track width

[venomous]

Hi, I was unable to find any thorough disscussions on track width differences between the front and the back. what are the benefits and how much do they come into play? how much difference, if any should there be? What would be ideal on say a trophy truck in the 90 inch range and why?

[philofab]

Most want the track width the same front and rear. A difference in track width will make the vehicle handle rutts in an odd way. The front wheels will be in the ruts and the rear will be out... if that makes any sense. However old Class 8 trucks did have narrower rear axles to allow better turning with spools.

[Scott_F]

With A-arms your track width changes throughout the travel, so I would recommend that you make the rear axle the same width as the front track width at bump and droop. The front will be a little wider in the middle of the travel at ride height. This is a good thing, because if your front wheels will fit through a tight spot, your rear is guaranteed to follow.

[ACID_RAIN28]

Think of it as a three wheeler backwards, the closer the rear outside wheel, in a turn, is to the middle of the car, the car will rotate faster. That is the reason for a slight track width differential. Typically it is only an Inch difference, so 93" up front and 92 in the rear. Also this track width is set from the design ride height. A vehicle will not behave odd, it will just follow the widest track in the ruts. You can Google the subject, it is cover extensively on road racing sites all over. Or in Race Car Vehicle dynamics by William Milliken