# Front wheel steered vs. Rear wheel steered



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Why are cars front wheel steered and not rear wheel steered (with fixed front wheels) ?

Discuss.


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## bmw325 (Dec 19, 2001)

I think it comes down to cost and handling stability.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Have you ever tried driving a rear-steer vehicle? Or maneuvering at more than crawling speed in reverse? It's definitely not as safe. I'm sure someone can shed some physics on this, but it would be less stable. When the last Speed Record car was built in the UK (SSC Thrust) it had to be rear-steer to make the architecture work, and they made a mockup of the steering mech on an old Mini, and apparently it was very scary.


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## Optimus Prime (Nov 11, 2003)

Alex Baumann said:


> Why are cars front wheel steered and not rear wheel steered (with fixed front wheels) ?
> 
> Discuss.


It comes down to basic physics; inertia, moments, etc.

RWS is like playing crack the whip with a car :yikes: 
Very unstable


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Drive a Porsche. :neener:


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> Drive a Porsche. :neener:


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## hmr (Jul 28, 2002)

Ok, you've had me thinking about this. :spank: 

With rear-steering, one would have to constantly monitor and coordinate what both ends of the car are doing. With front-steering, the rear end just follows. 

Also, because the steering-end has a larger turning radius, it would be easier for a rear-steer car to be put into a dangerous over-steer condition at cornering limits (i.e., a skid/spin), without being able to correct the car out of it. Though, that could be pretty exciting.

:smokin:


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

I think it has nothing to do with cars. 

First person to put another bogey on a chariot (Roman?) probably said, "Say, Flatulatus, did you notice that the chariot can't run over the Christians as easily as if we hooked up the horses to the axle?"

And that, probably, was that. :angel:


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