How to... begin drifting?

[pinoydrifter]

Hi guys,

Question for all,

here it goes-

I love drifting! I would really like to get good at it! However I don't know how to go about doing so. Where/how did you guys start drifting? It seems like at the competitions/events they don't have a beginner category... right? And it seems like the whole drifting community doesn't really invite/help beginners!

I mean I'm a basketball player... and when I want to get better/hone my skills ... I just pick up a ball and go! But with drifting... where can you go? I mean, I contacted the track and all they said is "what the hell is drafting" haha... click! And I don't want to enter an event,just for practice, and compete with advanced drifters. Although I did go check out dd6,(bay area) and that seemed like more of a practice session than a competition! Whitch I really like! But would you guys suggest me enter the future dd's?

Anyway if you guys have any pointers/suggestions I would greatly appreciate it! Please help... I want to learn to drift correctly! Thanks-:D

[Saul240]

OT! and why do you have drifter in your user name, if you dont even know how to drift?

[pinoydrifter]

DID I ASK YOU TO READ MY USER NAME? :madfawk: :fawk2:

Can't anyone on this website stop flaming and just help me out?

[Brian]

you just have to practice wherever you can. whenever an opportunity comes up you have to take advantage of it. huge empty parking lots are nice. drift days are good. the mountain roads are not a good idea. the streets are not a good idea. legal events are the best idea. blah.

[Saul240]

Originally posted by pinoydrifter
DID I ASK YOU TO READ MY USER NAME? :madfawk: :fawk2:

Can't anyone on this website stop flaming and just help me out?

Dont you get it? You have to learn by watching the videos (ahh the ones with the view of their feet and the steering wheel while they are drifting) that will help you the most, you just have to screw around though(be careful), perferable by yourself in an empty area not at ilegal events, if they do have another practice drift at any event you should take advantage of it and try it out.....

[twitchy]

flaming is usual on here

I got into drifting for the first time when I accidentally spun out at a left turn at an intersection, having not learned about the joys of rear wheel drive in the rain yet.

I dont go into competetions or drift on a regular basis, although I found that it can be a fun thing to do every so often in the rain or when nearby honda civics are drifting on trays.

My advice is wait for it to rain and have some fun. At a turn from a stop sign, feeding the car full throttle right off the clutch will usually get the back end out, and lifting the throttle and correcting with the steering will bring you back into line. Dont hold the gas down, nail it long enough to break the tires loose and then lift half way off or so to keep them going. Its easier to spin them then to get them started. (duh)

I find my car doesnt spin the tires easily on dry pavement at all (or wet pavement without a little work either) I have a brand new set of dunlop tires as well as a Limited Slip Differential, making it hard(er) to induce wheelspin.

so basically, as a working 21 year old university student I just try not to spin the tires unless I have to or feel like a little fun.

Thats the HOW as far as my experience takes me, as for the where, where I live if you go into an empty smooth parking lot at night when no shoppers are around, your pretty much safe. Here in Sudbury, the worst that happens is the cops asking you to leave.

and if it snows where you live, I would RECCOMMEND learning emergency manouvers on slippery conditions like this, cause its saved my *** a few times in the snow.

Good luck and enjoy. Dont hit any curbs!

[richardxfeng]

where are you located?if you are in socal,you can go to club4ag event.they have the pratice section.

[KiDyNomiTe]

Go to the events, watch some vids, read up on different techniques, practice all the little things like heel toe and such.

Try and maybe get into someones car while at a drift event, and watch young grasshopper.

These are basics things you should already have tried to do.

Then when you have a bit of knowhow go find a big parking lot, no poles, just really big something like a plant or big warehouse, they usually have big parking lots with no poles.

Then practice practice practice..

Then comes the long list of mods to make you faster and better

[Silverbullet]

you try to make a turn while pulling ur e breaks at slow speed in an empty parking lot while its wet. I do it occasionally, pretty fun. If you ever get caugh by someone, u can say you were seeing how it feels to loose traction and learning how to get it back.

[Bill Roberts]

For the bold, arrange a trip to the Bonneville salt flats.

There you can do anything you want to. This is how I learned what happens above 170MPH. I use to actually get up to 140 and turn the wheels in a vette. I was rather into knowing how the car "is" at all times and the salt flats is a place where anything goes. Just go there and see if their is an event supervisor on hand (usually each weekend) and then find a designated spot. Check the schedule. It is best to have a side band or CB radio (hand-held) with you because most of the action is strait down the left side doing top speed runs...some over 300MPH...you got to mesh with whatever event is happening at the time. Their are areas you can go to flog your car..like the South east corner is good.

I know it is a major drive to get there for most people but if you really want to experiment with the limits of your driving and the cars limitations and be safe all the while (nothing to hit but you can flip it) then this is the place on the globe to do it.


