What phenomenon is likely to occur if the front wheels lock up during vehicle braking?
2 Answers
It is prone to steering loss. Below are relevant introductions about wheel lock-up: 1. Side-slip and fishtailing: When a vehicle brakes and the front wheels lock up, the vehicle loses steering capability, making it unable to turn or avoid obstacles and pedestrians; if the rear wheels lock up, the vehicle loses stability, resulting in side-slip and fishtailing. 2. Drifting: When wheels lock up, they experience pure sliding friction with the road surface. If the front wheels lock up, steering fails, and the vehicle won't follow the intended direction but instead moves towards the direction of least resistance, which can be dangerous; if the rear wheels lock up, side-slip and fishtailing occur, commonly known as drifting.
I had a similar experience when driving my old car. Braking too hard caused the front wheels to lock up, and the steering wheel became completely unresponsive—it felt like it was welded in place, and the car just slid straight forward. If it weren't for the good road conditions at the time, I probably would have hit the roadside curb. This happens mainly because when the front wheels lock up, the tires slide rather than roll on the ground, and the friction only provides braking force without supporting steering. Over time, I learned to drive cars with ABS systems, which automatically apply intermittent braking to prevent wheel lockup, making it much safer. So, I recommend avoiding sudden braking on rainy days or gravel roads. Maintaining older cars is crucial—regularly replacing brake pads can prevent a lot of trouble.
