Does spinning a car damage the gearbox?

[Kenzle]

Am thinking of doing a (beginner's) track day to help learn the limits of handling on my car but am concerned about potentially damaging it.

Does spinning a car, e.g. coming out of a corner and getting on the gas too aggressively, cause damage to a car's gearbox? Thinking about it, it seems to me that it must. If you are engaged in a forward gear, and the back end comes round to overtake you and you end up going backwards, surely the fact that the driven wheels are forced to move in the opposite direction while the car is still in a forward gear will result in damage?

I am forever seeing cars doing this at motorsport events and yet they seem to just drive off with no problems. Is there underlying damage / stress on the gearbox?

Thanks

[Captain Muppet]

The peak torque your gearbox will see is when you launch the car from a standstill. If you spin your car the tyres will be sliding and have much less grip.

Also if you spin your tyres aren't forced to go backwards, they just slide over the tarmac.

Sliding a car around harms the tyres, not the gearbox. I used to drift on track a lot, I got through a lot of tyres, but never a gearbox.

[Darkslider]

It's very unlikely because when you realise you're past the point of no return and can't do anymore to save it you will most likely be stamped on the brake pedal and with the clutch pedal down, praying that you don't hit any other cars/the armco. However if for some reason you left the clutch up after the car had completed a spin and was rolling backwards in a forward gear, I would guess the engine would stall and would start to be rotated backwards, but not for long as the engine braking would bring the car to a stop fairly quickly even if you weren't hard on the brakes, which you should be!

As to whether forcing an engine to turn the wrong way will cause damage I couldn't say, depends on the individual engine I suppose, pumps and things will be turning the wrong way which could cause issues perhaps.

[andy-xr]

The gearbox isnt the issue in a spin, it's the people behind you that'll do more damage to your car.

I know what you're saying, but if you get into that situation (it's not what I guess you're going for) you'll either panic and jump back away from the quickly spinning steering wheel, or jump on the brakes and stick the clutch in. If you stall, you'll be at a fairly low speed and the wheels will lock

[plus5dB]

As above, when you know you've lost the rear depress the clutch (close your eyes, let out a scream like a 12 year old girl) and hope you stop without a bang. Then sheepishly drive back to the pits.

[Snowboy]

How does an auto deal with this?

[Kenzle]

Thanks for the replies guys, yeah I guess the clutch depression should be a fairly automatic reflex, was just wondering what would happen if not.

Obviously I am not intending on doing this deliberately, but it occurred to me that in finding out where the limits are you have to slightly exceed them.

[Rawwr]

Depending upon which axis it spins, you'll damage more than the gearbox

[gavsdavs]

Do a car limits day before you do a track day. Walshy will teach you a lot.
And yes, if you're about to hurtle backwards through loss of traction, be ready on the clutch.

[ManFromDelmonte]

Grip, Slip, Grip situations aren't generally very good for some gearboxes, it's what did for the (notoriously weak) gearbox of my old Saab. I believe the theory was that it casuses flex in the housing resulting in some kind of bearing failure.

Having said that, in most cars it will be fine.

[Captain Muppet]

gavsdavs said:

And yes, if you're about to hurtle backwards through loss of traction, be ready on the clutch.

I've spun through 180 degrees and kept on the accelerator - you eventually roll to a stop inside a growing cloud of smoke and slowly start moving forwards again.

Not something to be done unless you know you have the track to yourself due to the extreme danger of having a massive crash if there was a car following you. Fun though.

[Benrad]

On a Radical SR3 if you spin you must hit the clutch, otherwise it damages the starter motor. Could be similar damage if you spin the engine backwards on anything else. Unless it's got some really funky cams then you won't damage the engine itself but some of the ancillaries (starter, alternator, oil, fuel and water pumps etc) may not like it

[gavsdavs]

Captain Muppet said:

Not something to be done unless you know you have the track to yourself due to the extreme danger of having a massive crash if there was a car following you. Fun though.

I assumed the OP was in a conventional road car with tyres he wants to use after the event
That and it may not be powerful to continue forward motion on the crank whilst there are reverse forces coming in via the gearbox.

Again - do a walshy day. Spin it all you like, in fact that's the point !!

[eltax91]

gavsdavs said:

Do a car limits day before you do a track day. Walshy will teach you a lot.
And yes, if you're about to hurtle backwards through loss of traction, be ready on the clutch.

This. He even goes through the engine going back wards as a result of a spin and what not to do after you have stalled it. As a way of finding your cars limits, the day was excellent!

N.B. Basically, if you stall it when you spin, you start the car normally, however DO NOT be tempted to give it any gas, just let the battery do the cranking and eventually the cylinders will have the correct fuel/ mix and the car will start.