The force of gravity is always the same, down. doesn't matter if you are on an incline or not, gravity pulls straight down. Now on an incline you have more of the weight of the truck being pulled "down" which since you are on an incline tends to make it go down the hill.
As for FWD or RWD on an incline, basic common sense would tell us having the driving wheels be on the "bottom" side of the incline would mean more weight being put over the wheels during weight transfer, but especially on snow/ice, there's more to it. It's easier to pull up a hill than to push. And if there is snow on the ground, then the wheels in the front would be pushing through the snow and clearing somewhat of a path for the tires on the downside of the hill and there would be less force needed. The type of tires also will play a part in it. If the tires are directional, then they are designed to spin in one direction for best traction. Trying to use them in reverse would limit the traction capabilities.
---- Don Rey <radon220@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I'm not sure facing up a hill in a RWD (or down in a FWD) is very
> advantageous... For one thing there are tons of variables, some of
> which may make your facing direction negligible. But ignore a bunch of
> variables, you're still talking about force and vectors in addition to
> weight distribution. You've got a tire (mostly round with some
> deflection) on a flat surface. As the angle of that flat surface
> starts to rise (on a hill) and gravity keeps pulling the same
> direction, the force of gravity on the tire is further and further
> from perpendicular to the ground. I think you lose most (if not all...
> or more) of the advange you gain from weight distribution.
>
> Rather than reading my gibberish, draw it out. Draw two tires: one on
> a flat surface, one on an angled surface. Now draw the direction of
> the force of gravity through the centerlines of your two tires.
>
> QED
>
> Don in CT
> 89 Dak Vert 318 NV3500 4x4 (got two bent axleshafts that say i know
> all about losing traction)
> 74 Dart Sport 340
>
>
> On 7/11/08, jon@dakota-truck.net <jon@dakota-truck.net> wrote:
> >
> > Probably just the weight distribution. Facing downhill with a
> > rear wheel drive vehicle takes some weight off the back wheels and
> > puts them on the front. The opposite is true for facing uphill,
> > weight has been distributed from the front to the rear.
> >
> > Likewise, a front wheel drive car would have an easier time
> > backing up a hill than it would driving up the hill for the same
> > reason.
> >
> > --
> > -Jon-
> >
> > .- Jon Steiger -- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
> > | '96 Kolb Firefly, '96 Suzuki Intruder, Miscellaneous Mopars |
> > `-------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
> >
> >
>
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