how to fix my car up for driftng

injun · 03-21-2004, 11:09 AM

I was wondering what changes I would have to make to a stock AE86 to prepare it for drifting. Thanks!

nissanguy_24 · 03-21-2004, 11:15 AM

A stock 86 can drift fine. A stcok 240sx can drift fine. make sure the car is in good condition though. As you get better at drifting you will know what you need to do to improve the vehichle.

Ghost of Duluth · 03-21-2004, 12:31 PM

I didn't use to agree with that but now I do. My friend says that same thing, especially with the 86. Drive it stock, then upgrade.

It's like a Zen thing. Positive waves baby, positive waves.

Nemesis · 03-21-2004, 12:32 PM

^ agreed, but i'd say, if you don't got the money for lowering sprinds, jus cut'em....its a sin in the import world, but shoot, when your short on cash and need to lower the center or gravity....why not?....but please do save up for better shocks and eventualy a nice suspension setup(preferably coilovers)....suspension and all of its components should come first then the LSD....afterwards....its up to you...

driftfreak · 03-21-2004, 01:17 PM

DO NOT CUT SPRINGS!!!!!!!
thats the worse thing you can do..
lower center of gravity is not what its all about. stiffer springs are to limit the body movment...so less weight transfer
when you heat a spring by cutting it you will throgh off the spring rate and your cars handeling will SUCK ASSS!!!
do your self a faver save the money and do it right the first time

banged240_drift · 03-21-2004, 02:33 PM

dont cut your springs

its one thing to do it for looks but for drifting your gonna want the car to be as controled as possible.....and when you cut the springs you acctualy take control away... i know from experience,
just save your cash, and install em yourself its not hard
you can rent the tools from autozone and if theres not an auto zone where you live im sure theres another place that rents tools out

Ghost of Duluth · 03-21-2004, 02:51 PM

You are both half right. Cutting your springs with a torch is not good. That does throw everything off.

But cutting them with a bandsaw or any other non-heat device will not throw it off, it will actually make the spring stiffer. So in a way, cutting your springs can do the exact same thing as buying springs. A lot of race teams do this to play with spring rates. Only thing now is that springs are so cheap that it really doesn't warrant taking the struts apart 2 times to cut then install.

03-21-2004, 03:03 PM

^^^^Ghost of Duluth ur completlt right.
every post i see u post is right

you know ur sh!t lol good job

yea if you cut the springs the would get stiffer

banged240_drift · 03-21-2004, 08:43 PM

yeah i guess i didnt think of that
just be sure and do it right if you do, do it
cause man it sucks having a bouncy ride
it was ok though cause i had the money for springs i just tried cutting mine to see if it would save a few dollars
in my case it didnt

Nemesis · 03-21-2004, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nedinic
^^^^Ghost of Duluth ur completlt right.
every post i see u post is right

you know ur sh!t lol good job

yea if you cut the springs the would get stiffer

butt muncher....lol....
Ghost of Duluth teh owns you
omg....i jus noticed that the acronym for Ghost of Duluth is G.O.D....freaky yo....

Menchi · 03-21-2004, 10:09 PM

more importantly for handling is the anti-roll bars, they make uch more difference than a lowered ride and stiff sprigs ever will, and when you learning, and from post http://www.drifting.com/forums/showt...8778#post38778
I know you are. it is better to be able to feel the weight transfers, anyway, there is alot of good advice on the forum regarding suspension setups, which are key to drifting rather than HP, which you might already know if you want a hachiroku, the second upgrade I would consider, would be springs, I don't like messing with camber or toe. good luck with the drifting and don't get yourself killed before you have your license for a week, work on grip first then take it to some empty lots to practice going sideways, believ me you don't want to run out to some winding hill before you know what your doing, you ive cali so there shoul be some tracks around, and the best way to learn is from someone who does it already, so stay active in the forum, and you will be drifting in no time

QuickStyle · 03-22-2004, 07:27 PM

just take the springs off. you dont need them....

gtune4 · 03-22-2004, 08:15 PM

cutting springs will only change the rate if it is a progressive rate spring duh, but then your springs suck and you drift like my grandma on crack

a good start, save some money

then buy springs and struts and swaybars and some good tires for the f and r depending on what you want to start with. some hp modifications would help too.

JunpoweR · 03-25-2004, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by injun
I was wondering what changes I would have to make to a stock AE86 to prepare it for drifting. Thanks!

