Drift entrance techniques/form

[Perfect Balance]

Frequently the rear coilovers bottom out in the mounts before the mounts hit the perches, and the only way to go lower from that point is to droop the springs.

[KA240SX808]

I suppose. But at that point I'm pretty sure your geometry is all out of wack and should be looking into rear knuckles at that point IMO.

[cmg]

Originally Posted by karl wasabi

I've always heard you should never droop your coilovers. Why don't you set the spring perches so that the spring is secured top and bottom? Don't add any pre-load but just make sure the spring doesn't move up and down. You'll still have a little droop with the full range of your shock.

If you want more squat soften the rear dampening/spring a bit and if you need more raise the front suspension.

If I had a track only car I would most def set the suspension up with more care. Its a daily and weekend car so looks matter as well. Im still unsure if drooping helped me but it seemed as though it did.

Originally Posted by KA240SX808

+1. Adding Spring droop/play just takes away shock travel. I just set the Rears to hold the springs with no preload.

Unless you don't have Independent height adjust-ability is why your doing that?

I do have height adjustability. My stance coilovers on a previous setup had more adjustability with the mount but still wasn't enough. Same with BC coilovers. Im using an old set I had (kts) and still wont go low enough without droop. Ive never seemed to have a problem with not having enough travel. Tire always hits before the coilover bottoms out.

Originally Posted by Perfect Balance

Frequently the rear coilovers bottom out in the mounts before the mounts hit the perches, and the only way to go lower from that point is to droop the springs.

Bingo.

Originally Posted by KA240SX808

I suppose. But at that point I'm pretty sure your geometry is all out of wack and should be looking into rear knuckles at that point IMO.

My suspension geometry is way out of way. I have risers but that helps very little. More of a solid bushing more exhaust tucking room part. Modded rear knuckles would def allow the car to go as low as I want without drooping the springs. I just dont see it being a neccessary purchase on my daily at the moment.

[LayNLow]

Any pointers? Video from an event at the beginning of the year.
https://vimeo.com/32021384
Stock sr, pbm hmic, 14psi, stock knuckles, no front sway bar.

I lowered it after this, and the car just doesnt feel the same. Going to raise it back up before the next event it sees along with a few more changes.

[Z33dori]

doing great man, nice to see people learning and not using the ebrake ever 4 seconds

[Kamronman]

hahhahahahahaha the first to crack this!

[Kamronman]

Originally Posted by ILoveMyRHS13

Granny shifting, not double clutchin' like you should!

hahahahahahahahhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa

[Tearlessj]

Originally Posted by LayNLow

Any pointers? Video from an event at the beginning of the year.
https://vimeo.com/32021384
Stock sr, pbm hmic, 14psi, stock knuckles, no front sway bar.

I lowered it after this, and the car just doesnt feel the same. Going to raise it back up before the next event it sees along with a few more changes.

Just like I did Ty. We all learn, slammed = fail.

https://vimeo.com/46667863

Excuse the lack of drifting on my part.

[karl wasabi]

Originally Posted by LayNLow

Any pointers? Video from an event at the beginning of the year.
https://vimeo.com/32021384
Stock sr, pbm hmic, 14psi, stock knuckles, no front sway bar.

I lowered it after this, and the car just doesnt feel the same. Going to raise it back up before the next event it sees along with a few more changes.

Try not to do such a huge feint on the straightaway before the first set of S turns. Doing that huge feint makes you go super wide on the turns and you're missing the apexes (still should be on a racing line when drifting). Maybe try caring as much speed on the straightaway as you can and ebrake initiate into the turn or just do a smaller feint and not clutch kick. Other than that it looks pretty good.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Tearlessj

Just like I did Ty. We all learn, slammed = fail.

I would like to disagree.

[Lutz Performance]

Haruguchi highly disagrees lol

[Tearlessj]

Yea but you guys have cool cars.

[karl wasabi]

Originally Posted by Brian

I would like to disagree.

I prefer the reversed rake pre-runner look.

[fckillerbee]

Originally Posted by karl wasabi

I prefer the reversed rake pre-runner look.

Karl, you have lower standards than that. You just prefer a running car.

and who said you couldn't slide while the car is sitting on the ground...anyone ever watch youtube?

