Drift Line Selection - a Discussion

[vinsion]

When I'm first leaning a new drift car, I tend to try for a simple inner-apex drift, just to get the feel for the car. Once I can drift it how I please, my prefered line is the biggest possible one. I'll start with some Choku-Dori on the staight, then go into a powerslide before the drift itself, then convert the powerslide into a drift (adjusting countersteer and throttle as necessary), entering the apex in the middle of the track, coming close to the inner wall (or rumble-strip), then if I can pull it off, extend the drift into another powerslide on the straight again.
I use the term powerslide beacuse when you're not actually curving the path of the car, all you're doing is a slide...sideways; AKA powerslide. BUT, remember that the drifts and powerslides are compactible in that you can make the car start to follow the turn thus becoming a drift.
If I'm not pushing my line so hard that my car goes from 90+mph to 15ish mph (which is stupid in the first place), then I'll be going for a different, creative drift. I constantly strive to find new ways to enter a turn, I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I do rack my brain everytime I'm behind the wheel looking for a new drift style, of completely new way to come around the corner. And no, I'm resorting to dirt-drops, that's old (but I still respect it when done correctly).
I really love changing my line while in the middle of the drift, what I mean is...If the turn is roughly a 30° in the first ⅔, and the last ⅓ of the turn is sharper, lets say 60°, then adjusting to the last half (err...third) is a lot of fun to me. Just getting the last part with a big angle makes my day .

Dorifto,

</Vin>

 

[Gen.]

I prefer taking a slightly modified racing line. Modified in being, during the out motion, I move the time back some 10 meters, so I'm already half way through the drift.
Bit of braking here and there without touching the throttle is nice too.
El Capitan?! Too long for me Just bum around Autumn Ring Mini with me!

 

[burnout060]

As I'm sure you all know by now, I use the racing lines. Stay far to the outside, turn in hard, while braking (and sliding), clip the apex, and accelterate (and slide) out of the turn, clipping the outside corner's edge (unless specifically setting up a certain line for another corner). I use this style because I like the way the drifts look when taking these lines, I can go the fastest around corners with this line, and I can also drift while doing it, so I drift in all but one car (Formula Gran Turismo).

Yeah, that's about it.

EDIT: Oh, right, well I like Trial Mountain the best, I test all my cars there. Lots of hairpins, straight aways, S curves, high speed drifts, and even four wheel drifts (the down hill left hand corner, 3rd to last corner). These days I've been using the two FCs (GT-X and iffini) and my purple SilEighty the most, as I've found they are two of the only cars I have that can effectively drift while being able to accelerate at the same time, so I like them alot for this course. They also reach top speed right before the banked hairpin after the straight away. They also are very easy to control mid-drift, and yet get sideways on almost every corner (every technique works with them, accel-off, braking drift, e-brake, it's ALL good).

 

[Small_Fryz]

I use the traditional line, Yes because im a gripper by trade (sounds cool eh?) but mainly i think it looks very nice, if you can hang the arse out at a consistent angle while racing on the correct line. Its also a lot more challenging than just drifting a corner with no piticular line.

But i mainly do it because i think it takes more control and it looks way better.

 

[G-T-4-Fan]

Okey, question here, actually two:
1. When do you guys begin steering in at the first corner of El Capitan, cause I always want to do that turn in a single drift offcourse, but at the point where I should hit the apex (I mean the center of the curve), I almost hit the outside wall, so I thought you had to steer in later, and with a bigger angle in the beginning, but I didn't succeed. I use AWD as you might know, it might make a difference in your anwsers.

2. If I'm drifting on Trial Mountain, and I come out of the tunnel into the slow right hand corner (same corner FI took in his vid. a few posts up) I have too much speed EVERYTIME and I found that I could just let go of the gas and turn in while shifting down, so without any throttle: is this a drift or not?

 

[Small_Fryz]

well the first corner of el capitan you need to late apex, there is a license test on it somewhere, you drive a G35, go and watch the demo for that, he pretty much runs the correct line.

 

[G-T-4-Fan]

well the first corner of el capitan you need to late apex, there is a license test on it somewhere, you drive a G35, go and watch the demo for that, he pretty much runs the correct line.

Yeah but were do you begin your drift, it probably needs to be somewhere in the middle of the corner to get that apex, and then you've got half of the corner grip driving, that doesn't look too good does it?

 

[Small_Fryz]

well, when i drift that corner i just start drifting like normal and just ride the inside kerb, adjusting acceration and countersteering to keep me off the outside wall at exit

 

[G-T-4-Fan]

well, when i drift that corner i just start drifting like normal and just ride the inside kerb, adjusting acceration and countersteering to keep me off the outside wall at exit

Then I don't get it, or I have to change something drastically to my line, entry or throttle control, b.t.w. I have to drift with almost full throttle just to keep up my speed, that isn't really a good thing is it. SOMETIMES I can succeed that drift with ALMOST NO angle and a BIT of tyre smoke although my car has around 400hp, and then I think that I could get alot more angle out of that, so it's never a good drift IMO. I just can't get the angle WITH the complete drift! I should pick the complete drift over the angle shouldn't I ?

