Bearcut's Drift Guide - Adapted from GT5 Prologue

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Hello GTPlanet, my have we been busy as of late.

Anyway, I said I would shunt over my drift guide after GT5 came out, and after running some practice laps for a week or so, I feel that my prologue guide applies just fine. I haven't had to change my technique in the least. I am however, scoring considerably higher in GT5 then I was in Prologue, which is awesome. We just need those leaderboards!

**Update**: Changes the Suzuki tune below to correspond with GT5 options and not prologue options.

Welcome to Bearcut's Gran Turismo 5 Drift Guide for Drifting Newbies
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A few differences: You can't just "Quick Tune" your cars anymore, you have to purchase the tuning parts. I am going to post some tunes on this thread as I get them but I'm also going to include the original Suzuki Capp tune because it is a premium car in the game and I still feel it's a good place to start, just players are going to have to get to the desired settings using upgrades rather than the quick tune menu.

Some good things about GT5:
1) Practice using the "Full Lap Drift" mode since you can just drift all day long without stopping. When your tires start to get worn, then stop.
2) Man, there are so many cars available! If you can't find one that you like, you are just crazy.
3) There is a much larger multitude of tracks compared to Prologue that people will be able to find a track they love.
4) Lobbies are great! If you haven't tried the lounge yet, you can grab some friends and just drift away to your hearts content! We've gotten some awesome tandem drifts going and I'm sure there are lots of teams on this site willing to help out newbie drifters over live chat.

Anyway, here it is, the original guide. I will post new tunes as I get them.
Enjoy!

Bearcut’s newbie guide for drifting with the Logitech Driving Force GT

**Note, this is a step-by-step drift guide from a drifting amateur, meant for drifting amateurs. Constructive criticism is welcome, but please; no bashing.

Hey all, how are you? If you are like me, that means you probably broke down after several years of playing GT games and decided to get a force feedback wheel. It’s a tough investment for casual players, and can be made even more frustrating by the fact that when you get behind the wheel for the first time, you went from a drifting pro with the controller to someone who spins out on every corner.

Well anyway, after about two weeks of practice with the DFGT I am finally starting to hold some very nice drifts, and can consistently get over 10000points on Suzuka east, which I know, isn’t amazing, but it holds me in the top 100 (for that car)[Prologue stuff here] and it feels great when I make these good looking drifts with the wheel!

So, this guide is for people who are using the wheel for the first time.

So lets get the wheel set up first.
I use the following

DFGT Settings: Power Steering: OFF, Force Feedback: 6
You can find these under options in the main menu.

I have noticed some people suggesting to put the FF all the way at 10, some at 2, so I think it’s really a matter of preference. Try to find a setting where you can throw the wheel around easily, but also not too soft so you can still feel when the front tires are resisting. That first spot of resistance is often the “Sweet spot” that lets you hold a nice drift.
Let’s move onto the car. In general, this guide is for a Rear Wheel Drive, Front Engine vehicle, which most drifters use. Try to find one that has a decent torque so you can spin those back wheels easily, but also is fairly light so that you have good control of the vehicle. I have found the RX-7 and Suzuki Cappuccino to be the best for me to learn on, but others report a lot of success with the 350z (I’m not sure which version).

One thing I noticed by watching a lot of the online GT replays is that the best drifters in the world have their cars tuned very well. In addition to using N1 tires, their suspensions are very tight, and they drop their cars as low as possible. So, having a car that you can feel and are comfortable with is probably more important than anything else, but those quick tune settings can be pretty strange for a novice. Here are the settings I use for the Suzuki cappuccino HP Tuned, which is my current favorite drift car. It’s easy to control and has a decent power band as well as being light. I find that the counter steering is much more forgivable to mistakes then with more high powered cars. Here are my personal tune settings.