[Tearlessj]

Of course you can. Some of us just do not like the way it drives. I'll take my reverse rake any day over when my car was "slammed".

[Lutz Performance]

Originally Posted by karl wasabi

I prefer the reversed rake pre-runner look.

i like them low with a lil bit of reverse rake

but at the end of the day nothing beats watching a car slammed into the asphalt that doing good. Just takes the right parts

[jasoncanseeoh]

Wow, this thread just died completely! I guess everyone knows how to drift now! LOL.

Anyway, quick question, I've tried to upshift mid-drift multiple times already and failed horribly (2nd gear to 3rd gear). And whenever I try to do so, I straighten out. EVEN if I try to upshift fast as hell, still no luck. How do people upshift mid-drift while keeping the same amount of angle (not losing drift)? Flat foot shifting?

Also, I've seen videos of people at Ebisu/Nikko and when they initiate, they initiate in third, then downshift into second. Same question basically.... how do they keep the drift even when they are off the throttle for solid amount of time? I'm guessing lots of angle on initiation or something like that, but if someone can enlighten me, that would be cool!

Here's a vid at Nikko just to explain what the hell I'm talking about. Skip to 1:46 to see the initation.



I mean, it seems simple enough. Initiate in third, then downshift mid-drift. But, for some reason whenever I try to do some shit like this, I straighten out. Is it because I'm not throwing enough angle into it?

So, I asked two questions:
1. How do you upshift mid-drift without losing drift?
2. How do you downshift mid-drift without losing drift?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks dudes.

[JesusFreakDrifter]

i love watching the action on this track

[Brian]

up-shift ---- shoot, man, I never had enough power to do it. lol

down shift ---- seemed easy. I guess try and downshift when your RPM is still high enough to kick your tires' ass.

[whyteboi]

I've never gone 2nd to 3rd but from 1st to 2nd I keep my foot down on the gas bang the clutch and smack the trans into gear. I will probably break something soon..... My guess on shifting up would be having lots of power and/or going really really fast.

Downshifting depends on if you want to lock the rear by downshift it not. If you want to break traction with it then just downshift and let the clutch out, the rear will lock. That's pretty hard on car.

If you don't want to lock the rear then you will need to heal toe to keep the revs up and not upset the traction.

I don't know if that helps.

[bataangpinoy]

upshift-> its like a clutch kick. clutch in, select gear, clutch out and hammer down. nano second speed.
downshift- enter really fast, clutch in, let your speed come down and then select gear.

@ jason, i dont know if you noticed, but she grabs the ebrake quickly to keep the tires from grabbing. she's also entering relatively quickly.

[jasoncanseeoh]

Originally Posted by Brian

up-shift ---- shoot, man, I never had enough power to do it. lol

down shift ---- seemed easy. I guess try and downshift when your RPM is still high enough to kick your tires' ass.

Any rev matching at all? I guess I just need to work on timing as to when I downshift, also how quick I downshift.

Originally Posted by bataangpinoy

upshift-> its like a clutch kick. clutch in, select gear, clutch out and hammer down. nano second speed.
downshift- enter really fast, clutch in, let your speed come down and then select gear.

@ jason, i dont know if you noticed, but she grabs the ebrake quickly to keep the tires from grabbing. she's also entering relatively quickly.

When upshifting, you're not flat-footing it, right? Or are you?
And yeah, I noticed that as well, I wasn't sure if she HAD TO grab the e brake or not, that's all.

Looks like I'm gonna have to practice this a lot more!
Thanks for the help so far guys.

[bataangpinoy]

Originally Posted by jasoncanseeoh

Any rev matching at all? I guess I just need to work on timing as to when I downshift, also how quick I downshift.


When upshifting, you're not flat-footing it, right? Or are you?
And yeah, I noticed that as well, I wasn't sure if she HAD TO grab the e brake or not, that's all.

Looks like I'm gonna have to practice this a lot more!
Thanks for the help so far guys.

it depends on the corner. you dont have to grab the ebrake, but it helps some people keep the rear end from coming around too much.

i refer people to https://vimeo.com/20050770. it has a good view of the driver's inputs.

should clear up alot if not all confusion, and its kind of hard to explain over a key board.

