View Full Version : What causes this?
In the winter, on icy or snowy roads, when I give the truck lots of throttle, the whole vehicle usually steers itself to one side. Its extremely dangerous because at high speeds, accelerating quickly causes my truck to spin out of control. I was wondering if this is because of the open differential. Maybe because only one wheel is spinning, the power difference between the two drive wheels causes the vehicle to turn sharply :dunno:
Any ideas?
more power to one wheel generally causes this.
4wheeldrift
04-09-2003, 05:43 PM
Its because of the open diff, the power is routed to the wheel with the least rolling resistance, IE the least grip. Once that wheel finally hooks up the power goes back to an even distribution very suddenly, which is what makes the truck "jerk" to one side or the other.
Really? It seems to happen when a wheel is still spinning though. I thought maybe its cause the spinning wheel is still getting a little bit of friction with the ground and that was pushing the truck only at that wheel, causing the entire vehicle to rotate.
With what you say, how would it jerk the truck to one side if both wheels are getting an even distribution of power, even if it is very sudden :dunno:
4wheeldrift
04-09-2003, 06:31 PM
Originally posted by Ranger_X31
Really? It seems to happen when a wheel is still spinning though. I thought maybe its cause the spinning wheel is still getting a little bit of friction with the ground and that was pushing the truck only at that wheel, causing the entire vehicle to rotate.
With what you say, how would it jerk the truck to one side if both wheels are getting an even distribution of power, even if it is very sudden :dunno: erk, don't mind me, having a moment. You're right.
Toms-Celica
04-09-2003, 06:32 PM
One of the belts in your tires could be out of place
Originally posted by Toms-Celica
One of the belts in your tires could be out of place
If one of the belts was out of place, it would be veering off to only one side at all times: accelerating, cruising and de-accelerating, and on all road surfaces.
Glowrider
04-09-2003, 06:48 PM
One tire fire!
benyl
04-09-2003, 07:12 PM
Originally posted by Ranger_X31
In the winter, on icy or snowy roads, when I give the truck lots of throttle, the whole vehicle usually steers itself to one side. Its extremely dangerous because at high speeds, accelerating quickly causes my truck to spin out of control. I was wondering if this is because of the open differential. Maybe because only one wheel is spinning, the power difference between the two drive wheels causes the vehicle to turn sharply :dunno:
Any ideas?
Ok, don't flame me for this as I don't know all of the technical details, but reality is that you truck and nearly every vehicle on the road ( the sends power to one axel ) is actually 1 wheel drive.
If you were to rev you truck and pop the clutch (or neutral drop), and if the tires have the same grip and surface, the right wheel will spin as you peel out. As people have said, this is because of the open diff. Power only goes to the left wheel if it has less grip.
If you didn't rotate your tires and you always accelerate hard, you will find that one of the drive tires always wears more than the other. This is one of the reasons you rotate your tires.
When I had my Ranger, I always found that doing donuts to the left was easier than to the right. Because when you start turning, the wheel on the outside with power starts to get more weight and gains grip, and push power to the inside which for a few moments gets both wheels spinning.
The only reason I know this was that I went through 3 sets of tires on my Porsche and I always noticed that the right rear tire was always worn more than the others (never rotated). When I asked the guys at South centre why that is, the mechanic told me the story above...
I believe him as the evidence points that way.
Originally posted by benyl
Ok, don't flame me for this as I don't know all of the technical details, but reality is that you truck and nearly every vehicle on the road ( the sends power to one axel ) is actually 1 wheel drive.
If you were to rev you truck and pop the clutch (or neutral drop), and if the tires have the same grip and surface, the right wheel will spin as you peel out. As people have said, this is because of the open diff. Power only goes to the left wheel if it has less grip.
If you didn't rotate your tires and you always accelerate hard, you will find that one of the drive tires always wears more than the other. This is one of the reasons you rotate your tires.
When I had my Ranger, I always found that doing donuts to the left was easier than to the right. Because when you start turning, the wheel on the outside with power starts to get more weight and gains grip, and push power to the inside which for a few moments gets both wheels spinning.
The only reason I know this was that I went through 3 sets of tires on my Porsche and I always noticed that the right rear tire was always worn more than the others (never rotated). When I asked the guys at South centre why that is, the mechanic told me the story above...
I believe him as the evidence points that way.
Thats cause those vehicles didn't have LSD's or Posi rear ends.
Limited slips are always options on base 2 whl drive trucks, but I'm pretty sure every 4X4 will have them.
If you were to rev you truck and pop the clutch (or neutral drop), and if the tires have the same grip and surface, the right wheel will spin as you peel out. As people have said, this is because of the open diff. Power only goes to the left wheel if it has less grip.
There is no tendency for the right wheel to get power over the left one. Which ever wheel has less traction with the road will spin. It is possible to do 2 wheel burnouts in an open diff truck if both tires have equal grip. I can usually do 2 wheel burnouts on gravel.
In other words, if you were to go onto a freshly surfaced ice rink with an open diff vehicle, both wheels would spin.
If you didn't rotate your tires and you always accelerate hard, you will find that one of the drive tires always wears more than the other. This is one of the reasons you rotate your tires.
Both drive wheels should have equal wear
When I had my Ranger, I always found that doing donuts to the left was easier than to the right. Because when you start turning, the wheel on the outside with power starts to get more weight and gains grip, and push power to the inside which for a few moments gets both wheels spinning.
I don't know why it would be easier to do them on the left, don't see how it could be.
bigboom
04-09-2003, 08:15 PM
i think its just torque steer...
Originally posted by bigboom
i think its just torque steer...
LOL, torque steer in a rear drive truck, ok buddy.
bigboom
04-09-2003, 10:22 PM
oooops didnt know it was rwd...sorry
benyl
04-09-2003, 10:45 PM
Ok, I did some research... what I said is bogus... So that tells me that even porsche mechanics don't know shit...
Cueman
04-09-2003, 11:22 PM
Benyl... what you said is right!
The turning of the driveshaft will want to twist the rear end and lift one wheel of the ground. This is regardless of LSD. My AE86's were always more controllable going left also. This is why drag racers often jack one side of the car. To preload it.
FiveFreshFish
04-10-2003, 12:04 AM
This is the phenomena Cueman refers to:
http://www.autobuzz.com/imageupload/2002/md/cg30y020_20.jpg
http://www.dragracecanada.com/images/events/int_04_03.jpg
Due to the direction of engine rotation, the left side tends to break free first because there's less load on it.
Cool, that makes sense. Like if the driveshaft was rotating clockwise, it would want to push the rear passenger wheel into the gound, and lift the rear driver wheel off the ground. Edit: Clockwise that is if you were to look at the driveshaft from the rear of the vehicle.
Still, what I said about the ice rink is right. I think maybe that situation would probably only happen in very high powered vehicles with a lot of traction and on hard launches.
benyl
04-10-2003, 04:03 PM
Originally posted by Ranger_X31
Cool, that makes sense. Like if the driveshaft was rotating clockwise, it would want to push the rear passenger wheel into the gound, and lift the rear driver wheel off the ground.
Still, what I said about the ice rink is right. I think maybe that situation would probably only happen in very high powered vehicles with a lot of traction and on hard launches.
Well, I had a 94 ranger splash with the 4.0L
160 hp and 200 lb/ft (I think those were the numbers.)
Anyway, I would go through a set of tires every 30,000 km as the back end was so light. Fun little truck with enough power... too bad my tranny was shit... the synchros were all f'd up.
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