Reversing in a FWD

[Windsor342ci]

Hi guys,

A question that Ive been arguing with my family about for years....

Every month or so the family get together at mums house for a BBQ or something along those lines, With her limited driveway space some of us are forces to park on her grass...... (In the world of maltese thats either perfectly fine because there are only a bunch of XY or XU1 parts everywhere, or a big no no as the grass has been babied for years )
Anyway 2 of my sister own FWD cars, an Auto Magna and a Manual Corolla. The one with the Corolla is a bit more risky and is happy to park at the bottom of the grass. The problem here is mum whole front yard is on a downhill slope something extreme... Our argument has always been, when reversing out,
a) have your family in your car (my argument)
or
b) go in by yourself and reverse out alone, once your at the top load the family which consist of brother in law plus 3 nephews 10 and under (there argument)

My question is what is better? I believe load the car up 1st with the weight so you've got more pressure on your tyres therefore less chance to wheel spin when reversing out. But there argument is to reverse out lighter so theres less gravity pushing down the hill.... I see the logic behind it but I just thing if you pack down the car with extra weight it will just be better....

Your thoughts people?

[fmc351]

What colour is the car?

[StealthAu]

Originally Posted by fmc351

What colour is the car?

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by fmc351

What colour is the car?

i got nothing on this

[geckoGT]

I am trying to work out what FWD has to do with it?

[GORDZ]

colour, LOLOLOL... mythbusters did a test on traction, reverse Vs Forward, both fwd and rwd, but did no weight loading comparisons. In dry weather I'd say load it up, but in wet, deffinately as light as possible.

[fmc351]

Reversing the FWD up would do the same as RWD would forward. Conversely, if you reverse the RWD and forward the FWD then the RWD will be the same as the FWD as if it was a FWD in 1st. Clear?

[302 XC]

So its not best to load the drive wheels , wether front or rear wheels,to help with traction ???

[GORDZ]

Originally Posted by fmc351

Reversing the FWD up would do the same as RWD would forward. Conversely, if you reverse the RWD and forward the FWD then the RWD will be the same as the FWD as if it was a FWD in 1st. Clear?

this post makes your avatar your calling card. Ever heard of weight distribution?

[Windsor342ci]

I get the idea of a rwd going forward or a fwd going in reverse but particularly in wet conditions it just seems IMO that have a loaded car adding the weight would be a safer option considering the conditions....

With my experience of RWD cars, I found them being loaded each time make it easier for me to get out, more so the ones without the LSD.

And FYI..... Its red....

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by geckoGT

I am trying to work out what FWD has to do with it?

This....

[fiestaz]

if you fill up a FWD car, chances are your taking more grip away from the front wheels, as the back sits down, the front lifts up (to a point). therefore less grip.

then again, could just park somewhere else..

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by GORDZ

this post makes your avatar your calling card. Ever heard of weight distribution?

It wasnt really meant to make sense, while still containing a semblance of a concept. For the issue raised, a FWD in reverse is really much like a RWD in 1st, the drive wheels are essentially pushing. Maybe one could argue with the weight of the engine over the wheels, the FWD in reverse has an advantage. But then this is complicated by the fact an EL rear is not the same weight as a Corolla/Magna front. One could add arguments about how many pastizzis each had consumed, unless were using the same group of people as the a 'base group' in each car. Where does the weight of passengers go? Its downhill, most weight will push down the slope, not in the same direction as flat ground. Well, I suppose scientifically it does, but the net effect will be downhill.

[GORDZ]

essentially yes, but add in weight distribution and you're talking chalk and cheese. I drive a ute. If i was having traction issues getting up a hill I'd much prefer having ten blokes jump in the back to provide weight over the drive wheels. In ops case the drive wheels are the front wheels pushing backwards. The weight is already over the front wheels and additional passengers while changing the DISTRIBUTION of the wieght, are still providing additional traction to the drive wheels.

In dry weather this is good. In wet weather (especially on grass) more weight = more ****ed

[Windsor342ci]

Interesting diverse opinions.... Thanks guys...

[MexicanBatman]

park the car on the street!

job done, drink some beers!

[TheInterceptor]

One would say reverse up with a loaded car, gravity would push the load more onto the front wheels thus digging it in more thus gripping more, theoretically. So reverse up...

...Or...

...Back up and hit it in 3rd?

[nstg8a]

the only way to decide this is with pics... of the sisters...

[GS608]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

the only way to decide this is with pics... of the sisters...

+1

[buggo]

Get the family to push it, job done

Really but, because grass is so soft, I'd say less weight the better. But I base that on no logic whatsoever.

[Linkachu]

Fire, it's your only option.

[mikestp]

reverse out, with as little weight as possible, more weight will make more grip but will not offset that the increased grip has to do more work.
A heavier car does not handle better.

"Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."

[GK]

Why not run tests with both of these cars at the same time.

You do it your way, the others do it their way, then switch the way for each car.

You could do this when dry and wet, then, you'd have some family data to compare.

Cheers.

GK

[XCwillo]

More people maek car go uphill
Aptly demonstrated by Rage Guy and mad bro
(also notice this only works in cars that have altezza tail lights v v v)

[ebxr8240]

My Subaru has no issues.. It's a grey one...
Depends on gear ratio's ???
The lower the gearing the better, an auto using it's torque converter to get moving may help...If you really think your in trouble traction wise?? Drop tyre pressures down to give bigger tyre patch...

[Bushbasher]

You could always bolt a 9000lb winch to corner of the house and winch the cars up. Better still, build a ramp at the bottom of the garden and launch them straight out onto the street like a ski jump. You could have competitions to see who can fly the furthest.


Bushbasher

[Silentsfastcar]

do what they did in topgear getting up a slippery hill.. VERY FAST

might not be good for parking :P

[Danny]

If instead of having a FWD car on grass, what if the FWD car was on a grass coloured giant treadmill that sped up with the speed of the vehicles wheels. Would you need to ensure your family was in it to make sure the car could drive off it, or would the car just stay in one position?

[fmc351]

My mother in-law is Maltese, and her parents yard was green concrete.

[BA Baracus]

I'd say loaded may help, traction issues in my ute unloaded on grass (forwards or backwards) are reduced even just depending on how much fuel is in it. Full tank of fuel and it is way less likely to spin the wheels.