RWD

[DJF]

Anyone ever think of making their AWD audi into RWD. I love the quattro but i just think for performance benefits and the fun of doing some burn outs. I was thinking it wouldn't be too hard but everything sounds easier than it is. I just thought that since this will be the last winter my audi will see i figure it would be a good spring project. I was thinking I would just weld the center diff remove the front diff some way i haven't quite figured that out yet I've only been in one a4 1.8 tranny. Remove the front half shafts and figure out some way to hold the front bearing into the hub. Tell me what you guys think I know it would be betraying the great quattro system but it would be something unique im sure people have done but none that i seen yet.

[Vinchenzo51]

Want AWD, buy an Audi
Want RWD, buy a BMW

[ferrariyellow44]

You want fun RWD, you buy an AMG...BMWs are for tools

[Corrado_Guy]

Did you ever watch the B5 road race back in the day? Watch some old BTC or some Ausi touring car racing and you will really appreciate what AWD can do for you. If you really want to do it then simply weld the gear stack together in the centre diff, remove the front drive shafts, and just bolt the outer cv joint back in place with the balls & race removed and it is RWD. Doing burn-outs is pretty weak though, if you really want to have fun with then challenge yourself by taking it to an autocross event and show what a real man can do. Anyone can do a burn-out but it takes really skill to control the car and put down an amazing run.

If you would really want to do something like making the car RWD first understand it will totally change the way the car was designed to handle and it may not be safe. Removing the front drive shafts and using just the outer cv joint shells to keep the front wheel bearing in check should cause no problems. Welding the gear stack together could cause a little unbalance which could cause vibrations. I know people have done to make drift cars and I doubt they did it any differently but search on RWD Audi in general and see if you can find more information and any problems encountered. I say leave it AWD and enjoy car if it is worth anything to you....

[walky_talky20]

Yes, this is possible, and even reversible later on. You remove the front half-shafts, but you leave the outer CV housings bolted in at the knuckles. You remove the torsen and weld it up. BAM, RWD Audi. When you want to go back, you just buy a new torsen center diff and pop it in along with your front half-shafts. BAM, quattro goodness again. It is easy enought to do that you could run 3 seasons with RWD and winter with AWD if you so choose.

That said, the best RWD platform does not the B5 make. The engine and trans are mounted *so* far forward it is kind of silly to use for that. Get a 3-series and call it done.

EDIT: ^^beat me to it.

[Stubek]

I have seen one person with a TT in person who pulled a fuse and told me the haldex AWD system is electronic, so he can pull that fuse and drive on the track for a few laps as an RWD then put the fuse back in and drive AWD and it does no damage to the car. Not sure I belive that it does no extra wear or no damage, but I saw him do this.
I know his TT is the first generation with the 225 hp engine.

[walky_talky20]

^That is correct, except it the rear wheels he is disabling by doing that. Without the fuse he would be running FWD, and then replacing it enables the haldex clutches which drive the rear axle "on demand".

[Vinchenzo51]

BMW's near 50/50 weight distribution is a way better choice if RWD is what your after (Or an AMG if that tickles your fancy). Audi's AWD system is our only leg up on them (that, and the looks ).

If you want a car to just do burnouts in, buy and old mustang for $1500 and beat the piss out of it.

[Shhmaudi]

Dont do it your car will handle like shit. watch a youtube video.. fun for about 15 mins and then you wish you never did it...

[bmarshall]

Get the RS4 torsen bias and its almost RWD anyway.
If you want RWD get a nissan S14/15 or a Holden commodore, ahhm, I mean Pontiac G8/GTO. I forgot you yanks cant make decent cars anymore!

[runvsofme07]

go buy an e30 or upgrade to 20/80 tbr.. rwd has been done before, but for any other reason than shits n giggles going rwd is unnecessary in a b5..

[M-Hood]

I have seen one person with a TT in person who pulled a fuse and told me the haldex AWD system is electronic, so he can pull that fuse and drive on the track for a few laps as an RWD then put the fuse back in and drive AWD and it does no damage to the car. Not sure I belive that it does no extra wear or no damage, but I saw him do this.
I know his TT is the first generation with the 225 hp engine.

LOL that TT owner is clueless about his own car seeing it is basically a FWD car that only sends power to the rear when the fronts are spinning. When he pulls the fuse he just ends up with a FWD car.


OP - If RWD is so much fun then why did you end up buying a AWD car? RWD might be fun for doing burn outs and drifting, but thats about where the fun stops.

[mysman]

BMW's near 50/50 weight distribution is a way better choice if RWD is what your after (Or an AMG if that tickles your fancy). Audi's AWD system is our only leg up on them (that, and the looks ).

If you want a car to just do burnouts in, buy and old mustang for $1500 and beat the piss out of it.

Exactly. Converting to RWD leaves you with all of the disadvantages of what is essentially a FWD platform (poor weight distribution, high polar moment of inertia, parasitic losses, 4-link front suspension) with none of the benefits of AWD.

[jettaglx91]

rwd can be fun at times and it really doesn't ruin much of the handling if you aren't making a ton of power. It def puts alot of stress and slop through the drivetrain especially considering these cars are now in excess of 10 yrs old and 100K miles


with the stock turbo it was no big deal, with the frankenturbo no big deal, with the frankenturbo on e85 it has a habit of just spinning the inside tire when powering through a turn. I have a s4 rear I plan on welding the rear diff in to give me more rpm under torque and more traction.


I did it mainly for the purpose of testing (as its obviously easier to dyno) and is easily reversible but no benefit of doing it just to do it, well other then the looks on peoples faces when doing a burnout and them not understanding why its coming from the rear lol

[bmarshall]

Why don't you get an LSD?
It will understeer and wear tyres!

[jettaglx91]

Why don't you get an LSD?
It will understeer and wear tyres!

have you priced a lsd for the rear? $$$$$$$$

not very concerned with tire wear

[somebody5788]

go buy an e30 or upgrade to 20/80 tbr.. rwd has been done before, but for any other reason than shits n giggles going rwd is unnecessary in a b5..

That would require converting to a hydraulic clutch type center differential. the JHM or STaSIS dif is not always 20/80 if you thought it was.

Get the RS4 torsen bias and its almost RWD anyway.
If you want RWD get a nissan S14/15 or a Holden commodore, ahhm, I mean Pontiac G8/GTO. I forgot you yanks cant make decent cars anymore!

Doesn't work like that. I have it, it is still very very much AWD unless you have the power to light up all 4 through 2nd gear then maybe it will feel RWD.

[M-Hood]

That would require converting to a hydraulic clutch type center differential. the JHM or STaSIS dif is not always 20/80 if you thought it was.



Doesn't work like that. I have it, it is still very very much AWD unless you have the power to light up all 4 through 2nd gear then maybe it will feel RWD.

It really only changes during cornering, doesn't change from 50/50 when driving in a straight line which is why it doesn't help when launching. What people dont understand is that the 40/60 and 20/80 is how much it can shift to the back not what it is doing 100% of the time.