[WapCar] Wheelspan refers to the distance between the center lines of the track left by the wheels on the vehicle support plane (usually the ground). If the two ends of the axle are dual wheels, the wheelspan is the distance between the two center planes of the dual wheels. Generally speaking, the wider the wheelspan, the higher the driving comfort.
Generally speaking, the wider the wheelspan, the higher the driving comfort, and the wider the wheelspan can provide better stability. The outer wheels can provide better support when the vehicle is leaning laterally. In a curve, the vehicle's roll angle is smaller, and the outer wheel limit will appear later. In addition, the wheelspan also has an impact on the overall width, overall weight and safety of the car.
An increase in the front wheelspan will increase the turning radius of the vehicle, so the front wheel steering angle of a car with a large front wheelspan should be increased accordingly to offset the adverse effect on the turning radius. Generally speaking, the larger the wheelspan, the more favorable it is for the smoothness of handling, and the shape of the car body and the spaciousness of the compartment, and the better the lateral stability. But with a wider wheelspan, the overall width and total weight of the car are generally increased, and the problem of mud throwing to the side of the body is prone to occur. If the wheelspan is too wide, it will also affect the safety of the car, therefore, the wheel base should be adapted to the width of the vehicle body.
The wheelspan of a car is divided into front track and rear track, the front track is the center of the front two wheels, the rear track is the distance between the center planes of the two rear wheels, the two can be the same or can be different. The use of different wheelspans at the front and rear is to adjust the driving characteristics of the vehicle. Due to the difference in the center of gravity distribution and suspension design, different vehicles will show different driving characteristics. Some cars have a tendency to oversteer, while others are prone to understeer. The rear track is greater than the front track to correct the vehicle's congenital oversteer, because the rear axle with a large track can provide greater lateral support and delay the appearance of (tail flick). In the same way, the front track is larger than the rear track, which helps to improve the shortcomings of the vehicle's natural understeer.