hi, my name is jeff i got a 90 hatch with a sr and bolt-ons. Lookin 2 start drifting, where do i start? i have stock suspension and a vlsd i have the power but not the know-how. What techniques should i practice, i can heal-toe fuintly and clutch bump to get the rear out but when i strighten up from a drift my car sling shot the opposite direction i guess cause my stock suspension is preloading in the other direction? Let me kno where to start and what mods to get.
N00b drifter, where to start?
DoItSideWays!!
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hi, my name is jeff i got a 90 hatch with a sr and bolt-ons. Lookin 2 start drifting, where do i start? i have stock suspension and a vlsd i have the power but not the know-how. What techniques should i practice, i can heal-toe fuintly and clutch bump to get the rear out but when i strighten up from a drift my car sling shot the opposite direction i guess cause my stock suspension is preloading in the other direction? Let me kno where to start and what mods to get.
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64 Posts
im new to drifting to, i dont plan on doing it at events, just for fun. from the research ive done, you have to have the right supension set up, also the right tires for drifting.
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You are already are off to a good start. I would say you next upgrade should be Energy Suspension bushings. It takes practice to get it to stop sling shotting the other way, but it can be done. Once you can control that, you upgrade your suspension it is a cake walk. Gett a good feeling for you car. Be aware of what it tells you.
You can drift anything. I learned on an S14 KA, Auto with open diff. If you can pratice that, one you upgrade it will be like a whole new beast. After I learned on that car, I can drift a 1/2 ton ford with a V6 Auto Open Diff. It just takes practice. If you learn disadvantaged, your skill will be alot better than if you learned on a built car. Just learning on a built car is basically just going to handicap you.
My best recomendation to you is.....
-MANTAINCE YOUR CAR!!! Good brakes and such.
-Also get an Oil cooler. Your engine will be at higher RPM and will be Sustaining those RPMS for a longer than a normal "drag race."
-Practice
-Try to stay away from the E-brake. I believe the E-brake handicaps you in the "Noob" stage. Learn Things like Feint (weight Shift) Drift, Clutch Kick, Brakeing drift. Start with those and start mixing a few up.
-If you spin out, Stop for a second and Think about what caused that. (I.E. too much weight transfer, too fast or slow steering response, Too much or little throttle.)
- Throttle control is your friend. That SR has more than enough power to start drifting.
-If It doesn't feel right.... Don't Do It! Listen to your gut. If you Initiate a drift and it doesn't feel right or you start to understeer, STOP THE DRIFT, and try again.
-When you are starting to initiate, listen to you tires. If you are understeering, then you need to give it less steering input. Get a feel for your tires. You should get some feed back through your steering wheel.
Once you have reached your cars limit Setup wise, Then Upgrade.
Upgrade Driver First, Then Car..... Unless something breaks.
That should give you a pretty good start. PM me if you have more questions.
Steve.
You can drift anything. I learned on an S14 KA, Auto with open diff. If you can pratice that, one you upgrade it will be like a whole new beast. After I learned on that car, I can drift a 1/2 ton ford with a V6 Auto Open Diff. It just takes practice. If you learn disadvantaged, your skill will be alot better than if you learned on a built car. Just learning on a built car is basically just going to handicap you.
My best recomendation to you is.....
-MANTAINCE YOUR CAR!!! Good brakes and such.
-Also get an Oil cooler. Your engine will be at higher RPM and will be Sustaining those RPMS for a longer than a normal "drag race."
-Practice
-Try to stay away from the E-brake. I believe the E-brake handicaps you in the "Noob" stage. Learn Things like Feint (weight Shift) Drift, Clutch Kick, Brakeing drift. Start with those and start mixing a few up.
-If you spin out, Stop for a second and Think about what caused that. (I.E. too much weight transfer, too fast or slow steering response, Too much or little throttle.)
- Throttle control is your friend. That SR has more than enough power to start drifting.
-If It doesn't feel right.... Don't Do It! Listen to your gut. If you Initiate a drift and it doesn't feel right or you start to understeer, STOP THE DRIFT, and try again.
-When you are starting to initiate, listen to you tires. If you are understeering, then you need to give it less steering input. Get a feel for your tires. You should get some feed back through your steering wheel.
Once you have reached your cars limit Setup wise, Then Upgrade.
Upgrade Driver First, Then Car..... Unless something breaks.
That should give you a pretty good start. PM me if you have more questions.
Steve.