Suzuki Cappuccino 1995 Race Modified
Base Cost: 13,000 + 115,000 = 128,000 for Car plus race mods
Parts bought after racing mod purchase: Full engine tuning, ECU tuning, Mid range turbo (stage 2), Racing air filter, Sports Catalytic converter, Sports exhaust manifold, Comfort Hard tires
Power(HP) (121)
Weight(kg) (590)
Tires Comfort Hard Front and Back
Ride Height (-10/-10)
Spring Rate 5/5
Damper Front 8/8/8/8
Anti-Roll Bar 4/4
Toe 0.00/0.00
Camber Angle Front 2.5, Rear 1.0
Traction Control Off (Make sure this is off no matter what car you are drifting)
ABS 1

With this setup, I do most of my drifts in 3rd gear at about 50-60mph. Make sure you set the final ratio and the specific third gear ratio to get the best results.

Now, track selection. Everyone says to learn on Eiger, and I used to drift Eiger on the controller, but really, the roads are super tight, the banks are tough, and you crash into everything when you lose control, making it fairly frustrating. So, I like to learn on Suzuka east, with has two big curves, and several S-shaped curves so you can practice your drifts on mainly flat ground with nice curves. Plus, it feels fun to take 3 of those curves without ever stopping the drift. Of course, you should practice where you feel most comfortable.

Now a step-by-step instruction of how I drift with the wheel and the Suzuki Cappuccino
1. Come into the turn near the top of third gear, around 65mph, but don’t be hitting the rev limiter
2a. Come off the throttle abruptly. This is to throw weight from the rear to the front, which reduces grip at the rear.
2b. Feint slightly by turning slight opposite of the direction of the turn. Make sure you do this immediately before you enter the drift (if the turn is right, feint left)
3. Now turn the car to drift by giving the wheel a brisk rotation into the turn (if the turn is right, turn right)
4. As soon as you begin to slide, the wheel will go slack. This is the tricky part, and requires coordination of two things
a. Throttle, you need to keep the throttle open so the back wheels continue to spin, but don’t just slam it down. I say about 80% throttle. You’ll have to play with this to get the feel.
b. BEFORE THE CAR BEGINS TO DRIFT ON SCREEN, begin your counter-steer. This is turning the wheel in the OPPOSITE direction of the turn, rather you are turning the wheel in the direction the car is actually moving.
i. Ok, I’m sorry if this is confusing, but basically it was a right turn, you turned the car right to start the drift, and the car is now sliding to the left. You are going to turn the wheel to the LEFT to counter steer.
c. When counter steering, as soon as the car begins to turn back towards the opposite direction, counter steer now back in the original direction but JUST UNTIL YOUFEEL RESISTANCE on the wheel. That’s the sweet spot. Hold this spot to pull off a nice drift, and gradually let the wheel straighten itself to come out in a straight line.
d. Don’t forget to give you car a nice even high throttle so that it doesn’t gain grip suddenly and send you slamming into the wall.
5. When the car begins to straighten out, do not let the wheel bully around you around with the force feedback. Point it in the direction it’s supposed to be going, and give it about half throttle, it should straighten out nice and even and allow you to get ready for the next turn.



Frequent problems that need to be remedied with practice:
Problem: I keep sliding off the road even though my car is drifting nice.
Answer: You simply need to learn the feel of the track better. It’s important to hit the turns on the track “just right” and this spot is different for every turn on every track. So make sure you pick a track you like and stick to it, rather than jumping around to several different tracks while learning.

Problem: I turn my wheel all the way to the lock, but the car has no control even at slow speed and just kind of slides off the road.
Answer: This is what I like to call the Sunday drive, and it’s usually because you didn’t enter the turn fast enough to start a good slide; so the car just starts sliding casually. Solution; don’t be afraid to hit those turns with a good amount of speed, you’ll get the feel for the individual turns eventually.

Problem: I pull off a nice drift, but shortly after beginning my car just spins out of control
Answer: You are counter steering too slow. Remember this is a 900 degree wheel so you have to spin that thing pretty fast. Also remember that you need to countersteer when the car starts the drift, but not when the drift starts on the screen. The feel of the wheel going slack and the sounds of burning rubber should be your key.

Problem: I’m drifting fine, I counter steer, and then my car turns in the opposite direction to fast and spins out of control the other way.
Answer: your counter steering well but you are not giving the car enough throttle. Don’t be afraid to keep the throttle open so that the car keeps sliding.

