n00b question to get started -not a joke this time

[sham]

ok you are going round a bend lowish revs off boost 1/2 throttle in the wet and the back steps out pretty badly...apart from wishing you had decent tyres - what is the best plan of action to keep on the road? (not overly drifting but my method of clutch down and countersteer when it happens probably isnt the best and might as well abuse the new forum)

I understand the principle of using slight throttle to shift weight and give grip to the rear but im fairly certain any power down will just spin the wheels and leave me facing backwards. What are general thoughts on this- I wouldve thought itd be one of the most asked questions by n00bs on sxoc not wanting to get friendly with lamposts....

[Jez]

I usually just lift and counter steer - works wells in my experience. Some people recommend NOT lifting off - I can't understand this to be honest - spose its OK if you want to maintain the drift but not if you want to correct and carry on straight...

[SteveCarter200]

If you just want to regain control of the car and not continue the drift I would just steer into the slide and gently come off the throttle so you are letting the front tyres do their job. The car should just come back into line naturally.

I would also get another pair of rear tyres.

[SteveCarter200]

Originally posted by Jez
I usually just lift and counter steer - works wells in my experience. Some people recommend NOT lifting off - I can't understand this to be honest - spose its OK if you want to maintain the drift but not if you want to correct and carry on straight...

:nod:

Great minds and stuff.:D

[Jez]

:D

[sham]

but wont just pressing the clutch and steering give less of an impact than lifting off on the front/back weight shifting if you are going at constant speed when it goes- as youll be slowly slowing down rather than relatively rather quickly slowing using the rear wheels to slow and losing more side grip with them. Its just in the split seconds you have to do something when it all goes tits up I find if you have a set plan its copable with but if you dont you are fcuked so I want to be absolutely sure about what ill do before It happens in a real bad way -only had a few minor step outs so far I drive hella cautiously.If my car ever decides to run properly Ill go to a carpark one day and have a play see what goes on.

[sham]

ive got some 205 pirellis at home but i wont be able to get em on till xmas so its rock hard shitty 195 generics till then :eek:

[JonnySpeedbump]

Not an expert at this by any means, however when I went on a Skidpan course at Knockhill this year the instructor advised using the clutch to control a drift. As far as I could understand, the clutch allows a much finer controll of weight transferal whereas dropping the accelerator could cause a large weight shift making the back end too light sending the car into a spin.
As Jez and Steve said, if you have good fine controll of the accelerator this should have pretty much the same effect.
I'm sure my accelerator is digital ie. it's either on or off nothing in between :p :o !
J

[dunc]

My input (for what its worth) is that dipping the clutch will allow the rear wheels to pickup on the actual speed the car is travelling and therefore stop anytraction loss from the rear wheels in terms of the wheels wanting to either turn faster or slower the the car is travelling.

Lifting straight off the accerator will cause slight engine breaking between the rear wheels and the road they are in contact with, and lifting off a little bit (while creating a much less brutal effect than lifting striaght off) will still not be as smooth as dipping the clutch unless you input the exact amout of throttle for travelling on the road at that particular speed.

I use the gradual lift off method myself but can understand that when the shit hits the fan dipping the clutch would be the safest option to regain rear wheel grip.

Just MO,

Dunc :)

[sham]

yeah that makes sense. Im going to stick to the clutch method then if anything goes wrong - Im sure either method works-its just I don't want to be pushing the clutch down thinking-"should I be gently letting off the throttle instead" - cos halfway measures surely mean disaster in these situations. best prepared and all that :)

[shadowninja]

yep, lifting off the accelerator will send weight forward... which is great if you wanted that effect :D

feathering the throttle is a safer bet.