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Old 03-24-2009, 03:19 AM   #38 (permalink)
Piwoslaw
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
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Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DonR View Post
The Honda Prelude's rear wheel steering had two modes of opperation.
1) Slow speed 0-15 or 20mph. The rear wheels turned opposite of the front. Not near the angle of the front wheels. This aided in maneuverability, shortening the turning radius. At higher speeds you have too much oversteer.

2) High speed 15 or 20 mph on up. Parallel to the front. Not near the angle of the front wheels. This induces an increased slip angle in the rear tires reducing oversteer.
I remember an ad of some car showing how the rear wheels turned in the same direction as the front, aiding in changing lanes. I wondered that it would make turning in a full parking lot quite tricky. I wonder how Honda's Prelude switched from one mode to the other, say if the 15-20 mph were exceded with the wheels turned?

Steerable front and back wheels make the car more complex, but it would allow a smaller angle of turn, making it easier to cover the wheels with skirts.
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