Why no front wheel drive trucks?

[Oaktree]

Don't recall the details, but I remember reading something about the handling on those FWD VW "trucks" was pretty funky...something to do with very little weight (unloaded) on the rear wheels tended to make it come around on wet/slippery roads. As others have noted, the opposite would happen when loaded...the drive wheels would have less weight and make for some equally "interesting" handling. Front-to-rear weight is a lot more balanced on a car.

I don't think VW (or Chrysler) made those FWD trucks for very long...a couple years maybe?

 

[RollingsFarms]

Really? What model Datsun would that have been?

I'm trying to remember the exact year. It was blue and a long bed and front wheel drive. If I had to guess I'd say it was a late 70's maybe? I think I have a pic of it somewhere, I'll see if I can find it.

 

[930ck]

Like these,

Very similar to these , loaded correctly traction wouldn't be a problem and more people would look at the pulling combo than what was on it.

 

[texasjohn]

I actually saw one of those not a month ago within a mile of my place. Looked ungainly pulling out onto the road from gas station. It was even longer...a crew cab up front.

Very similar to these , loaded correctly traction wouldn't be a problem and more people would look at the pulling combo than what was on it.

 

[Agvg]

This type of truck works great with front wheel drive.

 

[bcp]

You couldn't unload front wheel drive trucks.

Bruce

 

[Winmac]

I'm sure gm made a fwd truck in the 90's perhaps it was Canada only, I think it had 4 wheel steering too.
And I recall a fwd truck that would drop the bed down to the ground for loading, it was either a prototype or a aftermarket kit.

 

[dfkrug]

I'm trying to remember the exact year. It was blue and a long bed and front wheel
drive. If I had to guess I'd say it was a late 70's maybe? I think I have a pic of it somewhere, I'll see if I can find it.

Datsun made no front wheel drive trucks that I am aware of, so it would have to be custom-made.

In some ways, my favorite fantasy truck would be my old Datsun PL620 (73-78) but with a modern drivetrain
and brakes.

A neighbor around here has one of the old VW rabbit diesel pickups, which is FWD. He is OK with it
as long as he does not carry any big loads or drives up any hills (or in the rain). It gets very high
fuel mileage.

 

[ultrarunner]

Buddy screwed up his pickup drive shaft to the rear and drove for years with only the front drive connected...

Boss had a VW pickup new... used it to haul engines once a week about 350 miles round trip for the builder to the shop.

 

[Iowan]

You don't need front or rear wheel drive on your truck!

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