Drifting an FC

[LionheartFC3S]

OK, now I've basically got a 260rwhp FC on my hands, and any time I've taken it to the parking lot, the main problems I experience are understeer, or simply, spinning out.

Before I sell it, does anyone have any kind of suggestion on how I can initiate the drift?

What I'm basically thinking is..

Just going at like 4,000rpm or so in 1st gear (we're talking low-speed drifting here), and then turn the wheel to the right slightly, then jerk it to the left with a blip of the gas.

I....don't know wtf to do. OK, I'm an idiot. :P

I've got the power I need, and I've the suspension I need...(besides rear-toe eliminators)..

So many people think it's HARD to drift an FC, and I dunno what to say. I think I'm just a n00b, cause I let my buddy who owns a car shop take the wheel and he was swingin it left and right no problem...and he was drunk too..

lol

Help?

[GHOST/^\DRIFTer]

lol ''he was drunk''
try 2nd gear dont try to drift with 1st
drive at about 20mph turn before the curve let off the gas this
should make your motor jump then step on gas again

[SidewaysGts]

Wheres case when u need him

Turbos can make it easy for drifting but also not prefered by most...
__

Anyways its really hard to tell someone how to drift when you cant see their style or what/how theyre doing.. what it is theyre doing.

If your spinning out your likely doing one of 3 things.

1) Being too heavy on the throttle

2) Turbo lag is catching up, your hitting your boost spike.. there goes your back end

3) Just not countersteering enough.

Try using the hand brake to begin with, start going straight; brake and aftert he braking turn in.. jsut on turn in push in the clutch and pull the hand brake slightly, once the back end comes out dro pthe hand brake (dont just let go; keep in mind you need to hold that button to get it back down) and concentrate on counter-steering properly according to the angle you set the drift at, and the speed at which the back end is comming out at.

its al about steering speed smoothness and accuracy, those are some basics you should learn. Throttle manipulation and braking control is a given of course too.

You could also try the simple power-over technique, which sounds lke what your doing. After the mid point of a turn jsut get a little heavy on the throttle to break the rear end out, you have a lot of hp and its turbo so youve got plenty of torque to break it out.. once it comes out your back to what i mentioned before, working on the steering aspect.

[f8ldzz]

Originally posted by LionheartFC3S
the main problems I experience are understeer, or simply, spinning out.

First of all, learn the terminology...
"spinning out" is not "understeering".

Spinning out is oversteering.
Understeering is when you try to turn but the car keeps going straight.

You're spinning out cause you're not reacting fast enough on the countersteer.
The FC doesn't have as much steering angle like the Nissan S13 / S14.
Don't expect huge steering angles from the steering, so don't allow the FC to get major sideways.
If you get plenty sideways, the limited steering angle won't be able to recover.

[driftersil80]

I think he ment that he either understeers or spins out.

[Dorifto FC]

Okay~
This is what i do. I have a 87 base fc wit a Exedy clutch, eibach springs and Tokico shocks and struts and hawk brake pads. Remember i have the lowest power fc.

I would come up to a corner in first gear at 6500 rpms or higher, as i am turning into the corner i would do a hard and fast shift in to second. the rear slides out great. with no lsd

But if you want to buy rear toe elimantors i can sell you mine for 40.

I hope this helps you. good luck and dont get cought.enjoy

[scse12977]

Okey first off u have to have a plan. dont just go into a parking lot and and go for it. You should have an idea of where you want the car to go. set up a cone or 2 or maybe some chalk lines. okey now ur 'track' is set. next make sure you got your tire selection right. it helps if your front tires are better then your rears. I dont mean in tread life either. gets some name brand tires up front like some falken azenis/ ziex or the like and some 'crap' no-name brand in the rear. this makes the car more tail happy.

now that your track and car are both set up it should be much easier. you have the power so you dont need to clutch kick it. it would be best to learn the e-brake method first. helps you get used to going sideways. other wise let up off the gas then get on it again. and just try to keep it going on your 'track'. its much easier when you have somewhere to go.

remember. more throttle results in more angle, less throttle less angle. get used to throwing that steering wheel around as well. most of all have fun. if your trying too hard you wont get it. ever notice how the guys that are good arnt trying? that cuz they be having fun.

good luck

[Raziel]

Originally posted by GHOST/^\DRIFTer
lol ''he was drunk''
try 2nd gear dont try to drift with 1st
drive at about 20mph turn before the curve let off the gas this
should make your motor jump then step on gas again

1st gear is fine the rotary engine can rev pretty high. and just step on the gas wont help. it could cause more understeer.

