Random Question

[Mike Walker 0]

Had the front end of my car jacked up at the weekend with the wheels off. Started the car up in nuetral and the front wheels started spinning When I dip the clutch they stop spinning but why the hell would they be getting drive in nuetral?

 

I can stop them using my bare hand grabbing the brake disc.

[Ahl 4]

Thats perfectly normal, its just friction through the gear box oil or something like that.

[tri_longer 25]

Had the front end of my car jacked up at the weekend with the wheels off. Started the car up in nuetral and the front wheels started spinning When I dip the clutch they stop spinning but why the hell would they be getting drive in nuetral?

 

I can stop them using my bare hand grabbing the brake disc.

 

We had this a few weeks ago and it baffled the hell out of us, my mate reckons because it was a new clutch we still have a small amount of friction from the plate but wouldn't be enough to move the car.

 

To be honest, dammed if I know, but if anyone does have a plausible explanation I would also like to know.

[Grim.Badger 15]

This confused the hell out of me when I first noticed it, especially as one wheel turns much faster than the other and can't be stopped

I've been told it's fluid movement in the gearbox but that wouldn't explain why one of the wheels is actually going around with a fair bit of force; I presumed one of the bits in the gearbox sags and contacts but then I know nothing about gearbox internals

[Ahl 4]

This confused the hell out of me when I first noticed it, especially as one wheel turns much faster than the other and can't be stopped

Crikey! :S I've never had that before.

[Pug_Power_Dave 0]

It is normal for wheels to spin in neutral when their off the ground. Diffs usually work by sending power to the wheel thats easiest to turn, which is why one might spin faster than the other. But you should be able to stop it i would have thought and make the other wheel spin faster... unless the brake was bound on on the otherside or sumthing....

 

Cheers

Dave

[Mikey G 3]

We had this a few weeks ago and it baffled the hell out of us, my mate reckons because it was a new clutch we still have a small amount of friction from the plate but wouldn't be enough to move the car.

 

To be honest, dammed if I know, but if anyone does have a plausible explanation I would also like to know.

 

When the car is in neutral and the clutch is engaged it has nothing to do with how old it is. As said its just friction in the gearbox.

[Mike Walker 0]

Well i'm glad some others were as confused as I was!

[skeggyrik 3]

If you've ever owned a motorbike with a centre stand you would havee seen this phenomena.

[Grim.Badger 15]

It is normal for wheels to spin in neutral when their off the ground. Diffs usually work by sending power to the wheel thats easiest to turn, which is why one might spin faster than the other. But you should be able to stop it i would have thought and make the other wheel spin faster... unless the brake was bound on on the otherside or sumthing....

 

Cheers

Dave

 

Brake probably was bound on the other side, it is a bit dodgy.

When I say it wouldn't stop I mean that gentle pressure on the tyre wouldn't stop it, I didn't want to press harder just in case it still moved and injured me in some way.

 

Still I think I need to check again

[jas-E 1]

When the car is in neutral the clutch is engaged. The gears on the input and output shaft are spinning, but since they have not been selected there is no drive. Due to the oil in the tolerances in between gears you get oil drag which causes the wheels to spin when the car is jacked up.

 

This drag force is not that great and thats why you can stop the wheel with your hands or thats why your car doesnt start rolling away when its on the ground.