Has anyone got a vid. of a complete 1st turn at El Capitan, COMPLETELY around it, thanks.

 

[Gen.]

Drifting full throttle is not a bad thing, It just depends on the car you using. e.g. a Trueno would demand full throttle. Whereas, an M3 wouldn't.

 

[G-T-4-Fan]

Drifting full throttle is not a bad thing, It just depends on the car you using. e.g. a Trueno would demand full throttle. Whereas, an M3 wouldn't.

A 400hp Skyline? It's AWD, and most of the AWD drifters say that power can never be too much on AWD cars (with some exceptions like a 900hp Suzuki )

 

[scuer_one]

im keeping it good ... but need bit more practice...

 

[Gen.]

A 400hp Skyline? It's AWD, and most of the AWD drifters say that power can never be too much on AWD cars (with some exceptions like a 900hp Suzuki )

I have a 400 kw (500-550 hp) R34 in the stable, so it's probably true.

 

[apexd1fd3s]

A 400hp Skyline? It's AWD, and most of the AWD drifters say that power can never be too much on AWD cars (with some exceptions like a 900hp Suzuki )

This is true for me. When I first tuned my AWD to drift, I tuned it in the same matter as I would for all my other RWD cars.. I don't like too much power. But I later discovered adding even more power for those cars helped alot more. Guess it requires more power to break traction on all 4 wheels.

 

[G-T-4-Fan]

This is true for me. When I first tuned my AWD to drift, I tuned it in the same matter as I would for all my other RWD cars.. I don't like too much power. But I later discovered adding even more power for those cars helped alot more. Guess it requires more power to break traction on all 4 wheels.

Yeah, I think it's not like with RWD that if you add power, only your tail will slide out, but more like all wheels just spin more because they all receive the power and just go sideways more easily

 

[CrazyDrifter]

Hello again. I'm practised drifting with DFP and DS2 now for 2 weeks. I got MUCH MUCH more experience now. Now the guestion: Anybody interested 240sx drift club? Send me PM, if you are. First PM sender can be 2nd boss of the club with me .

 

[DeSwyft]

I'd wouldn't really care about what line i take, All that mattwers is that i pulled a drift without snapback and without contact of walls.. That's my only goal in drifting I say this Becuase I do most of the drifitng on the Genki Silvia on Capri Easy, this was, i'll get fast mnoey for the black cars as well as practice my drifts. However, I am hoping to start drfting on other tracks. Does anyone know if arcade mode takes on the same stats as your current car? Because, I recently learned that some cars you have that Arcade normally doesnt hold is put in the Car Selections..

 

[86-Driver]

i have been drifting on the El Capitan track for a while and i like to make my own line up to suit me but sometimes i will go traditional.

i drive an AE86 Sprinter which is great for me and my style of drifting and on the course i can drift great and for those how like a hairpin there is a nice pin after a decent slope if u know wat i mean. but yeah i have been drifting this track lately but befor i was drifting midfield raceway but yeah

 

[Pagan_2k]

El Capitan is usually the course I use to test my mid-power drift cars, the first corner is also one of the trickiest for me just cause of the speed I hit it at. My car of choice is the S2000GTi at 500hp and usually I hit that corner at well over 300km/h. Pretty much the easiest way around it is to approach from the left of the road then way before the corner feight left, hard right and e-brake to get sideways. With the right timing you dont even see the corner although I usually have a problem braking in time for the next one.

While I'm far, far from being really good at drfiting, I am proud of my low 1:40's in the s2000.

 

[86-Driver]

hey dude good to hear i like the s2000 a bit as well but i still prefer to drive and drift my 247hp AE86 sprinter and i hit the first corner at around about 200KM/H and are still able to drift the next corner but i have run this track quite a bit so u kinda get a rythen for it as u might know but to me i am still a beginer. by the way my best lap is 00:02:06min but thats driftingthe track so yeah

 

[86-Driver]

hey pagan_2k its good to hear that someone esle lkes the track as well and also likes honda s2000's. I still prefer to drive my 247hp N/A AE86 sprinter but i do like variety if u know wat i mean.the first corner i normaly hit it at around 200km/h and still have enought speed to set up for the next corner but like u i am still a beginner and am still learning
cheers mate we will have to chat sometime

cheers mate

 

[Pagan_2k]

I've given the trueno quite a bit of milage on that track, it never ceases to amaze me how much that cars likes being sideways. My s2000 on the other hand is probably the fastest out of all my drift cars and having spent so much time driving it I can handle it like a dream and am even getting the linking right these days.
Yay! for drifting, thats for sure.

 

[67Mach5_Driver]

I am new to drifting, but I have been miling up Motorland just for simplicity's sake (Quick laps, easy for replay for drift critique) and Deep Forest (I am used to this track from Tourist Trophy).

