Can the rear wheels lock up and cause skidding or fishtailing during braking?
2 Answers
Braking with the rear wheels locked up can indeed cause skidding or fishtailing. Here are the relevant explanations: 1. Skidding: Skidding refers to the phenomenon where a vehicle experiences a lateral swinging motion due to sudden acceleration, abrupt braking, or excessive torque during startup, commonly known as fishtailing. There are many factors that can cause a vehicle to skid. Driving on snow, rain, or ice and suddenly releasing the throttle or accelerating abruptly; applying emergency braking where the rear wheels lock up before the front wheels; all these scenarios can easily lead to vehicle skidding and result in accidents. 2. Lateral Disturbance Force: If the rear wheels lock up, while the rear wheels are subjected to a lateral disturbance force, the front wheels will have a self-aligning torque effect. This creates two horizontal forces acting in opposite directions at the front and rear of the vehicle, forming a torque that can quickly cause the vehicle to fishtail or skid.
I remember when I was driving an old car and braked too hard, the rear wheels locked up completely, causing the car to suddenly fishtail and spin, nearly causing an accident. After that incident, I looked into it and learned that if the rear wheels lock during braking, they lose their ability to rotate and simply slide on the road surface, leading to a loss of traction control—especially dangerous in corners or on wet roads. This is related to weight transfer: during braking, the vehicle's center of gravity shifts forward, reducing the rear wheels' grip and making them more prone to sliding. That's why it's important to avoid slamming on the brakes abruptly and instead practice gentle braking or rely on the ABS system. Regular checks on brake pads and tire tread patterns are also crucial—prevention is better than cure.