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177 Posts
wow thx also that really helped me out, ill be shootin u a PM soon with my outcome practicing.
thx
thx
The cause of your slingshot is lack of power over.Weight transfer, clutch kick, counter steer and power over. Once through the drift it is important to maintain throttle, once you let go the traction catches in your counter steer and across the road you go. Maintain the throttle and release the wheel, the car will straighten its self. I use the e-brake to stabilize the drift while still at full throttle. Practice and you will learn your own technique. Hope this helps.-Ian (Co-founder of Team Touge Terror.)
one reason you slingshot back around in the wrong direction is because your letting off the throttle too quickly, during one of my first true drifts i flew around a corner sideways, when i was out of the corner i was still sideways, but found myself pointed straight at a brick wall, i immediately paniced, let off the gas and slingshotted in the opposite direction, i ended up flinging myself into someones yard (yea, stupid, i know...ive learned my lesson) anyways, since then ive learned to STAY on the throttle when i come out of a corner, slowly let off and let the car straighten out.
first you should go to a event and get addvice and experince from people who are there to help. theres also the safty factor!!
now if you were like me and thought that you had to have some experince before going;
find a big empty parking lot!! look in ind. areas and find some cones ( can get em at wal-mart,small ones).
put out 1 cone and just practice doing circles,( note: i didnt say donut) a CONTROLLED circle is the first step.
then start controling the size of the circule I.E. small and large dia. by steering imputs and throtle modulation.
then add a cone and start doing figire 8's. once you can CONTROL (note: CONTROL)that, add more cones and make your owne corse.
the secret to a good drift is control, NOT just making smoke.
now if you were like me and thought that you had to have some experince before going;
find a big empty parking lot!! look in ind. areas and find some cones ( can get em at wal-mart,small ones).
put out 1 cone and just practice doing circles,( note: i didnt say donut) a CONTROLLED circle is the first step.
then start controling the size of the circule I.E. small and large dia. by steering imputs and throtle modulation.
then add a cone and start doing figire 8's. once you can CONTROL (note: CONTROL)that, add more cones and make your owne corse.
the secret to a good drift is control, NOT just making smoke.
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132 Posts
DONT PRACTICE IN PARKING LOTS
go to things like drift day, just drift, check around in your area for practice events
go to things like drift day, just drift, check around in your area for practice events
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177 Posts
is practicing on wet ground good? i found i do well when its wet, i can get into a controlled drift much much easier and have a smooth transition out of a turn. also on dry my rear end is starting to have problems staying out or just getting it out i think maybe my shitty vlsd is dying...
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104 Posts
Same thing happened to me, I was practicing drifting on a 90 degree corner and I let go of the throttle at the end of the drift and slinged shoted my car straight towards a damn palm tree, a palm tree t-boned me :embarasse how many people get to say that. I knew that letting off the throttle was bad, but unexperienced instinct took over me and messed me up.
El Paso TX doesn't have any race tracks. :crazyrant We only have a STRAIGHT drag racing track. :nono So empty parking lots are all we El Pasoans have.
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185 Posts
i would either get a 2 way or get a open diff and weld it, get swaybars, coilovers, then get tension rods. that should set you up for awhile, after that set up your rear linkage so you can adjust camber and such to your needs. if you cant afford any of that then stick with what you got, but your going to have trouble using a vlsd. Try to get to some drift days and practice in parking lots at night.
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4,417 Posts
o.k , i'm gonna break the novice drifter question's down "what is the best" and "what do i need to drift"
o.k. think of it this way....
you know how kids are when they first get into say , skateboarding?
well, after a few weeks of not winning gold at the X games and skating thier walmart board that thier mom bought them , they think "oh it's not me its my equipment".
so they go on to believe if they beg thier parents enough to buy them a nice new hookups deck , that they will be pro in no time.
and, once they realize that thier not pro yet , even tho they got the nice new deck , they start thinking "hmm , i must need the best of this , and the best of that...WRONG.