I have found that my best lines are when I hit the rumble lines. The technique I try to use (when I can stay on the road ) is to try and keep the front of the car in the race line, and kick the rear to the rumble line on the outside of a turn to maintain less traction in the rear until the end of the line allowing for a drastic angle, and then holding the angle while bringing the front to the rumble line at the apex while keeping the rear in the racing line then alternating again at the exit of the turn. This seems to allow for great speed and pretty angles while holding the longest curve possible. I just seem to have an issue with overcorrecting on the countersteer. If anyone has any information on gearing, and throttle control, I could use some help...

 

[nk4e]

I am new to drifting, but I have been miling up Motorland just for simplicity's sake (Quick laps, easy for replay for drift critique) and Deep Forest (I am used to this track from Tourist Trophy).

I have found that my best lines are when I hit the rumble lines. The technique I try to use (when I can stay on the road ) is to try and keep the front of the car in the race line, and kick the rear to the rumble line on the outside of a turn to maintain less traction in the rear until the end of the line allowing for a drastic angle, and then holding the angle while bringing the front to the rumble line at the apex while keeping the rear in the racing line then alternating again at the exit of the turn. This seems to allow for great speed and pretty angles while holding the longest curve possible. I just seem to have an issue with overcorrecting on the countersteer. If anyone has any information on gearing, and throttle control, I could use some help...

So you stay on the outer line instead of the inner or you go from the inner line towards the outer line

 

[akina_speedstar]

So far i am drifting following quite a standard race line, once i progress and have a much firmer understanding of initial drift, throttle and countersteering, i will start to try and mix my lines up. Either way, as long as im sideways...im having fun!

If i'm following the line as aforementioned, is this more of a race drift "style" or "technique"?

 

[RX7FC3S]

Hmm, Myself i'm good, but not good to the point that I can take a turn at the exact same spot (I call it a sweet spot) every time I want to start a drift. If over shoot that spot I slow down the drift so I don't get off the track or smack a wall, if I enter to low I try to increase the angle and get my revs (usually Nitrous helps) up try to not lose momentum.

When I do manage to enter at the sweet spot of a turn, I feint just before the spot and throtle the hell out of the car adjusting gas and E-braking according to how the car is responding. So..Feint..car gets a little angle..gas hard..back end starts going out..adjust so you wont spin using what ever techniques..I usually enter the turn high to the outside and exit/end the drift towards the inside but of course this changes depending on the track and type of turn.

Favorite track to drift on, S.S.R Route 5, It was my fav in 3 and it's still my fav in 4. This is the only course where 8 of 10 times I nail every turn, I know every inch of the track so I know exactly how the car is going to respond if I goof up and enter low/high, so I can almost always adjust so I won't smack a wall. The last series of S-Turns took me months to get right, and I I love drifting that tunnel..too much fun. My friends loath the track saying its to confining, since theres really no margin for error, either stop the drift if your to high/low, or you will smack the wall. It's also the course where I use a lot different techniques, it's just a really dynamic course.Favorite Car to use, any of the 1990' FC's (My baby is the Infini III).

 

[67Mach5_Driver]

So you stay on the outer line instead of the inner or you go from the inner line towards the outer line

well, both... say there is a sharp right turn. You will have a rumble strip on the left side, then one at the apex on the right, then one on the left at the exit of the turn... Basically I maximize the curve by taking this line. If I kick the back out too far, I don't have as big of a problem straightening out because I have more room for the countersteer as I make my way through the last part of the turn and treat it like a short straightaway... does that make sense?

 

[Boundary Layer]

well, both... say there is a sharp right turn. You will have a rumble strip on the left side, then one at the apex on the right, then one on the left at the exit of the turn... Basically I maximize the curve by taking this line.

This is a typical inside line, or out-in-out line.

An outside line (out-out-out) would be starting on the outside, as you do, but then keeping the car on the outside of the turn for its entire duration.

 

[67Mach5_Driver]

This is a typical inside line, or out-in-out line.

An outside line (out-out-out) would be starting on the outside, as you do, but then keeping the car on the outside of the turn for its entire duration.

So which would you recommend? I also really seem to have a problem with spinning the tires on a straightaway... I don't know if it is in the gearing, tires, torque, or what... The only other thing that I can figure out is that I have driving aids turned off, but it seems to work for others, and I have noticed that in videos with gauges, others seem to hold the cars at full throttle, but I have to hold at half or lower just to keep traction to get enough speed for a decent drift. If there is already a post out there that explains this, please direct me in the right direction. Also, I am using a DS2 if that makes a difference, but I do have moderate skills with the throttle control due to playing a lot of Tourist Trophy

 

[Boundary Layer]

It's not about what line I (or anyone) recommend - that's a very individual thing, and is likely to change from one type of corner to the next, and may change with the car used.

But, I will say that out-in-out is generally viewed as a better looking line on short/tight corners. On long sweepers theres a little more opportunity to play with an outside line.

To control wheelpsin, just keep doing what you're doing. Throttle control.
Don't worry about what you see other people doing with the throttle in videos because you dont know they're tire choice, or hp, etc.

Suspension/LSD/downforce settings might make a small difference... but for what you're describing (provided your camber isnt ridiculous, and without seeing the rest of your settings) I believe the majority of the wheelspin to be a product of power and tire compound only.

And no aids, please no aids.