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

[dspace9]

I believe the dominant drive wheel of the Mirage is the front right tire. Does anyone know this for sure?

That's the one that splashes by far more mud across the pasenger side of my Mirage.

Someone on another thread got on the topic, and it's worth knowing the answer.

Can't be all the tires like our friend on the other thread thinks the differential etc. acts like an AWD system when the Mirage is a FWD car with stability and traction control.

[Eggman]

I believe the dominant drive wheel of the Mirage is the front right tire. Does anyone know this for sure?

That's the one that splashes by far more mud across the pasenger side of my Mirage.

Someone on another thread got on the topic, and it's worth knowing the answer.

Can't be all the tires like our friend on the other thread thinks the differential etc. acts like an AWD system when the Mirage is a FWD car with stability and traction control.

That's not how it works.

Check out this video on how a differential works.

Jam Handy video: Around the Corner


There is no documentation that says the Mirage has anything other than a open differential for the transaxle, either CVT or stick-shift.

With this arrangement, rotational power from the output of the transaxle will be distributed equally to both axle shafts. Like most other forms of energy, this rotational energy will follow the path of least resistance.

Your Mirage likely tends to collect more debris on the right side due to the amount of dirt and mud on that side of your roads.

[dspace9]

That's not how it works.

Check out this video on how a differential works.

I take your point 100%, isn't there a dominant drive wheel with a front engine, front drive car? I get what you mean and the video shows how your typical muscle car differential works

[Eggman]

I take your point 100%, isn't there a dominant drive wheel with a front engine, front drive car?

Not that I'm aware of.

As has been pointed out in the other thread, there might be a difference in traction due to the weight of a driver on the opposite side of the car, though this insinuates that your right hand wheel is slipping on hard acceleration. I would like to point out that the accumulation of dirt and debris is not necessarily due solely to wheel spin nor due to power applied.

I get what you mean and the video shows how your typical muscle car differential works

Interesting. So do you think that a transaxle differential is somehow different?

[dspace9]

Interesting. So do you think that a transaxle differential is somehow different?

It is, I can't spell out the words on it, but I know I'm on to something, it's just it's been 20 years since high school auto mechanics 101 haha.

When I figure out more on what I mean I'll post what I'm getting at.

FWD front engine, transversely mounted engines directly bt the front wheels is economical, good for weight proportion (FWD being better handling for the masses back in the day)... there's a mechanical aspect I just can't explain it. The Ford Tempo model the Mitsu Mirage millions of examples cheap to build

[Eggman]

It is, I can't spell out the words on it, but I know I'm on to something, it's just it's been 20 years since high school auto mechanics 101 haha.

When I figure out more on what I mean I'll post what I'm getting at.

I would expect the physical pieces to be a little smaller but the basic arrangement would be similar.

[dspace9]

I would expect the physical pieces to be a little smaller but the basic arrangement would be similar.

The concept is the same, what I'm getting at is the power goes more to one wheel or all to one wheel, the timing and mechanics all coexists w the driving wheel on the FWD Mirage. I think it's the right one and RWD vehicles with more of the old fashioned real axle and drive train (the hump in the interior of an old American car)

[Eggman]

The concept is the same, what I'm getting at is the power goes more to one wheel or all to one wheel, the timing and mechanics all coexists w the driving wheel on the FWD Mirage. I think it's the right one and RWD vehicles with more of the old fashioned real axle and drive train (the hump in the interior of an old American car)

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

[kzelisko]

There is no real difference between a rwd differential and a fwd one. Now most front wheel drive cars have unequal length axles, which can cause one wheel be slightly more likely to break traction under power than the other due to the longer axle winding up, but it's not a huge difference, especially at the power levels these things put out.

[Eggman]

There is no real difference between a rwd differential and a fwd one. Now most front wheel drive cars have unequal length axles, which can cause one wheel be slightly more likely to break traction under power than the other due to the longer axle winding up, but it's not a huge difference, especially at the power levels these things but out.

Unequal length axles contribute to torque steer.