Explain on the basis of physics why it makes sense to put sandbags in your car trunk.
Specify what changes: the front wheels, the back wheels?
Should you do this with a vehicle that has all wheel drive or two wheel drive?
How do sandbags in the trunk affect stopping, starting, speeding up, and slowing down?
Thanks! :)
2007-03-01 12:24:12 · 15 answers · asked by psgr 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
If you have 4WD or AWD it shouldn't make much difference. Sandbags in the trunk will move the car's center of gravity back toward the rear of the car for better traction and acceleration on slippery surfaces. Typically 80% of the braking power is on the front wheels, but since you are adding weight to the car and not displacing existing weight to the rear it shouldn't affect braking too much.
This only applies if your car is rear wheel drive, if it's front wheel drive it will probably have an adverse effect as the wheels will have to pull more weight.
2007-03-01 12:34:29 · answer #1 · answered by Gordon B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sandbags in the trunk helps with rear wheel drive vehicles. It puts more weight on the back tires which gives you more traction. When you put more weight in the back it raises the front a little; therefore, it's not a good idea to put sandbags in the back of a front wheel drive car.
2014-12-10 12:12:17 · answer #2 · answered by Andrew 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the car Is rear wheel drive, putting sandbags in the trunk or the back of a pickup adds weight to the rear wheels. Most cars and trucks are front engine rear wheel drive. This causes the rear wheels to slip very easily because there is little weight on them. the sand bags helps them dig in to the snow or gravel a bit better. It wont help on pure ice but nothing but all wheel drive will help on pure ice. It will not help as much in a car with all wheel drive. It will affect starting and accelerating most, because the rear wheels will grip better.
2007-03-01 12:37:28 · answer #3 · answered by imre_14_2000 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For one if it's bad enough out to put sandbags in your trunk, speeding up and stopping shouldn't be an issue. Getting there at a safe speed for you and others on the road should be your main concern. The added weight over the rear axle pushes the wheels down on the ground therefore giving you better traction in the snow and ice. It doesn't matter what type of vehicle you do it on since it also decreases your stopping distance due to the increased traction given by the added weight.
2007-03-01 12:33:04 · answer #4 · answered by Caleb H 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
it helps in inthe winter on snow on rear wheel drives, especially in cars like trucks, where there isn't already any weight on the back wheels. if there isn't anything in the truck bed, there is basically no weight back there. sandbags add more traction on those wheels so it won't slip around as much. imagine if you had a very light car and it was a rear wheel drive. if there isn't any weight above the spinning wheels, they're just going to slide around on the ice. they need some weight on them to get that traction you need to get the car to actually move instead of just slipping around.
2007-03-01 12:33:58 · answer #5 · answered by ♥ it's katie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It makes your car heavier. (In particular, the back of the car gets heavier) In turn, it increases the traction with the road, especially for the back wheels.
Slowing down or starting with be will be a little harder on the engine or on the break pads because your car is heavier and now it has more momentum. Depending on the size of the car and the size of the engine, you might or might not notice a difference.
I'd say since it adds weight and that's all it does, it should work for 2 wheel or 4 wheel just as well. But unless I really have a problem with my car being too light I wouldn't do it because it will burn more gas, take up trunk space and such.
2007-03-01 12:31:51 · answer #6 · answered by Snowflake 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
If your car is rear wheel drive this will help. You place weight over the rear axle so that the car can get better traction with the drive wheels... if you put in too much weight you may have trouble stoping and stuff... in an all wheel drive car you should not need extra weight... I used to have a pickup truck and the weight in the bed really helped in the winter....
2007-03-01 12:29:08 · answer #7 · answered by tiggerwmu99 2 · 7⤊ 0⤋
For a rear wheel drive car / truck sand bags will help, by putting "sprung weight" over and / or past the rear axle ( better traction /better starting ). It may help with all wheel drive I wouldn't bother with front wheel drive...
most breaking is done with the front wheels, that is why disk breaks are on all front wheels now a days and optional on the rear...
2007-03-01 12:47:05 · answer #8 · answered by svazdos 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It puts weight on the rear tires (if it is rear wheel drive), where there is relitivly little wight compared to the front. Doing this adds more friction, causing better traction. If you have 4 wheel drive you do not need to do this. If your car is front wheel drive, this is not needed either. Or you could get good snow tires, which are better than any solution.
2007-03-01 13:45:53 · answer #9 · answered by wulfgar_117 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sandbags help in the winter by adding weight to the rear of a vehicle. This creates a more even distrubution of weight. This mainly helps rear wheel drive vehicles by adding weight to the drive wheels.
2007-03-01 12:29:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