Hi everyone. I have searched for more information on this, but I am still a little confused. First off, I don't plan on ever trying to do a burnout. Ok, maybe I'll try it once, but I am just more curious than anything else. I have an 07 base model 6 speed mt, with no traction control obviously. I am just not understanding why only one wheel would spin out and not the other one?? Maybe I am missing something, and without traction control they will actually both spin? I would experiment with it myself I guess but I only have 600 miles so I have to wait a little while. Thanks for your responses.

 

Without an LSD, the wheel that spins the easiest will get all the power (the spinning wheel has almost no friction compared to the still one!). A LSD will do the opposite (well...sorta) where it'll give power to the wheel thats not spinning at all.

 

its b/c base models come with an "open" differential, whereas the other higher models have lsd (limited slip differential). the lsd functions to shift power from a wheel that begins to rotate at a much higher rate than the other, to the wheel that is getting traction. thats not too good of an explanation, so look up open differential, and lsd or limited slip differential on this site or even google, and you'll learn more in depth the answer to ur question.

 

But if I am just sitting there on even ground, not moving, why wouldn't both of the wheels begin to rotate at the same exact rate? Since that is not the case however, how could it possibly know which wheel to shift to?

 

at first both wheels will spin equally, but as you start putting more power to the wheels, at some point, the force to one of the wheels will be great enough to overcome the static friction between the wheel and the ground. Whichever wheel this happens to first will then receive ALL the power. Go to www.howstuffworks.com and do a search on open differential or LSD and you will get great animations and a much better explanation

 

The primary benefit of LSD is not straight line acceleration, but cornering. In a corner the rear tires turn at different rates. The outside tire turning faster than the inside. The purpose of LSD is to apply torque to the tire with traction allowing the car to better negotiate the turn.


Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen, MD 06/2006

Above you can see that the weight of the car is on the outside rear tire. This is the tire that needs the torque. LSD will move the torque from the inside to outside rear tire.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_slip_differential

 

nice thread, i've been wondering this myself. i've always had the passenger wheel burn out while the driver side stood still. the last winter storm, i had the passenger tire on solid ground while the driver's tire was on ice and i thought i would be ok...and then the driver's side spun like crazy. now i understand why!! lol, thanks.

 

Cecil County Dragway, MD 06/2006

BTW drag racers have little need for complicated set-ups like LSD. They just install a solid rear axle.