Free mods:
Remove all useless interior parts and sound deadning materials..
Remove stereo system.
life hood for venting engine bay.
Remove both bumpers and take out bumper supports behind covers..

Cost mods:
Suspention
Some type of roll cage.
Seat and harness.
Lexan Window panels.
Brakes and Rotors.
Steel braided lines.
Full exhaust, cams, airfilter,ecu upgrade.
ECT

there ya go

jboss · 03-27-2004, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gtune4
cutting springs will only change the rate if it is a progressive rate spring duh, but then your springs suck and you drift like my grandma on crack

WRONG WRONG WRONG!!

Cutting springs with a saw or cutoff wheel WILL increase the spring rate.......unless you are simply cutting off "dead coils" which only exist on some aftermarket wanna-be road-weenie "race springs" like nuespeed....

Spring rate is a function of wire diameter, coil diameter, and number of coils. Cutting off coils (obviously without changing the wire or coil diameter) means stiffer springs---but shorter...

I still dont reccomend cutting stock springs to make them stiffer or lower....

Acctually, most macpherson strut cars handle WORSE when significantly lowered (even with stiffer springs) because of changes in front suspension geometry. Lowering the car lowers the roll center of the car faster than it lowers the center of gravity causing the car to roll MORE than before.....

If you need more of physics lesson use google. Look up roll center, lowering, macpherson strut, calculating spring rates etc etc....

I'd be happy to provide some breif explanations here but dont expect me to reproduce some of the huge wealth of knowledge already on the web----not on websites like this.

X-nobody · 03-27-2004, 07:45 PM

I wouldn't recommend taking the bumper or bumper rebar/support off for ANY reason... its just not a safe thing to do...

the only thing between the vital parts of the car is the bumpers and rebar.. besides they're cheaper to replace than rads, a/c pumps, engines.. etc..

There's always the off chance something may go wrong an you'll hit a light post, another car, a wall.. something... besides it'll be pain to take off and on at the track all the time..

Just maintain the stock car with good fluids, routine check ups, replace worn parts asap..

gtune4 · 03-28-2004, 02:26 AM

same spring rate, just less travel, and less coils of the same rate= shitty springs

ksport · 03-09-2005, 04:20 PM

It does not matter if you torch off or cut off sections of a spring, both will increase spring rate on any spring. It is not same spring rate and less travel, it is higher spring rate and less travel. Less coils basically means higher spring rate.

A spring with wire size of .5mm and 11.4mm long with 10.5 coils for example is for a civic, if you remove 2 coils spring rate increases about 3-5kg.

Do not ever cut your spring, unless you do not want your shocks or like bouncing around in your vehicle.

03-21-2004, 11:09 AM	#1
injun Newbie Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: n Cali Posts: 8	how to fix my car up for driftng I was wondering what changes I would have to make to a stock AE86 to prepare it for drifting. Thanks!

03-21-2004, 12:31 PM	#3
Ghost of Duluth Sixgun Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Neverland Posts: 2,280	I didn't use to agree with that but now I do. My friend says that same thing, especially with the 86. Drive it stock, then upgrade. It's like a Zen thing. Positive waves baby, positive waves. __________________ Team SIXGUN, Don't whine about the food chain, be the top of it. Tokyo Pimps, Godzilla is coming. Lorin, oh Lorin, where have you gone?? If you're in the stands warming the bench, don't whine about the guys in the drivers seats.

03-21-2004, 02:51 PM	#7
Ghost of Duluth Sixgun Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Neverland Posts: 2,280	You are both half right. Cutting your springs with a torch is not good. That does throw everything off. But cutting them with a bandsaw or any other non-heat device will not throw it off, it will actually make the spring stiffer. So in a way, cutting your springs can do the exact same thing as buying springs. A lot of race teams do this to play with spring rates. Only thing now is that springs are so cheap that it really doesn't warrant taking the struts apart 2 times to cut then install. __________________ Team SIXGUN, Don't whine about the food chain, be the top of it. Tokyo Pimps, Godzilla is coming. Lorin, oh Lorin, where have you gone?? If you're in the stands warming the bench, don't whine about the guys in the drivers seats.

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03-21-2004, 11:15 AM	#2
nissanguy_24 Guest Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: bakersfield, CA Posts: 3,197	A stock 86 can drift fine. A stcok 240sx can drift fine. make sure the car is in good condition though. As you get better at drifting you will know what you need to do to improve the vehichle.