Tips for 4WD drifting... it helps a lot to tap the brakes right after a feint, the car goes into a slide and then open the throttle. I've also noticed that with this car if you are losing the drift let off of the throttle and it seems to maintain.
Good luck out there!

I decided to add this link for good measure... the drift bible!
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=136456
Thanks the Matheey for the links.

Addendum: Drifting in Regular Physics (A-Spec Time Trial, Lounge, Online Lobbies)
Hey guys: I usually drift in Drift Trial mode and this guide is written for this as such, but lately I have been drifting in lounge and have noticed the physics there to be different than those in Drift Trial. Basically, I still feel that learning in Drift Trial mode is better, but once you make the shift over to tandem drifting here are a few tips.
1) The physics in normal A-Spec driving are less forgiving and the road feels "stickier". Basically, it's harder to initiate the slide, and the game is more likely to spin you out if you over steer/over countersteer. Solution: You've already learned the basics, you just need to be more careful. Be a little lighter on the throttle and feint a little harder. Drifting at lower speeds seems to help also. After a few dozen laps, you should be able to get the hang of it.
2) RWD cars are golden in this mode, specifically lower power, light ones. When I moved over the A-Spec drifting the easier cars I had to drift were the Suzuki Cappucino posted above and a Stock Silvia S-15 with a fully customizable suspension. Both of these cars just seem alot easier to control.
3) Practice makes perfect - once again, if you can drift in drift trial, you can drift anywhere. Just allow yourself time to adjust.



Bearcut's Car Tunes:

2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Ra Race Modified
HP: 373hp
Weight: 1080kg
Base Cost: Around 230,000
Availability - Premium (Constant)
Tuning Parts after RM: Comfort Hard Tires, Racing Air Filter, Sports Exhaust Manifold, ECU Tuning, Torque Sensing Center Differential
Settings: TC 0, ABS 0, ASM Off
Suspension: Ride Height -35/-35, Spring Rate 6.2 Front 6.0 Rear, Dampers 7/7/7/7, Anti-Roll Bars 4/4, Toe 0/0, Camber 2.5 Front, 1.0 Rear, Brake Settings 5 Front 7 Rear, Torque Distribution 20 Front 80 Rear

**Tips: This car is sweet at high speeds, not so much at lower speeds. Tapping the breaks to start the slide works great with the tighter settings in the back.

1971 Datsun (Nissan) 240ZG
HP: 159hp
Weight: 899kg
Base Cost: around 50,000 Credits
Availability - (Uncommon)
Tuning Parts: Comfort Hard Tires, Fully Adjustable Suspension, Sports Exhaust, Racing Air Filter, Stage 2 Weight Reduction, Lightweight Polymer Windows
Settings: Traction Control 0, ABS 1, ASM Off
Suspension: Ride Height -30/-30, Spring Rate 6.5/6.5, Dampers 5/5/5/5, Anti-Roll Bars 4/4
Camber Angle 2.5 Front, 1.0 Rear
Toe 0.2/0.2

1983 Toyota Corolla Levin GT-Apex (AE86) Note: There is an "Initial D" version of this car but its very rare so i'm posting this one
HP: 147hp
Weight: 940kg
Base Cost: around 13,000 Credits
Availability - Common
Tuning Parts: Comfort Hard and Medium Tires, Fully Adjustable Suspension, Racing Air Filter, ECU Tuning
Settings: Traction Control 0, ABS 1, ASM Off
Suspension: Ride Height -25/-25, Spring Rate 6.8/7.4, Dampers 6/6/6/6, Anti Roll Bars 5/5
Camber Angle 2.5 Front, 1.5 Rear
Toe 0/0

1971 BMW 2002 Turbo
HP: 189hp
Weight: 918kg
Base Cost: 31,000 + 70,000 for modifications
Availability - Rare
Tuning Parts: Comfort Hard Tires, Full Weight Reduction + Polymer Windows, Racing Air Filter, ECU Tune, Full Customize Suspension
Settings: TC 0, ABC 1, ASM Off
Suspension: Ride Height -25/-25 Spring Rate 6.0/6.0, Dampers 6/6/6/6, Anti Roll Bars 4/4
Camber Angle 2.5 Front 1.5 Rear
Toe 0/0

