Driving technique for rear wheel drive

AndyPearce · 08-22-2003, 05:17 AM

I've always owned front wheel drive cars and whenever I've driven rear wheel drive cars (mainly BMW's) I've found that I get the back end out very easily when cornering.

What are the fundemental differences in technique you should apply to rear wheel drive cars compared to front wheel drive?

I know the ProDrive day shouls sort me out on this but I expect thats going to be a while after I get my car, and I don't want to have too many 'moments' in the RX-8 because of my initial inexperience.

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AnilS · 08-22-2003, 05:35 AM

Andy, virtually all the cars I've had, have been RWD, although for handling in the wet, front wheel drive is more predictable.

None of the RWD cars I've owned come with the security aids of the 8, namely DSC (Dynamic Stabilty Control). If you keep this switched on, it should keep you out of trouble.

AnilS.

morganrogers · 08-22-2003, 05:54 AM

Or just drive within your ability ...? That'd probably be safest !

RobDickinson · 08-22-2003, 05:59 AM

Just take it easy with the power in corners.

DSC & traction control should stop you from falling off the road, but I'll be disabling DSC once I'm used to the car - sometimes when I want a more spirited drive anyhow.

AndyPearce · 08-22-2003, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by morganrogers
Or just drive within your ability ...? That'd probably be safest !

That's why I asked - when driving a few BMW's, cornering at what I thought was speeds well within my ability (or should I say the cars ability

) resulted in the occasional back end moment.

I suspect what I should be doing is taking slightly less speed into the corner but putting the power down earlier than I would in a FWD car.

Doesn't lifting off the power mid corner also have more affect on RWD cars?

cw007 · 08-22-2003, 06:22 AM

tell you one thing rear wheel drive cars are useless in the snow/ice.

Particularly when they are low profile tyres.

Traction control didnt help either.

My IS200 is RWD and to be honest i cant say it would be classed as a sports car or anything like one but it can still shift round corners. I feel safer in this car that any other i have ever driven (all front wheel). Its a question of oversteer against understeer.

morganrogers · 08-22-2003, 06:33 AM

Oversteer everytime !

RWD is the only way to be.... I am SO looking forward to going back to this. It has been 2 cars since my last RWD.

Besides which - 230BHP through the front wheels ? Not a very successful option is it looking at those who have tried....

AndyPearce · 08-22-2003, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by morganrogers
Oversteer everytime !

RWD is the only way to be.... I am SO looking forward to going back to this. It has been 2 cars since my last RWD.

Besides which - 230BHP through the front wheels ? Not a very successful option is it looking at those who have tried....

My C70 T5 has 245bhp through the front wheels and that works. OK so there can be a fair bit of torque steer but the car handles well enough for something with it's size / power.

Jon Brittan · 08-22-2003, 07:09 AM

As you said yourself, (slightly) less speed into corners, more out and whatever you do, do NOT lift off.

morganrogers · 08-22-2003, 07:14 AM

Not dis'ing your T5 - fine car.
My IntegraR is also front drive - wish it was rear though.

Fact is - 245bhp through the front wheels is a cost saving compromise. Torque steer *is* a problem , too much is being asked of the front wheels.

Anyway - will not be an issue with the RX8 - it has been designed to a spec , not a cost. Therefore RWD was in from the start ! Hooray !

MarkW · 08-22-2003, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AndyPearce

That's why I asked - when driving a few BMW's, cornering at what I thought was speeds well within my ability (or should I say the cars ability ) resulted in the occasional back end moment.

I suspect what I should be doing is taking slightly less speed into the corner but putting the power down earlier than I would in a FWD car.

Doesn't lifting off the power mid corner also have more affect on RWD cars?

You should be able to get lift-off oversteer in almost any car, as this unsettles the weight distribution of the car whilst cornering.

Power oversteer is a different matter entirely, and you really need to be on a track to play around with this :D

I think the 'safe' technique is to brake in a straight line, drive gently through the corner, and dont put the power on until you have exited the bend. And keep the DSC on unless you knw what you are doing.

Im by no means an expert so all just in my opinion etc.....

Jon H · 08-25-2003, 07:09 AM

Here's my take on this. I'm not a Pro racing driver but I've driven FWD and RWD on the track.
A FWD car you control the turn with the throttle - brake before the turn, turn in, keep the wheel still and if the car understeers, back off the gas until the line tightens. On some FWDs, backing right off can get the tail out. IF that happens, you just floor it and try and let the front wheels drag the car out of the spin. If its powerful enough.
In a rear drive car, you use the same technique going in, but if the car oversteers (most likely in RWD), you keep the power down and turn against the corner, as much as it needs to straighten out.
The tests I heard so far suggest the RX8 can actually be prone to understeer, given its weight distribution. To be honest I'm not sure the best approach if that happens!! I look forward to experimenting, where its safe to do so of course!
From a personal point of view I might struggle at first, because I drive a 4WD Audi, and you can get away with murder in that. I Guess I wont be able to power through and out of bends so safely in the RX8. My main piece of advice would be take care in the wet on roundabouts, because thats what I'll be doing!
JH

ProtoConVert · 08-25-2003, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon H
In a rear drive car, you use the same technique going in, but if the car oversteers (most likely in RWD), you keep the power down and turn against the corner, as much as it needs to straighten out.

Is this how you correct for lift-off oversteer or oversteer in general?

Jon H · 08-25-2003, 08:58 AM

I meant just about all oversteer situations. Lift off can be terminal but your best bet is to get back on the power, before you are too sideways. But you need to be quick with the opposite lock. Avoiding lifting off in the first place is ideal.
By the way if there are any police reading this, I dont advocate driving like this on the public highway!

If course, we should all be going on the Prodrive course so they will teach us this stuff when we've got the car. It seeing as it will be Winter when we get them, expect some dodgy conditions!

I would recommend karting to anybody as basic tuition too. Its relatively cheap and you learn how to cope with oversteer. You also learn that sliding just slows you down and smoothness is the key to fast progress!

JH