Just like beginner drifter's...
put away those option videos cause your 1st drift car does not have to look like N.O.B.s drift machine in order for you to get sideways.
if your serious about wanting to learn how to drift , its the age old saying "pratice makes perfect".
now, for those of you who got interested in drifting cause you think it's the latest "fad" and it's a must that you learn just to impress your friends or to win over some guys girlfriend , just stop.. either become serious about wanting to learn the art of drifting , or just get involved into something else that you really like.
now , for those of you that ARE serious, heres what you should look for if your wanting to buy a car to drift.
find a cheap inexpensive rear wheel drive platform(240sx,corolla,rx7,cressida,etc)
it's also a good idea to make sure its a manual.
now , it's commin sence to take someone with you that knows about cars and what prices are decent incase you dont.
once you do purchase your car, or if you already have one , i know it becomes unbelievabley tempting to start throwing all those aftermarket goodies on your car.
wich is fine if your building a show car or a street car , but if you want to learn how to drift , all that aftermarket stuff is not necessary .
i learned good car control and decent novice drift techniques with a bone stock 240sx.
wich, i believe is a really good way to learn. notice i didnt say the "best" way to learn because, i don't believe much in the word "best"
you don't need to run out and get what some guy on a forum told you is the "best" coilover kit to buy or hey you need a LSD to do a "real" drift
all that is nonsence...
all you should do is to go get in your car and drive. find a nice open spot somewhere away from innocent motorist and try and get some practice in. seat time is so important.
i say "nice open spot" because the price to enter drift competitions are freakin ridiculous , plus, some novice drifters are not mentally prepared to go out and try drifting in front of or around other drifter's or spectators.but if you have the money , drift competitions can be a good thing because more experienced drifters can give you very helpful tips.
so again , try and find a nice spot to practice , just try simple things like doing 180's with your e-brake, or doing "power over" drifting wich is instead of doing a complete drift from enter to exit just get on the throttle only when your exiting the corner wich will make your rear end step out...just get used to the feeling of the rear of your car stepping out and then start to try counter steering (Steer into the direction of the
slide)also , driting in the rain is good for low speed practice and does'nt burn your tires up as much.
thats one thing you should have a few sets of are tires...thier always good to have around...if you have 15" inch wheels your tires wont cost you that much at all.i use 205/60's on my 240.
also i like to add , it's a good idea to upgrade your car only as your drifting skill "upgrades"..or, when you feel that you reached a level where you think its time to add a functional mod to your car.
earlier this year i felt in order to improve my skill , i needed to stiffen up my suspension a bit over stock because with the speeds i was drifting at i was experiencing way to much bodyroll from my soft stock setup...i didnt have the money to go out and buy a $1,500.00 set of high end coilover's, and didnt feel the need to.i just went with a simple tokico hp series spring and shock setup, wich is 30% stiffer over stock , wich is just fine for me , and just recently with the wide angle drifts that i've been doing , i also thought it would be a good idea to upgrade my tie rod and tie rod ends to increase much needed steering angle..i ended going with TEIN , wich were fairly inexpensive around $150...but if you dont have the money some people have taken washers and put them on thier tie rods to get the same effect.just remember , its not wise to throw a bunch of parts on your car with out testing each individual part to see weather your gaining or losing the performace that you desire.
once youve gotten better and have saved up some money , only then do i think its a good idea to buy a Limited Slip Diff , maybe some bars or underbraces just to stiffen up your suspension or if you must go buy a coilover kit etc.
Update :
dont spend money on BS , save for events if your serious about drifting , thats where you will get your best practice.
o.k. think of it this way....
you know how kids are when they first get into say , skateboarding?
well, after a few weeks of not winning gold at the X games and skating thier walmart board that thier mom bought them , they think "oh it's not me its my equipment".
so they go on to believe if they beg thier parents enough to buy them a nice new hookups deck , that they will be pro in no time.
and, once they realize that thier not pro yet , even tho they got the nice new deck , they start thinking "hmm , i must need the best of this , and the best of that...WRONG.
Just like beginner drifter's...
put away those option videos cause your 1st drift car does not have to look like N.O.B.s drift machine in order for you to get sideways.
if your serious about wanting to learn how to drift , its the age old saying "pratice makes perfect".
now, for those of you who got interested in drifting cause you think it's the latest "fad" and it's a must that you learn just to impress your friends or to win over some guys girlfriend , just stop.. either become serious about wanting to learn the art of drifting , or just get involved into something else that you really like.
now , for those of you that ARE serious, heres what you should look for if your wanting to buy a car to drift.
find a cheap inexpensive rear wheel drive platform(240sx,corolla,rx7,cressida,etc)
it's also a good idea to make sure its a manual.
now , it's commin sence to take someone with you that knows about cars and what prices are decent incase you dont.
once you do purchase your car, or if you already have one , i know it becomes unbelievabley tempting to start throwing all those aftermarket goodies on your car.
wich is fine if your building a show car or a street car , but if you want to learn how to drift , all that aftermarket stuff is not necessary .