Toyota FT-86 Concept '09 (Credit to Accendo)
HP: 368hp
Weight: 930kg
Availability: Prize Car - FR Challenge in Beginner A-Spec
Tuning Parts: Sports hard tires, stage 1 Weight reduction, polymer windows, rigidity improvement, ECU tuning, Stage 2 Engine Tune, Sports Intake Manifold, Sports Exhaust Manifold, Racing Air Filter, Catalytic Converted, Titanium Racing Exhaust, 6 Speed Close Ratio Transmission, Twin-Plate Clutch, Semi-Racing flywheel, Carbon Driveshaft, Fully Customizable suspension
Settings: TC Off, ASM Off, ABS 1
Suspension Setts: Ride height -10/-10, Spring Rate 9.2 front 8.8 back, Dampers 3/3/3/3, anti roll bars 1/1, Camber 2.0 front 1.0 back, toe 0/0
 
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Alright, thanks.
Let me know if you need anything. I'm working on more tunes at the moment.

Any more of the advanced drifters want to share some tuning tips? I've noticed some of you guys use more extreme camber then I do...
 
I haven't tried to tune a Cappucino in this game yet but I don't think you'd have to do a race mod...
You could probably get the weight and hp with just regular tuning shop items. I'm gonna try and tune an S15 in the next couple days, if I get it to work ill replace the Cappucino tune up there with the S15 tune so people don't get so confused.
 
I haven't tried to tune a Cappucino in this game yet but I don't think you'd have to do a race mod...
You could probably get the weight and hp with just regular tuning shop items. I'm gonna try and tune an S15 in the next couple days, if I get it to work ill replace the Cappucino tune up there with the S15 tune so people don't get so confused.


NP.

I asked cause I bought a Capuccino, bought everything on the store and reached like 130 HP only
 
Hmm yeah and when the engine "breaks in" you'll only get a few more horses... However, if you can lighten it enough that should be a good drift machine. Honestly I prefer lower powered, lighter cars... I'm too inconsistent with anything that has crazy torque/power.

Not sure about the Race Mod Cappucino though... has anyone tried one?
 
Wait, is the Levin an AE85? Because I have the Trueno (I take it that's the Initial D one, although they're both in it), so are they both 86's? Will the general setup transfer?
 
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I think the general setup will transfer, I bought the 1998 Sprinter Trueno which is actually an AE86 so i'm not sure why it's a 1998 - it says in the description it is the car from "Initial D" and is owned by that manga artist.

I've never actually seen the show but I'm familiar with the car.
I have bought an 1983 Trueno Apex (AE86) and the 1998 AE86...but I think any AE86 will be a good place to start and those general suspension settings should feel the same...
 
Update: Changed the guide to use the Suzuki Cappucino 1995 Race Modification as the beginners car, used the same exact setting from prologue and man it's so easy to drift it. Great learning car -- cost about 200k so it's not too bad, just make sure you buy the extra tuning parts AFTER you do the race mod.
 
I think the general setup will transfer, I bought the 1998 Sprinter Trueno which is actually an AE86 so i'm not sure why it's a 1998 - it says in the description it is the car from "Initial D" and is owned by that manga artist.

I've never actually seen the show but I'm familiar with the car.
I have bought an 1983 Trueno Apex (AE86) and the 1998 AE86...but I think any AE86 will be a good place to start and those general suspension settings should feel the same...

it's the same base car ('83 AE86), the "Initial D version" was just released on a later date in honor of Shuichi Shigeno.
 
I've been reading all these threads about the wheel, and honestly, I'm nervouse as to whether or not to purchase a g25(7):scared:.

I Used to drift a stock e92 but I recently drastically modded it, I'd say I'm fairly descent with the DS3. I can hold a drift around Autumn Ring Mini no problem.

I was gonna get a wheel for xmas but I'm way to nervous about it now. I think I'm gonna stay with the DS3
 
Hey if your only concern is drift performance I think you'll be fine with the DS3. Personally I bought the wheel because it just makes the game more fun, but it's a big investment.
 