What i suggest is hit the corner at red line turn in then let off the gas. This should shift the weight to the front and cause you to slide a little. Then just let go of the wheel a lil and let it turn itself. You also might want to give it a lil push over. But dont countersteer too much. This is where steering and gas come into play. Its not going to be easy at first to find the right balance of steering and trottle so just keep trying.

[Wayne]

thanks guys, all this is very helpful im considering coming back to rotaries and an fc is about all i can afford, still tryin to choose between s13 or fc ahah. fcs are awesome though ive driven a few, fast F8ckers

[drift180sx]

i love my fc. i dont find it that hard to drift but thats just me. just keep practicing cause i was doing the same thing u are LionheartFC3S but control your throtle and countersteering. and get out 2 those parking lots!!!

[ReavTek]

Don't sell your RX-7 just cause you are having trouble drifting; it is you not the car that is the "problem" in this equation. Get practice, I remember my first attempts at drifting and how sorry they were. I could not get the car sideways PERIOD... Whenever I would get close to losing traction I would panic. My cars (350z) heavy weight and grippy tires made it hard for me to initiate the drift. I suggest finding a nice grassy field and just gunning it all out, doing donuts and then learning how to control the car. Gun it, turn right then when u want to straighten out let off the gas and turn the left towards the left.

Once you get a little more comfortable move onto the street. Find a large paved area. I went to my local post office parking lot. You will need a point of reference, I used a light pole and simply turned around it and spun in circles facing it. At this point you are doing a very simple powerslide... The key is learning how to control your car and correct oversteer/understeer at will. Once you perfect this the other techniques will simply build on this.

[twcfc3s]

this thread was kinda stressfull.....the only thing that i can say its practice a lot... and try to get the rear toe eliminators....i recomend to you to start your drift with the E-brake and then the other tactics...

[f8ldzz]

Go mess around in an S13 and then come back and tell us which was easier?
I don't understand all the people who claim the FC is an "easy" car to drift - it just isn't.
If you've ever drifted an S13, you wouldn't be saying that.

On an FC, you touch the handbrake, you you're facing the wrong way.
Try that in an S13, and the S13 can actually use the handbrake to drift...

[SidewaysGts]

So can an fc, my buddy has been in nearly every drift copmetition out here in his NA fc with only some suspension mods (and numerour broken parts) and has been in the top 3 every time but once i believe.

As for the hand brake thing; ive got him using it on video, he hates doing it but it was a small parking lot and i was using it for one of my last high school projects (automotive physics)

[Krazy Bunta]

Fc Love

www.ncda.net/NCDA_Represent.WMV

[AUSSIEDRIFTER]

try a compresion lock drift aproch in second around aroud 45 and drop it back into 1th gear, also just fether the throttel dont mash it to the floor, give that a go, if that doesnt work then you can always use the handbrake(e-brake)

[SidewaysGts]

Isnt there a good chance ull over rev the hell out of the engine doing that?

[AUSSIEDRIFTER]

nope, it only lasts for a couple of seconds so it shouldent be a problem, expshly in a fd, we used to do it in a 78 datson sunny and it was fine, though i think he might be better off choseing another form of motor sport, no offence but drifting is not for every one, either you have got it or you dont

[SidewaysGts]

Id still avoid over reving my engine theres better ways to get a car sideways. Never thought about doing it like that though

[Raziel]

Originally posted by Krazy Bunta
Fc Love

www.ncda.net/NCDA_Represent.WMV

Henry Anhs FC is sick.

[f8ldzz]

Originally posted by SidewaysGts
So can an fc, my buddy has been in nearly every drift copmetition out here in his NA fc with only some suspension mods (and numerour broken parts) and has been in the top 3 every time but once i believe.

Where is "out here"?

[f8ldzz]

Originally posted by AUSSIEDRIFTER
try a compresion lock drift aproch in second around aroud 45 and drop it back into 1th gear, also just fether the throttel dont mash it to the floor, give that a go, if that doesnt work then you can always use the handbrake(e-brake)

What I would worry about is damaging synchros doing a downshift into 1st.
The FC transmission doesn't like doing that, and it's very hard to do consistently.

[SidewaysGts]

Las Vegas, he eventually started to judge them i think.

[MeetYouAtTheTop]

^^^^^^^^^

is that you in your icon?

[SidewaysGts]

Yep, thats me in my 86.