Want to learn how to drift?
Posted: November 2nd, 2007, 2:58 pm
How to drift? This is a small write up of learning to drift based on Nobutero Taniguchi's and Manabu Orido's words and techniques. Unfortunatley the videos and in Japanese but you'll get the gist of it.
Step 1: 360 degree or 'donuts'
Hit the gas to start spinning the rear tires, then be aware of the steering as it typically turns in the opposite direction of the spin. Don't use too much steering in initiating the drift because as beginners, you will lose track of the direction of the steering as it spins.Work the gas pedal and the steering as needed to keep the car spinning around a point. More throttle will give you more angle but will make the car spinout easier and faster. Less throttle gives you less angle and more control, also it will be easier to drop out of the engine's powerband which will cancel the drift. So you'll have to modulate between the 2 for the best results.
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Step 2: Larger 360's or 'donuts'
Increase the size of the 360's to help perfect your throttle modulation.
With your traffic cones (or whatever you have at your disposal) opened to a larger circle, adjust your stering and throttle to keep the car sliding in a wider arc.
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Step 3: Figure Eights
With 360 turns now mastered you can start practicing figure eights. This will allow you to cope with changing direction while also practicing your acceleration and braking. Start off at one point and allow the car to slide out of the turn into the next turn, where you will have to change direction.
Start your initial turn-in and tap the brake. Countersteer and throttle modulate as in Step 1 & 2.
NOTE: when you're heavy on the throttle with the rear wheels spinning, the car's weight is on the outside rear tyre. If you were to let off the throttle at that point, the weight would transfer to the front and the car would tend to go in the direction of the steering. If you were to tap the brake, the weight would transfer even more and the car would react more violently. SO be aware of how much braking you do and the steergin's direction.
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Step 4: Power and Oversteering
This is basically driving into a corner and hitting the gas to get the rear end out. Choose a corner or turn, and drive into the corner; don't drift into it, not yet. Then when you'reabout halfway out of the bend, hit the gas and feel the rear end slide out. Use the throttle wisely as if you hit the gas too hard too soon, you can end up sliding too wide, or even spinning out. Do this step to feel comfortable with the car leaving a turn. For underpowered cars where hitting the throttle would just cause understeer; use the clutch kick tactic ( rev the engine, and relaease the clutch so that the rear tyres can break traction)
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Step 5: Handbrake and Braking
As mentioned before, braking and acceleration transfer the weight around a car. It's a rear occasion where you can just dive into a corner without braking (unless you drive really slowly). You usually brake before entering a turn, but you can use this braking 'energy' to turn the car. As you brake the weight is on the front of the car, making the rear easier to slide.
Consequently you can use the handbrake, which I hope everybody knows affects the rear wheels, to initiate traction loss. As you drive into a turn, depress the clutch and pull the handbrake, this will cause the rear wheels to lock (if your hanbrake is properly adjusted); while simultaneously steering into the corner to start the slide. release the clutch, adjust your steering,hit the throttle and modulate to keep the rear end sliding in the direction you want. See how when Taniguchi stood on the footbrake heavily, the car spun?? Demonstrating how the handbrake and the footbrake differ.
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Step 6: Combine all the techniques
Now use all the techniques you've learnt to drift an entire circuit. You can also tailor different techniques to your driving style and your car's setup.
For example; with a long wheelbase, understeering but powerful car like a 4 door skyline; you can use alot of handbrake as it takes alot of effort to initiate a drift and use the car's power to keep the car sliding.
Or a nicely balanced, fairly powerful S15; you can initiate the drift from a greater distance before the turn but use the handbrake to extend the slide.
<object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y6gzwWv9UrI&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y6gzwWv9UrI&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>
Have fun and slide onn the safe side!!
Step 1: 360 degree or 'donuts'
Hit the gas to start spinning the rear tires, then be aware of the steering as it typically turns in the opposite direction of the spin. Don't use too much steering in initiating the drift because as beginners, you will lose track of the direction of the steering as it spins.Work the gas pedal and the steering as needed to keep the car spinning around a point. More throttle will give you more angle but will make the car spinout easier and faster. Less throttle gives you less angle and more control, also it will be easier to drop out of the engine's powerband which will cancel the drift. So you'll have to modulate between the 2 for the best results.
<object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vy7zANjiJJw&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vy7zANjiJJw&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>
Step 2: Larger 360's or 'donuts'
Increase the size of the 360's to help perfect your throttle modulation.
With your traffic cones (or whatever you have at your disposal) opened to a larger circle, adjust your stering and throttle to keep the car sliding in a wider arc.
<object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FYpGbrYPSwk&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FYpGbrYPSwk&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>
Step 3: Figure Eights
With 360 turns now mastered you can start practicing figure eights. This will allow you to cope with changing direction while also practicing your acceleration and braking. Start off at one point and allow the car to slide out of the turn into the next turn, where you will have to change direction.
Start your initial turn-in and tap the brake. Countersteer and throttle modulate as in Step 1 & 2.
NOTE: when you're heavy on the throttle with the rear wheels spinning, the car's weight is on the outside rear tyre. If you were to let off the throttle at that point, the weight would transfer to the front and the car would tend to go in the direction of the steering. If you were to tap the brake, the weight would transfer even more and the car would react more violently. SO be aware of how much braking you do and the steergin's direction.
<object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZWLdvBg0MP8&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZWLdvBg0MP8&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>
Step 4: Power and Oversteering
This is basically driving into a corner and hitting the gas to get the rear end out. Choose a corner or turn, and drive into the corner; don't drift into it, not yet. Then when you'reabout halfway out of the bend, hit the gas and feel the rear end slide out. Use the throttle wisely as if you hit the gas too hard too soon, you can end up sliding too wide, or even spinning out. Do this step to feel comfortable with the car leaving a turn. For underpowered cars where hitting the throttle would just cause understeer; use the clutch kick tactic ( rev the engine, and relaease the clutch so that the rear tyres can break traction)
<object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7pqXqz1Ox80&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7pqXqz1Ox80&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>
Step 5: Handbrake and Braking
As mentioned before, braking and acceleration transfer the weight around a car. It's a rear occasion where you can just dive into a corner without braking (unless you drive really slowly). You usually brake before entering a turn, but you can use this braking 'energy' to turn the car. As you brake the weight is on the front of the car, making the rear easier to slide.
Consequently you can use the handbrake, which I hope everybody knows affects the rear wheels, to initiate traction loss. As you drive into a turn, depress the clutch and pull the handbrake, this will cause the rear wheels to lock (if your hanbrake is properly adjusted); while simultaneously steering into the corner to start the slide. release the clutch, adjust your steering,hit the throttle and modulate to keep the rear end sliding in the direction you want. See how when Taniguchi stood on the footbrake heavily, the car spun?? Demonstrating how the handbrake and the footbrake differ.
<object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q7Ack_i4dOw&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q7Ack_i4dOw&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>
Step 6: Combine all the techniques
Now use all the techniques you've learnt to drift an entire circuit. You can also tailor different techniques to your driving style and your car's setup.
For example; with a long wheelbase, understeering but powerful car like a 4 door skyline; you can use alot of handbrake as it takes alot of effort to initiate a drift and use the car's power to keep the car sliding.
Or a nicely balanced, fairly powerful S15; you can initiate the drift from a greater distance before the turn but use the handbrake to extend the slide.
<object width="425" height="366"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y6gzwWv9UrI&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y6gzwWv9UrI&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="366"></embed></object>
Have fun and slide onn the safe side!!
Wish i had the belly to do this but can't think of having my vr4 go sideways.
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