So I have a question. Sometimes when I'm drifting, I feel like I've completely lost all traction with the road even as I'm pressing on the gas? This tends to be once I'm at/past the apex as well, I believe.

I'm also having difficulty having the car move into the exit of a turn once I've passed the apex on most hairpins, as in it my car doesn't really follow the whole shape of the hairpin on the turn, any tips?
 
Cheers for the excellent write up Bear! I'm not new to drifting, per say, sideways is always my style of choice - but i'm kinda new to setting up FR cars up to the task. Have been doing it to imprezas since the days of Richard Burns (RIP) Rally :)

I already have an impreza and AE86 with full tune and RM, will setup as described & play with those. Also really excited about getting hold of a cappuccino again - i remember how fun that little fella was in gt5p :D

Just out of interest - have you got hold of a yellow bird yet?? Got mine yesterday after what feels like a long wait. Doesn't seem to be popular amongst drifters from what i've seen, but the car is an absolute beast for drifting, stock with just N1's
 
So I have a question. Sometimes when I'm drifting, I feel like I've completely lost all traction with the road even as I'm pressing on the gas? This tends to be once I'm at/past the apex as well, I believe.

I'm also having difficulty having the car move into the exit of a turn once I've passed the apex on most hairpins, as in it my car doesn't really follow the whole shape of the hairpin on the turn, any tips?

Relax Mytton I have a job you know...

So from what I understand is your saying once you start the slide you basically have no traction at all? Remember that stamping the gas is actually going to remove traction since you are spinning the wheels... if you wanted to gain traction, you would let off the throttle.

Can I ask how you are initiating the slide? Are you slamming the e-brake? What car are you using? How much power does it put at the rear wheels? What tires are you using and have you tried using stickier tires? Have you adjusted the suspension on your car to be more drift tuned... I.E.: Tighter springs, Tighter Dampers, lower to the ground, Camber, exc...

--- I think a lot of the answer to your question might be to slow down your approach, and cut the turns more tightly so you are not just sliding across the road in a straight line. But I need to more info to help you out.
 
Cheers for the excellent write up Bear!
Thanks man I always like knowing I can help someone out
Just out of interest - have you got hold of a yellow bird yet?? Got mine yesterday after what feels like a long wait. Doesn't seem to be popular amongst drifters from what i've seen, but the car is an absolute beast for drifting, stock with just N1's

I actually do own a yellow bird but I haven't gotten around to drift tune it yet! I have a CTR2 also and I might try and drift that car first but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the yellow bird is rare and we like to race it! One of the problems that GT5 has is it doesn't have the 3 Saved setups like prologue did, A - B - C... in Prologue you could have two completely different suspension setups on one car, but in GT5 my drift cars are usually for drifting only.

Keep it up before you know it you'll start trying some crazy stuff like the rest of us...
 
Well to start with, I tend to use the feint maneuver after slowing down a bit to get the drift going, and I'm on comfort hard tires with my RX-7 FC. I have lowered it and stiffened the suspension a tad along with minimal camber on the front end.

What I'm doing at the moment is stepping on brake, turning away while taking foot off brake, brake a bit as I turn in, and then go to gas right after and feathering it.

So should I maybe begin going sideways leading up to the turn if it's sharper, like a hairpin?

Thanks for the advice too, btw.
 
Hey thanks for the tips bearcut, you answered one of the problems I was having with drifting. Basically my car would always flick the opposite direction, so more throttle corrected that. Also I found the tire compound played a big role. I started using comfort hard or sports hard depending on the car power and that made the car slide better, hence no more flick problems.
 
Well to start with, I tend to use the feint maneuver after slowing down a bit to get the drift going, and I'm on comfort hard tires with my RX-7 FC. I have lowered it and stiffened the suspension a tad along with minimal camber on the front end.

What I'm doing at the moment is stepping on brake, turning away while taking foot off brake, brake a bit as I turn in, and then go to gas right after and feathering it.

So should I maybe begin going sideways leading up to the turn if it's sharper, like a hairpin?

Thanks for the advice too, btw.

