Is the dominant drive wheel of the Mirage the front passenger tire?

[kzelisko]

Also true.

[dspace9]

But why? On a front-wheel drive car, what mechanism do you suppose leads to one wheel providing the driving force over the other?

Might be the uneven axles, I haven't figured it out yet

[DonkeyPal]

Because we are ONLY talking about power being transmitted to one, the other, or both front wheels--I think we are leaving out the most important reason differentials exist. I assume we all know this, but in case someone needs a reminder: differentials exist so that one drive wheel can turn more slowly than the other one in turns. For that to happen, one wheel has to be able to break from taking full power from the drive system. If that didn't happen making a turn would sound like ka-CHUNK, Ka-CHUNK, ka-CHUNK, ka-CHUNK... while the tire that can't move slower (without a differencial) was forced to break traction with the ground.

[klroger]

The differential is a torque dividing unit. Both wheels get the same amount of torque. the wheel with the least amount of traction will spin. It's physics, & now that the differential has been invented, we do not have one dedicated drive wheel. The auto hasn't had a 1 wheel drive since the mid 1800"s.... I don't know why this idea is still around & with all the info available on how a differential works , how this is even an issue... Do a Google search on the way a differential works & I think it will explain a lot. There is no difference in the way a FRD or RWD differential works, just the FWD one is incorporated into the trans axle...

[DonkeyPal]

Historical Note:

The possibility of more drive power on one side actually precedes gas, steam, or electric powered vehicles. Sometimes in a team of horses, one will lean harder into it's collar and harness than the other one will, and do most of the work. The human driver, if attentive, can flick the lazy horse on the butt with the whip and get it to do its share. Otherwise the horse doing most of the work pulling the wagon will tire earlier.

[dspace9]

Historical Note:

The possibility of more drive power on one side actually precedes gas, steam, or electric powered vehicles. Sometimes in a team of horses, one will lean harder into it's collar and harness than the other one will, and do most of the work.

That is a good one, this is why I get my car serviced by the professionals.

[foama]

Unequal length axles contribute to torque steer.

True, but the differential counteracts very efficiently. There is practically no measurable difference in torque between the wheels, even with the steering turned all way.




Btw, I'm still wondering if the very first post was meant seriously...

[dspace9]

Btw, I'm still wondering if the very first post was meant seriously...

Not a joke, I didn't know, or at least benefited from a refresher course. What is normal knowledge to some is new to others.

[dspace9]

True, but the differential counteracts very efficientl.

One other thing, it's great to be smug about something 80% of Mirage Forum members know, not sure if 80% of the general public would know what we're talking about, like at all.

So, really, if the question makes you uncomfortable, and it sounds dumb and obvious, good. At least I can stir a pot a little haha

[DonkeyPal]

Nobody has to show a diploma in automotive mechanics in order to join this forum. There are threads I don't even open up because I don't have a clue about the subject, or because it's about some diy process I would never try to do.

I know a little about how a differential works. How AWD drive units, that are advertised as sending power to the tires that have grip, work, I don't know. My guess would be that a Mirage wouldn't have any sort of a dominant front drive wheel, but if one tire is sitting on a surface that will let it slip, it will.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of old-school mechanics might have spoken of there being a dominant drive wheel on rear-wheel drive cars, and I bet they said it was the right rear. On any road with much of a crown on it, right side tires have more weight fall on them, right-side rear tires often wear fastest (for a lot of reasons) on large rear-wheel drive cars. In slippery conditions, with RWD, the right rear is often the one that slips. Just because it's not technically correct doesn't mean that some old grease monkeys didn't speak of there being a dominant drive wheel, handing it down as a certainty from generation to generation.

All this is to say, I took the OP's question as completely straightforward, based on what he/she knew or had heard.