1906 that would actually compete
in the Vanderbilt Cup and French Grand Prix.
Jumping ahead to 1925,
Harry Miller, a race car designer
from fricking Menominee Wisconsin,
designed the Miller 122,
and you guessed it, it was front wheel drive.
The car was a supercharged eight cylinder
and would go on to race the 1925 Indianapolis 500.
Harry Miller is also the most Wisconsin name I've ever heard
in my entire life.
So basically what I'm getting at here
is in the beginning, having just the front wheels
do the moving wasn't just to save gas,
they were putting it through its paces.
But let's jump ahead to modern day.
Obviously front wheel drive hasn't phased out.
All wheel drive and four wheel drive are the most popular
cars to pickup.
But in a close second place is front wheel drive
with both stomping out rear wheel drive car sales.
But why is that?
In the northern states Like good old Wisconsin,
it's a lot easier to get around in the winter
having power on the front wheels.
Weight over the drive axles gives more traction,
not to say that you can't get by in winter
with rear wheel drive,
Sean does it in his Mustang every day,
but most of the public isn't trying to get sideways
and have a quick Jim kind of sesh on their way to work.
Also, you're going to get better gas mileage
with front wheel drive because the weight
of the drive train is generally less
than its rear wheel drive, buddy.
So exactly why would anyone dislike this?
Especially car enthusiasts of all people?
Well, let's get into it.
The hate meter stays high on front wheel drive
due to its handling.
Hey chubby beard guy, you just said it gets more traction.
Well, right, the traction's there,
but sometimes that's not good.
Let's talk about understeer and oversteer for a second.
Understeer, a lot of times seen in the old
front wheel drive, is when your car steers less
than what you want it to.
Causing it to push, not go where you want,
and a lot of times send you off the road.
And that's not generally that fun.
Oversteer is when the car goes more than what you want it to
also known as drifting baby.
Woo.
This is when you get the ass under the car to kick out
and do that thing we all inspired to do to show off,
unless you're a 'stang
then it's probably a curb or crowd,
but we already talk about that in another episode.
So to recap on that, understeer, not a good time.
Oversteer, hell of a time.
That's one strike to the front spinning puppies.
Now let's talk about torque steer, all the steers.
Did you know the difference between a cow and a steer?
A cow is a female that has at least one baby
while a steer is a male that is neutered.
I don't know.
I started looking up cows while I was writing this.
I just got into it, it was kind of cool.
Anyway, torque steer is exactly what it sounds like.
Your engine produces horsepower and torque.
Obviously.
Since the drive line is connected to your wheels
that also are steering, the torque gets transferred
directly to your hands, causing some abrupt, left to rights.
You know (grunts).
Some people apparently hate this, but I love it.
I think it's fun, and it makes me giggle.
(man giggling)
That's strike two
and basically strike three is just all of this summed up.
Front wheel drive doesn't allow or makes it harder
to do the cool things
people like you and people like me like to do with our cars.
You're not going to be drifting unless you get some snow
and a handbrake or McDonald's trays under your rear wheels.
Donuts suck unless you're in reverse.
And if you're racing somebody
you're gonna have to deal with
a little bit of the torque steer and the wheel hop.
I'm going to put the hate meter at a seven for this.
Owning three front wheel drive cars,
I have plenty of fun with them
and I still think they're an absolute blast.
Modern technology has helped combat torque steer
and handling has improved tremendously.
What do you think though?
Drop a comment down below
if you think front wheel drive is trash
or if you actually don't mind it.
I'm going to read every single comment.
If you have a car that oversteers or understeers
make sure to head on over to fitmentindustries.com
for all your wheel, tire, and suspension needs.
We got it all, but seriously, go drive a hot hatch
or a Type R and tell me it cannot put a smile on your face.
The cars are fun as hell,
but I do definitely see the advantages
of all wheel drive and rear wheel drive.
I've owned those two and they're an absolute blast.
I just like all cars, you know?
Bye.