[Biggamehit]

ebrake is not a bad thing... it's a technique just like all the others. I to thought using it was seen as lower skill and never relied on it until my sessions with Suenaga San of team orange the same instructor/mentor of Sumika in the video above. I have glanced at this thread and some people seem to think it is though. using the ebrake to drag ass yea.. not good ... but it's a vital tool and a car without a good ebrake is missing a vital correction/initiation tool. Also some of you are explaining how to perform shift lock basically with downshifting mid drift and letting the revs drop.. the downshift should be done within the right range of rpms with enough seat time man it will become second nature..... you don't want to shiftlock unless you are in rain or snow and even still it jolts the hell out of your driveline lol.

[LayNLow]

Originally Posted by jasoncanseeoh

Wow, this thread just died completely! I guess everyone knows how to drift now! LOL.

Anyway, quick question, I've tried to upshift mid-drift multiple times already and failed horribly (2nd gear to 3rd gear). And whenever I try to do so, I straighten out. EVEN if I try to upshift fast as hell, still no luck. How do people upshift mid-drift while keeping the same amount of angle (not losing drift)? Flat foot shifting?

Also, I've seen videos of people at Ebisu/Nikko and when they initiate, they initiate in third, then downshift into second. Same question basically.... how do they keep the drift even when they are off the throttle for solid amount of time? I'm guessing lots of angle on initiation or something like that, but if someone can enlighten me, that would be cool!

Here's a vid at Nikko just to explain what the hell I'm talking about. Skip to 1:46 to see the initation.
VIDEO

I mean, it seems simple enough. Initiate in third, then downshift mid-drift. But, for some reason whenever I try to do some shit like this, I straighten out. Is it because I'm not throwing enough angle into it?

So, I asked two questions:
1. How do you upshift mid-drift without losing drift?
2. How do you downshift mid-drift without losing drift?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks dudes.

1: If you dont have a lot of power then you will need to upshift on transitions. Just think ahead of time so you are prepared for it.
2: Once the car is sideways, it will stay that way unless you run out of momentumn/speed. So like someone else said, you can just clutch in put it in second and clutch out, or rev up and clutch out. Whatever is best for that certian corner.

[Grenade180sx]

you can down shift mid drift while braking, as stated above, momentum is the key as far as upshifting it depends on the corner, but the faster the shift the better as to gain your speed back.

i use the ebrake often and works well for adjusting my line and angle. people who say its less skill are clearly mistaken and havent driven at higher levels of competition or speed, the ebrake is for running tandem with cars that are slower then you when following.

[Thorough Concepts, LLC]

Originally Posted by Grenade180sx

you can down shift mid drift while braking, as stated above, momentum is the key as far as upshifting it depends on the corner, but the faster the shift the better as to gain your speed back.

i use the ebrake often and works well for adjusting my line and angle. people who say its less skill are clearly mistaken and havent driven at higher levels of competition or speed, the ebrake is for running tandem with cars that are slower then you when following.

+1 watch the in-car vids of D1GP or D1SL and see how much they utilize that ebrake. Once someone knows how to use ebrake well enough they can pretty much place a car wherever they want to.

[240dream]

any tips on linking corners? i can slide a corner but when i go to transition to the next curve it seems like my car whips out to hard and i spin out???

[Grenade180sx]

Originally Posted by 240dream

any tips on linking corners? i can slide a corner but when i go to transition to the next curve it seems like my car whips out to hard and i spin out???

depending on the actually distance to transition on the next corner, i usually lift throttle to get the car to rotate, that way you dont have the "snap effect" as harsh. although with more experience you'll be able to transition harder and stay on throttle for the most part.

so cliff notes

Lift before transitioning
throttle on once car has rotated into the direction you want to go.

[pacotaco345]

Originally Posted by Grenade180sx

depending on the actually distance to transition on the next corner, i usually lift throttle to get the car to rotate, that way you dont have the "snap effect" as harsh. although with more experience you'll be able to transition harder and stay on throttle for the most part.

so cliff notes

Lift before transitioning
throttle on once car has rotated into the direction you want to go.

I always had people tell me this when I asked advice to transition but it just made the problem worse. When I let off the gas the rear end would grip and throw me the other way. I just learned to stay on the gas and feed the wheels a lil more lock to send it the other way.