03-21-2004, 12:32 PM	#4
Nemesis Boro Miata Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: San Antonio Posts: 722	^ agreed, but i'd say, if you don't got the money for lowering sprinds, jus cut'em....its a sin in the import world, but shoot, when your short on cash and need to lower the center or gravity....why not?....but please do save up for better shocks and eventualy a nice suspension setup(preferably coilovers)....suspension and all of its components should come first then the LSD....afterwards....its up to you...

03-21-2004, 01:17 PM	#5
driftfreak Pita didnt like my avitar Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: El Cerrito, CA. (east bay SF) Posts: 266	DO NOT CUT SPRINGS!!!!!!! thats the worse thing you can do.. lower center of gravity is not what its all about. stiffer springs are to limit the body movment...so less weight transfer when you heat a spring by cutting it you will throgh off the spring rate and your cars handeling will SUCK ASSS!!! do your self a faver save the money and do it right the first time

03-21-2004, 02:33 PM	#6
banged240_drift Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: dallas/ft.worth Posts: 260	dont cut your springs its one thing to do it for looks but for drifting your gonna want the car to be as controled as possible.....and when you cut the springs you acctualy take control away... i know from experience, just save your cash, and install em yourself its not hard you can rent the tools from autozone and if theres not an auto zone where you live im sure theres another place that rents tools out

03-21-2004, 03:03 PM	#8
nedinic Guest Posts: n/a	^^^^Ghost of Duluth ur completlt right. every post i see u post is right you know ur sh!t lol good job yea if you cut the springs the would get stiffer

03-21-2004, 08:43 PM	#9
banged240_drift Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: dallas/ft.worth Posts: 260	yeah i guess i didnt think of that just be sure and do it right if you do, do it cause man it sucks having a bouncy ride it was ok though cause i had the money for springs i just tried cutting mine to see if it would save a few dollars in my case it didnt

03-21-2004, 10:09 PM	#11
Menchi hashiriya Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Aurora/Akron Ohio Posts: 339	more importantly for handling is the anti-roll bars, they make uch more difference than a lowered ride and stiff sprigs ever will, and when you learning, and from post http://www.drifting.com/forums/showt...8778#post38778 I know you are. it is better to be able to feel the weight transfers, anyway, there is alot of good advice on the forum regarding suspension setups, which are key to drifting rather than HP, which you might already know if you want a hachiroku, the second upgrade I would consider, would be springs, I don't like messing with camber or toe. good luck with the drifting and don't get yourself killed before you have your license for a week, work on grip first then take it to some empty lots to practice going sideways, believ me you don't want to run out to some winding hill before you know what your doing, you ive cali so there shoul be some tracks around, and the best way to learn is from someone who does it already, so stay active in the forum, and you will be drifting in no time

03-22-2004, 07:27 PM	#12
QuickStyle Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: hiroshima, japan Posts: 142	just take the springs off. you dont need them....

03-22-2004, 08:15 PM	#13
gtune4 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: valley Posts: 40	cutting springs will only change the rate if it is a progressive rate spring duh, but then your springs suck and you drift like my grandma on crack a good start, save some money then buy springs and struts and swaybars and some good tires for the f and r depending on what you want to start with. some hp modifications would help too.

03-27-2004, 07:45 PM	#16
X-nobody Newbie Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: CANADA-eh!! Posts: 21	I wouldn't recommend taking the bumper or bumper rebar/support off for ANY reason... its just not a safe thing to do... the only thing between the vital parts of the car is the bumpers and rebar.. besides they're cheaper to replace than rads, a/c pumps, engines.. etc.. There's always the off chance something may go wrong an you'll hit a light post, another car, a wall.. something... besides it'll be pain to take off and on at the track all the time.. Just maintain the stock car with good fluids, routine check ups, replace worn parts asap..

03-28-2004, 02:26 AM	#17
gtune4 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: valley Posts: 40	same spring rate, just less travel, and less coils of the same rate= shitty springs

03-09-2005, 04:20 PM	#18
ksport User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1	It does not matter if you torch off or cut off sections of a spring, both will increase spring rate on any spring. It is not same spring rate and less travel, it is higher spring rate and less travel. Less coils basically means higher spring rate. A spring with wire size of .5mm and 11.4mm long with 10.5 coils for example is for a civic, if you remove 2 coils spring rate increases about 3-5kg. Do not ever cut your spring, unless you do not want your shocks or like bouncing around in your vehicle.