The design and layout of a car's transmission that transfers engine torque to the front wheels is called front-wheel drive. Its history goes back over 80 years. Thanks to front-wheel drive, a large family of front-wheel drive cars was born.
Instructions
Step 1
Front-wheel drive vehicles have undeniable advantages. Compared to their rear-wheel drive cousins, they are much cheaper to manufacture, which affects the consumer price. In simple terms, there are half as many parts in a front-wheel drive car. Thus, the absence of a propeller shaft, which requires a special tunnel, makes the interior of the car much more spacious. But the main advantage of front-wheel drive when driving downhill on a slippery road, when skilful operation of the steering wheel and the gas pedal - since the bulk of the car at this moment is concentrated on the front wheels - you can avoid accidents. But in this situation, there is no need to choose, because there is only one axle - the front one. It is much more difficult to drive a four-wheel drive vehicle, where the torque from the engine is transmitted to all wheels.
Step 2
It would seem that such a scheme gives a lot of advantages - stability on a slippery road, increased cross-country ability in off-road conditions. But you still need to be able to take advantage of these advantages. If, for example, the safe speed limit is exceeded when the front axle is engaged, then a skid on a straight section is possible and there is a danger of not entering the corner. But on good roads it is better to turn off the front axle, which will remove overload from the transmission and extend its service life. Owners of modern four-wheel drive models, where the front axle engages without stopping the engine, should also not relax.
Step 3
In case of ice, the front axle must be switched on, otherwise skidding cannot be avoided. It is even more dangerous when, under these conditions, the front axle is switched off ahead of time. At this point, the tractive effort on the rear axle is doubled, which further increases the likelihood of skidding.
Step 4
Disengage the front-wheel drive only after making sure that the road surface is of good quality. The transmissions of all modern four-wheel drive vehicles can be conditionally divided into three main groups, depending on the principle of their operation. The first group includes cars where four-wheel drive is activated in manual mode - usually with a button or switch. The second group consists of cars with automatic all-wheel drive. And the last group is cars with permanent all-wheel drive.
Step 5
According to experienced drivers, a passenger car with permanent all-wheel drive is more suitable for those who like fast driving. For those who prefer a quiet, safe ride, the best option is the automatic all-wheel drive. Drivers who are accustomed to relying only on themselves in any situations, as a rule, choose cars with manual front-wheel drive.
