Which tires tend to lift during torque reaction on a heavily loaded diesel engine?

• A. Left front and left rear
• B. Right front and right rear
• C. Left front and right rear
• D. Right front and left rear

Answer: (C)

Torque from a heavy diesel engine creates a twisting reaction in the vehicle that shows up as a roll of the chassis. In a typical front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the engine’s rotation and the path of power to the rear wheels generate a moment that unloads the front-left corner and the rear-right corner first. That diagonal pair tends to lift under high torque, while the other two corners stay planted longer. So the front-left and rear-right tires are the ones most likely to lift with torque reaction on a heavily loaded diesel engine.