tips for novice drifters on a budget
03-31-2007, 11:41 PM
#4
Contributing Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Woodbridge
Posts: 886
I'd like to add a little something also if you don't mind. My local drift forum has a huge write up on this, but definitely a good thing to practice for novice drifters is weight transfer. I know a lot of you have probably seen the "g-ball" in some videos, it's good to watch to understand where the weight is shifting when a vehicle is under load.
For those of you who really need hands on, a good thing I've learned to practice is doing donuts around a pylon(traffic cone). While it doesn't sound very hard to do, it actually helps you with your precision, the closer and closer you can get without hitting or running over the cone while switching directions (good for practicing weight shifting during multiple s-curves), the better you'll become during real-life situations. It's all about practicing the motions until your body is able to react instinctively, so you'll know when to pull the e-brake, if you need more or less throttle, and ultimately how the weight in your car shifts from one area to the other.
There are a LOT of other ways and things to do to practice using a pylon, this is just one of my favorites that I have picked up.
For those of you who really need hands on, a good thing I've learned to practice is doing donuts around a pylon(traffic cone). While it doesn't sound very hard to do, it actually helps you with your precision, the closer and closer you can get without hitting or running over the cone while switching directions (good for practicing weight shifting during multiple s-curves), the better you'll become during real-life situations. It's all about practicing the motions until your body is able to react instinctively, so you'll know when to pull the e-brake, if you need more or less throttle, and ultimately how the weight in your car shifts from one area to the other.
There are a LOT of other ways and things to do to practice using a pylon, this is just one of my favorites that I have picked up.
04-01-2007, 05:57 AM
#5
Contributing Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 2,817
Forgive me for disagreeing with your thread a bit but I do beleave that:
1. Tie rods (tein for the cheap)
2. TC bushing replacement or upgrade.
3. Coilovers (cheap for the cheap)
4. Diff (ats, kaaz, nismo don't be cheap)
That right there will help you get a car that will do the same thing more often than your full stock car.
I ran that sutup for a long while and was very competitive with it.
Yes you can drift with a stock car but momentum and drift are hard to keep with an open diff. Yes you can compensate with entry speed but your KA will do better with the diff.
1. Tie rods (tein for the cheap)
2. TC bushing replacement or upgrade.
3. Coilovers (cheap for the cheap)
4. Diff (ats, kaaz, nismo don't be cheap)
That right there will help you get a car that will do the same thing more often than your full stock car.
I ran that sutup for a long while and was very competitive with it.
Yes you can drift with a stock car but momentum and drift are hard to keep with an open diff. Yes you can compensate with entry speed but your KA will do better with the diff.
04-01-2007, 04:45 PM
#7
Contributing Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Woodbridge
Posts: 886
Forgive me for disagreeing with your thread a bit but I do beleave that:
1. Tie rods (tein for the cheap)
2. TC bushing replacement or upgrade.
3. Coilovers (cheap for the cheap)
4. Diff (ats, kaaz, nismo don't be cheap)
That right there will help you get a car that will do the same thing more often than your full stock car.
I ran that sutup for a long while and was very competitive with it.
Yes you can drift with a stock car but momentum and drift are hard to keep with an open diff. Yes you can compensate with entry speed but your KA will do better with the diff.
1. Tie rods (tein for the cheap)
2. TC bushing replacement or upgrade.
3. Coilovers (cheap for the cheap)
4. Diff (ats, kaaz, nismo don't be cheap)
That right there will help you get a car that will do the same thing more often than your full stock car.
I ran that sutup for a long while and was very competitive with it.
Yes you can drift with a stock car but momentum and drift are hard to keep with an open diff. Yes you can compensate with entry speed but your KA will do better with the diff.
04-01-2007, 05:19 PM
#8
Contributing Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 2,817
That is right an open diff can be fun and can be a great handicap device when driving against other cars in comps.
I would still do it worth the money. I am going for a 1.5 way this time so I can roadrace with it and not worry about it being locked the full time.
A lot of guys go turbo and that becomes a crutch for them. They depend on just tapping the throttle and getting a drift. Use speed and momentum.
I would still do it worth the money. I am going for a 1.5 way this time so I can roadrace with it and not worry about it being locked the full time.
A lot of guys go turbo and that becomes a crutch for them. They depend on just tapping the throttle and getting a drift. Use speed and momentum.
04-01-2007, 08:36 PM
#9
04-01-2007, 08:43 PM
#10
The whole turbo thing for a crutch just means they suck anyways. It doesn't take a lot of power to get a drift going and AE86 dudes have been doing it for years making less power than a KA24de, and using light weight chassis's. It's all about maneuver and technique and some don't have the skills at all so all the more power that rides on the pedal makes it look all the more easier. It's just deceptive IMO.
Myself personally I use to ghost ride the whip before I was 16, I think it comes natural to some while being harder for others.
04-11-2007, 07:11 PM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Over there....
Posts: 119
This is just an idea to put out there- would there be any experienced drifters willing to teach the more novice drivers to learn these techniques? It's one thing to read about it all the time, and try it and find out you're doing something wrong and don't know how to correct it. It's another when you have someone in the passenger seat guiding you on what's correct. I know that there are clinics and classes that you can take for this, but not everyone can afford to take them.
Just a suggestion.
Just a suggestion.
04-12-2007, 12:41 AM
#12
Contributing Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Woodbridge
Posts: 886
Nothing beats hands on experience, man. I can't stress that enough. I know it's tough to pay fees and whatever to get drifting, and open parking lots are tempting but dangerous cause of cops. I actually almost got caught this one night, but thats another story. If you don't want to get introuble, clinics and practice drift days are the best times to go.
...Sometimes you gotta pay to play, man. Good luck though--I'mma try to save up this year to head out to some events.
...Sometimes you gotta pay to play, man. Good luck though--I'mma try to save up this year to head out to some events.
04-12-2007, 10:21 AM
#14
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 97
To add to what Stan is saying, I HIGHLY advise an LSD. I was trying to practice with my open diff, it's TOTALLY night and day when you get a nice 2-way LSD. Personally, I'm running Kaaz. It wasn't very cheap, but it locks up SO well I've got no complaints. Also, with the method I described above for practicing, it's nearly impossible to do with an open differential. You can't maintain clean linear circles without an LSD!
I have been running a welded diff set up for over a year now and works great for me, I guess its all personal because i know some guys that cant stand them.