First of all, it's no problem about the advice, at least what advice I can give. From what I see, the only issue is the braking. You might be locking the tires all around the car and when that happens - no control. When I drift an FR car and need to slow down, I only break BEFORE I start the feint. Then feint, whip it back around and use only throttle to get the slide going. However, in the Subaru I posted above, I have the brakes set to start the slide... but that's a 4WD car.

Try it again without using ANY brakes and tell me if you're still having problems.
 
Hey thanks for the tips bearcut, you answered one of the problems I was having with drifting. Basically my car would always flick the opposite direction, so more throttle corrected that. Also I found the tire compound played a big role. I started using comfort hard or sports hard depending on the car power and that made the car slide better, hence no more flick problems.

Always appreciate someone saying thanks. If you get some good tunes don't be afraid to post them for others!
 
Good idea, I'll post up my usual setup so others can try it out and see if it works for them. When I get the chance tonight I'll post it up.
 
I appreciate your guide and the tunes you provided. However, I tried out the Cappucino and purchased all of the enhancements you suggested, along with the proper tunes and personally, I don't feel that it's a very beginner friendly car to drift on. I consider myself more of an intermediate drifter, and when I started drifting on GT5 I hadn't played any GT games in a while. So I started off drifting with the Toyota FT-86 and later the S2000 and a Nissan GT-R; on a side not I also started successfully drifting with a Lamborghini Gallardo. But basically the thing I noticed with these cars is that while they don't give you the most intense drift, they do give you a decent capability to drift as far as being a beginner, and they don't tend to spin out at all.
So for me, the thing with the Cappucino is that while it has the potential to give you incredibly nice drifts, you need to know what you're doing in order to properly use it. I struggled using it, and soon after I bought a stock Nissan Fairlady Z (Z34) and started using it with great success on Suzuka East.
But in any case, I thought the step-by-step guide on how to drift was excellent, and being a methodical person, it has helped me when drifting new cars.
But on another note, would you consider adding a guide on how you should tune your cars for drifting? It would really help me, and probably many other people out.
 
Inuakki - glad to hear it helped you out in methodology.

I do have somewhat of an answer to your question... While I found the Cappuccino to be the easiest car to learn on, that's just me. Drift tune settings are very personal things. I have browsed the forums quite a bit and have noticed that many drifters tend to use a much more negative camber than myself (for example), sometimes as high as 8 but I just don't feel right past 3. Doesn't mean what they are doing is wrong or what I am doing is wrong. I wouldn't mind putting in a little part about how I personally tune a drift car, but I'd be scared to put a "Guide", simply because I think my experience with tuning isn't as strong as some of the other members of this forum.

The reason I try to include several different cars for members to try is because, simply what you mentioned, some people just "click" with certain cars. If you have a tune for S2000 or 350z, let us hear it... I'll post it along with credit to you under the tune list for people to try out. I'll also think about writing a few paragraphs about general drift tuning.

How does that sound?
 
Inuakki - glad to hear it helped you out in methodology.

I do have somewhat of an answer to your question... While I found the Cappuccino to be the easiest car to learn on, that's just me. Drift tune settings are very personal things. I have browsed the forums quite a bit and have noticed that many drifters tend to use a much more negative camber than myself (for example), sometimes as high as 8 but I just don't feel right past 3. Doesn't mean what they are doing is wrong or what I am doing is wrong. I wouldn't mind putting in a little part about how I personally tune a drift car, but I'd be scared to put a "Guide", simply because I think my experience with tuning isn't as strong as some of the other members of this forum.

The reason I try to include several different cars for members to try is because, simply what you mentioned, some people just "click" with certain cars. If you have a tune for S2000 or 350z, let us hear it... I'll post it along with credit to you under the tune list for people to try out. I'll also think about writing a few paragraphs about general drift tuning.

How does that sound?

I would agree with you on this one Bearcut... Each car is different and handles differently based on the tuning... I do think that there is such a thing as a "baseline" to set your car to a "drift-able" state - then it is up to the player to tweak the settings to their taste...

I think your guide is a good start for people to set their cars too and then adjust the settings after testing it on the track...
 
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