Other than that...See if a School or University in your area has a place and get permission to do small area drifting. If not, go to an event.

The biggest problem is having someone in charge and having the area secured and having disclaimers written up and signed.

Some universities are decently cool with taking advantage of a deserted parking area...many are not. Got to know the Dean and get it ok'ed in advance. Also, abandoned airfields. Bronson field in Pensacola florida is open to the public for the purpose of flogging your car. Every weekend in the summer, something is happening for a 5 dollar bill.

See if you can sponsor an event in the parking lot of a large stadium off season. Phone calls and money make things work at times.

Race tracks. See what can be done. I have met folks and hung out that are in charge of race tracks, asummed responsability for my actions and been inside. Takes time...worth it.

Safety first...get a crash helment and supplimental seatbelts (4 or 5 way harness) installed.

Please don't test your skills on the street in the rain...Sh!t happens to quick and it is so Illegal that your liscense could be suspended and your insurance can go beyond what you can afford to pay.


Abandoned dirt roads are one of my exceptions. If I "case" a dirt road...time to check it out..Must be desolent.

[mav1178]

If you are thinking of just jumping into drifting to start, you will never get good, ever.

Drifting is car control to an extreme form. All the "pros" you see in Japan have many years of road race experience, tons of track time, and good knowledge of car control under their belt. If you have no idea on what over/understeer is, how to induce over/understeer, what causes over/understeer, then I suggest you not just start trying to drift and actually learn how to drive and learn about vehicle dynamics first.

If you have a good concept in driving and vehicle dynamics then you can really say you are learning to drift; any other way is simply trying to copy what others are doing, and just by watching Option Video will only make the learning process much longer and potentially more dangerous.

-alex

[mav1178]

BTW if you have truely been to drift day events, you would not say that they are not meant for beginners.

At a typical Club4AG Drift Day event there are 5-15 instructors, and there are courses set up for beginners AND advanced drivers. The only problem is that not enough people ask questions and they THINK they are doing good when in fact they are pushing the car around.

BTW you answered your own question as to where to drift:
Although I did go check out dd6,(bay area) and that seemed like more of a practice session than a competition! Whitch I really like! But would you guys suggest me enter the future dd's?

-alex

[Dousan_PG]

if you've been to drift days the are DEFINATELY for beginners. ALL drift days (4 and up)

for someone like me (beginner/intermidate) it can SOMEIMTES be boring: example j-turns. but stll can learn new things

the only that that can be REALLy boring is skidpad. yes u can learn new things but kills tires!! haha..
but driftdays you can learns something EVERYTIME unless you are like expert (which no one in so cali really is)

driftdays are the SAFEST EASIEST awy to learn

if you want help yo ucan ask me too, i can give a few pointers, i do ok, but check with an instructor too of course! i learned from driftheaven hahahaha...:)

[doriftokouki]

You can start drifting at any age, you can get good at any age, Mav1178 dosent know what he is talking about. As well as saul240 dosent have any right for badmouthing anybody on this forum because he dosent even own a 240, sorry saul240 but that is just messed up. Dosent anyone in this forum have respect for others? All you have to do is either give positive info or dont post at all. Back to the subject, I just started drifting my 240, a friend of mine has a small parking lot that himself and friends use for donuts and small slides, i just started, and i have an open diff 240 and have already gotten sideways a few times. Also dousan36 has not been drifting his entire life, from my understanding all his practice has came from legal venues which havent even been around that long here and he got into the top 14 at the D1 driver search, he is an example that anything is possible. If your going to use an empty parking lot the best thing to do is get the owner of the lots permission, if they give you permission then you can do as you please without worrying, if you get caught and do not have permission the owner of the property can press charges for tresspassing, and also make you pay for any damages you may have caused to the property or pavement(especially if the surface is concrete and not assphault). So just be careful and ask around. Good Luck!

[Dousan_PG]

ya
ive been drifting under 11 months
ONLY drift days for real drifting
donuts in parking lots dont learn much
i do top of second decently.
yeah i did make top 14 of 50 at d1 driver search
why did i do so well? drift days.

also I HAVE NO PREVOIUS GRIP/DRIVING EXPIRIENCE. drifting is the ONLY thing i have. i guess i am doing ok so far. :)

i say JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!! get in the car, hit up an event and DRIFT! simple as that. it is grat to know grip first, but to be a great drifte,r you have to be a good gripper, and being great at grip, you need to know some drift. so you'll learn both either way. DO IT!

