2007-03-14 13:14:30 · 19 answers · asked by harry cromwell 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
drive it and floor the accelerator and see what spins the front or rear wheels.
2007-03-14 13:18:35 · answer #1 · answered by mister ss 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Best is to look under the car from the rear. If there is a large circular tube or shaft (driveshaft) between the front engine area and the rear axle, then you have a REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR. Looking again under the rear of the car, there will be a large differential housing to which the drive shaft and two rear half axles are arranged in the form of a "T".
Be careful, rear engine cars like some Porsches, some VWs, and others will not have a driveshaft, but yes, they still have rear wheel drive.
Be careful, there are FOUR WHEEL drive cars, and ALL WHEEL Drive cars. You should try to learn which cars have these other features and how to identify the their presence. For example, an all wheel drive MBz cannot be tested on a two wheel drive chassis dynometer as used in the CA State Smog Inspections.
2007-03-14 20:39:53 · answer #2 · answered by Phillip S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An easy way of telling is to look under the bonnet. A FWD car (Most modern mass-market hatchbacks/estates/etc) will typically have the engine mounted transversely, whereas a RWD car (BMW, Mercedes, old Volvos, most sports cars, and such) will have it placed lengthways.
Another way of spotting this is by looking underneth. A rear-drive car will have a 'propshaft', which transmits engine power to the rear wheels.
Though of course the best way is to go into a corner hard. If you hit the tree head-on, you're in a FWD car, and if the rear hits the tree.... alright, you understand.
2007-03-14 20:35:37 · answer #3 · answered by mr_carburettor 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Usually the middle of the floor in the car will be raised 4 or 5 inches if it is rwd, because of the driveshaft going to the back.
2007-03-14 21:54:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
so u wanna know where ur car is a fwd or rwd. look under neith the car to see where it has a drive shaft coming out of the transmission go toward the rear end if it has a drive shaft goin to the rearend it a rwd but if it dont is a fwd
2007-03-14 20:23:47 · answer #5 · answered by hotshot0687 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Not all cars with longitudinal engine are rwd, many Audis Citroens, Renaults SAABs and Triumph 1300 /1500 had fwd with longitudinal engine.
2007-03-16 11:46:28 · answer #6 · answered by Stephen Allcroft 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has a driveshaft if it's rwd or awd. If you look under the rear end between the wheels the differential is a roundish piece in the center with a shaft running to the front.
If it doesn't have that it's fwd.
2007-03-14 20:20:44 · answer #7 · answered by artsy5347 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
well, you can look under the car and see if there is a drive shaft underneath it. the drive shaft will run lengthwise under the car in the middle.or you can have fun with it and try to power stand the car. just hold the brake and mash the gas.. it the rear end tires move then its rwd, if not its prolly a fwd
2007-03-14 20:22:23 · answer #8 · answered by romeosavoie84 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
look under neeth if it has a prop shaft coming from front to rear it is rwd if not it is fwd
2007-03-18 14:37:44 · answer #9 · answered by fire wall 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check the manuel, if the engine is sideways its fwd look under the car is there a drive shaft going to the back.?
2007-03-14 20:22:02 · answer #10 · answered by Grand pa 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
it can also depend on the car size/make a lot of small/compact cars (especially asian imports) are all FWD.
2007-03-14 20:38:31 · answer #11 · answered by Fox 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