i learned good car control and decent novice drift techniques with a bone stock 240sx.
wich, i believe is a really good way to learn. notice i didnt say the "best" way to learn because, i don't believe much in the word "best"
you don't need to run out and get what some guy on a forum told you is the "best" coilover kit to buy or hey you need a LSD to do a "real" drift
all that is nonsence...
all you should do is to go get in your car and drive. find a nice open spot somewhere away from innocent motorist and try and get some practice in. seat time is so important.
i say "nice open spot" because the price to enter drift competitions are freakin ridiculous , plus, some novice drifters are not mentally prepared to go out and try drifting in front of or around other drifter's or spectators.but if you have the money , drift competitions can be a good thing because more experienced drifters can give you very helpful tips.
so again , try and find a nice spot to practice , just try simple things like doing 180's with your e-brake, or doing "power over" drifting wich is instead of doing a complete drift from enter to exit just get on the throttle only when your exiting the corner wich will make your rear end step out...just get used to the feeling of the rear of your car stepping out and then start to try counter steering (Steer into the direction of the
slide)also , driting in the rain is good for low speed practice and does'nt burn your tires up as much.
thats one thing you should have a few sets of are tires...thier always good to have around...if you have 15" inch wheels your tires wont cost you that much at all.i use 205/60's on my 240.
also i like to add , it's a good idea to upgrade your car only as your drifting skill "upgrades"..or, when you feel that you reached a level where you think its time to add a functional mod to your car.
earlier this year i felt in order to improve my skill , i needed to stiffen up my suspension a bit over stock because with the speeds i was drifting at i was experiencing way to much bodyroll from my soft stock setup...i didnt have the money to go out and buy a $1,500.00 set of high end coilover's, and didnt feel the need to.i just went with a simple tokico hp series spring and shock setup, wich is 30% stiffer over stock , wich is just fine for me , and just recently with the wide angle drifts that i've been doing , i also thought it would be a good idea to upgrade my tie rod and tie rod ends to increase much needed steering angle..i ended going with TEIN , wich were fairly inexpensive around $150...but if you dont have the money some people have taken washers and put them on thier tie rods to get the same effect.just remember , its not wise to throw a bunch of parts on your car with out testing each individual part to see weather your gaining or losing the performace that you desire.
once youve gotten better and have saved up some money , only then do i think its a good idea to buy a Limited Slip Diff , maybe some bars or underbraces just to stiffen up your suspension or if you must go buy a coilover kit etc.
Update :
dont spend money on BS , save for events if your serious about drifting , thats where you will get your best practice.
Joined
·
177 Posts
thx 4 that post, it was honest and serious.
Honestly i am very interested in learning to drift, i dont care to impress anyone i just love driving and really knowing the limits of my car and driving it to its fullest extent. finding a place for me to practice isnt easy i tryed in the rain on a sacluded back road but when i got uncomfortable in a drift i found my self headed for about 4000 trees and its not very forgiving if i make a mistake... summit point raceway is only 15 min from my house but i dont have the $$ to spend on the drift days its like $150 and only like once every 2 months... im going out to scout for a spot today.
Honestly i am very interested in learning to drift, i dont care to impress anyone i just love driving and really knowing the limits of my car and driving it to its fullest extent. finding a place for me to practice isnt easy i tryed in the rain on a sacluded back road but when i got uncomfortable in a drift i found my self headed for about 4000 trees and its not very forgiving if i make a mistake... summit point raceway is only 15 min from my house but i dont have the $$ to spend on the drift days its like $150 and only like once every 2 months... im going out to scout for a spot today.
Joined
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177 Posts
will do, last thing i want is to ruin someones life and mine.
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2,192 Posts
Slappy is correct. I got tired of posting the long posts about drifting lol so thats why I didn't even post in this thread. Just practice, practice, practice. YOU DO NOT NEED ANYTHING THAN A STOCK CAR, PERIOD. I say this so many times but I started in a bone stock automatic, open diff, sohc s13 and I learned just fine. All you have to do is have fun with it because in the end thats all your doing, having fun. Don't take drifting and all of this so seriously, just go out there practice and have fun. Once you get comfortable with your car get yourself some nice tires for the front, (like some 205/50/15) so you can have better front grip. Then start going to events or what not, just don't be like me and get caught doing it and get your license suspended for 1 year. Here's a tip for you, if the cops show up and they haven't really seen you yet park your car and get out. Have fun
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