Do 'dirfters' let go of the wheel?

[djones]

Ok, so I'm bored browsing youtube and stumbled over this 'lesson' about drifitng...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ2CzeyCss0

Surely letting go of the wheel (which he not only does, but tells people to do multiple times) is VERY bad practice. I mean, it looks ok from the outside but how can he possibly be in control of the car fully?

[roost89]

I assume it allows the front wheels to turn more rapidly during the drift, allowing the car to maintain balance or maintain the imbalance.

I'd also assume, because you're not removing your hands far away you can get hold of the wheel rapidly and contain the slide easily.

[Giblet]

Whenever I end up in a drift, I do everything I can to get out of it immediately so I can start going fast again. Tires rubbing = slow, but I know drifting is it's own art, and 90% of it is throttle control at full or near full opposite lock. Also, a drift car is usually set up for drifting.

Letting go of the wheel is in fact a bad idea. Feeling the wheel and letting it do what it wants on occasion is the same thing, but smart.

[mep]

Nice that we have winter time currently I drifted around on the snowy streets last couple of days.
I thinks its good to practise it on snow first. Its much easier to get a drift and you dont need so much speed and room for it and you dont ruin your tires.

[wesley123]

actually i think it is jsut a think to brag about, that they can drift without the use of the steering wheel. It is dangerous as you do not have any control of the cars movements, though you still have in some sort.

What i believe is that the drifters control their drifts by using the clutch, to get out of the drift they simply lift the throttle.

[autogyro]

actually i think it is jsut a think to brag about, that they can drift without the use of the steering wheel. It is dangerous as you do not have any control of the cars movements, though you still have in some sort.

What i believe is that the drifters control their drifts by using the clutch, to get out of the drift they simply lift the throttle.

On the island of Cyprus on one section of a rally in the Mountains, I drove an Escort Mexico down hill for over five miles in one continual drift from left to right.
On each hairpin. I let go of the wheel after provoking it to spin to the other lock before gripping it again. Perfect loose surface road with perfect rear wheel drive car.
Using the clutch would simply reduce the control available from the throttle and put undue wear on transmission components.
Drifting can be fast, it depends on the road surface and many other variables.
Giblet is right on smooth surfaces the less drift the more speed but even that depends on a balance between corner entry and exit speeds.

[wesley123]

ah cyprus, i know those roads lol, went once on vacation there. Lot of street racing going on there, saw a tuned car every 5 minutes lol.

but it is also just an matter of undergroud type, i mean for gravel i ca understand lol. But for tarmac the clutch is actually used alot to get it into a drift, though note that drifting is all overrevving etc. very different then gravel

[Giblet]

And sometimes a drift is advantageous if the car is limited on power you can use the drift to get the revs up so you are in the power band on exit. This is for cars with high revving four cylinders, or ones that take some time for a turbo to spool up and spit power back at you.

If you are rallying, then yes, you need to use drifts. You never want to stop and go in a corner, like an F1 car sort of does in some hairpins.

But for it's limited uses in racing, it still feels good to get the back end out and actually control it, if the next guy can only spin

[autogyro]

And sometimes a drift is advantageous if the car is limited on power you can use the drift to get the revs up so you are in the power band on exit. This is for cars with high revving four cylinders, or ones that take some time for a turbo to spool up and spit power back at you.

If you are rallying, then yes, you need to use drifts. You never want to stop and go in a corner, like an F1 car sort of does in some hairpins.

But for it's limited uses in racing, it still feels good to get the back end out and actually control it, if the next guy can only spin

Sorry Giblet but I have to come back and say that the reason the small engined or turbo cars lag on power delivery is because they lack a decent gearbox or are set up with the wrong gearing for purpose. A good driver can compensate through drifting as you say. Dipping the clutch has been known but not to be recomended.

[autogyro]

Stopping and starting F1 cars in hairpins like Loews at Monaco, is because F1 cars have such poor steering locks.
This year with the silly long wheelbases on some of them they may even have to bend in the middle. 2010 flying bridges.

[Giblet]

I was just relating the fact that F1 cars are really poor in low speed situations, with their lack of DF at low speed, but they have the power to hide mistakes, unlike the 4 cylinders I mentioned. No need to drift an F1 car for speedy laps. It's more a point and squirt affair. The cars get a whole new steering assembly for Monaco, so they can make Loews.

If there was a magic transmission ( ), then fine, but race cars need weaknesses and strengths and drivers that can utilize them.

I have also dropped a wheel on purpose to get the motor spinning faster, but this is not advised.

[Mysticf1]

Most drifters run very high castor angles so a quick flick allows the wheels to change direction quickly, also when changing direction alot of weight shift is involved....i still believe its down to personal preference, some keep their hands on the wheel some dont....in my experience it depends on the situation...i dont really have time to think about it when the car is facing the wrong way approaching a corner