AND LOTS OF OPTION VIDEOS! i study that sh!t. iv'e seen most all volumes form 75 up to current. im addicted to it. i watch them over and over and over and over
i learned a lot
about how to control the car, steering, clutch, ebrake, front brakes, lines

YOU CAN LEARN. i learned form riding with people at drift events
but seriously, OPTION video, drift tengoku video and misc drifting vids TAUGHT ME A LOT! i stll watch it! I STILL LEARN! lines, entry, shifting points. yes i learn from OPTION



but relaly, go drift days. drift day 8 will be PERFECT. irwindale so you can save tires and still learn A LOT! SIGN UP WHEN IT IS AVAILBABLE! you will be addicted!

if you ever want some help at the track or meet some good drifters, let me know. ill be more then happy to introduce YOU or ANYONE else who wants to meet and learn and be humble and take people's advice. KEY IS OPEN MIND.

[mav1178]

You can start drifting at any age, you can get good at any age, Mav1178 dosent know what he is talking about.

I never mentioned anything about age, so what point are you trying to make?

If people know who I am, and understand the point I was trying to make, then I applaud you for actually figuring out what drifting is about and what it takes to improve. Good drifters know how to control a car, and controlling a car requires fundamentals in car control... controlling a car and car control may sound the same, but they are very different...

If you choose to ignore what I am saying, by all means go do whatever you want and you will never figure out what drifting is all about. Think about where the pros came from, their background, or even just think about Ryan Hampton. Before DD5 Ryan never knew what drifting was, although he has over 10 years experience racing in GT, ALMS, Le Mans, and he is also an instructor at the Bob Bondurant performance driving school. DD5 was his first event ever and he placed in the top 3. At the D1GP driver's search he managed to place top 16 with a Ford Crown Victoria with a Cobra engine package.

Think about it. Then think about if my advice is good or bad.

-alex

[mav1178]

why did i do so well? drift days.

With the amount of instruction that Moto has been providing, it is almost impossible to NOT advance at drift days... especially if you are open to suggestions and comments, good or bad.

There are two types of drivers: drivers that can advance skill-wise on their own, and drivers that need instruction to advance. If you are the latter then you will never get good driving by yourself.

-alex

[Dousan_PG]

but i have NO expirience (professional or grip) and got judges pick (by ernie) at dd5 and placed top 14 at D1DS

its matter how much you want it and how hard you practice. practice is KEY

i am not good by any means. i just do the best i can. i still have lots ot learn .c rap i cant even do 3rd gear. all i do is throttle and ebrake and a TINSY bit of clutch kit. just work on lines lines lines.

[mav1178]

Read my reply above yours for the explaination. You are the former of the two I listed... I think I fall into the same category as you.

-alex

[Dousan_PG]

oh yes hehe...

but you are great gripper. i've seen the vids. i cant do that stuff...yet i hope to get some grip events in this year..willow springs and such. :)

yeah you kicked *** in your car at DD5. i was AMAZED. i want to try open diff! hahah..i need to get a second car...

[zero.counter]

Magazines, videos, events and other venues related to drifting. Learn your car and for it to fit like a glove. Learn its suspension handling, power, and size/weight transfer. It is not as easy as it may look and in a public area, can be dangerous. Tires have to be at a certain PSI and balder the better (rear that is). Lower traction as stated before increase the ability for the car to obviously loose it grip and slide easier. Hot days, when the roads are showing a mirage, are great on the bald tires. Rainy days are good as well for excellent but sometimes uncontrollable drifting.

But some force, a 2nd to 3rd gear speed is usually attained to provide enough to be able to slide on a sharp turn wide while maintaining your wheel angle in the opposite direction and then to bring back to a straight angle for another slide and vice-versa.

There are different angles at drifts. My favorite involves entering a corner hard while instead of braking, accelerating. Hence my name.

A start of pointer like accelerating slowly, maybe taking the car up to around 30 to 45mph and braking hard while turning slightly left or right, will give you a feel on the control of the car. Your damper levels can affect the weight shift of the car as well giving less roll if properly adjusted. Brakes make a difference in the handling as far as grip is concerned, less pressure applied, less friction area, can reduce actual control but increase drift. Your reaction time is the key to success.

Just please don't be stupid, and injure someone while practicing. Prevention is the best medicine. Years of driving and feeling different cars and their limits (when you hear a tie-rod snap, oh SH1T!) gives major experience which cannot be substituted.

[doriftokouki]

Originally posted by mav1178
If you are thinking of just jumping into drifting to start, you will never get good, ever.

Im sorry if i misread your post, the way you worded this made it come out wrong when i read it. It seemed like you were saying you cannot go into drifting and get good you need previous motorsports experience first, that is just simply not true, if that is not what you were saying then I apologize.

-Nick

[mav1178]

I probably worded it wrong, but the rest of my post was basically my point... it should have been "If you are thinking of just jumping into drifting to start, you will never get good, ever. not without instruction".

BTW here's footage of me at DD6 in SF:

http://www.worldwidechang.com/Video/DD6-AlexRun.mpg

I guess you guys can learn from it.

-alex

[Anubis]

I practiced drift often in my old s14, and i banged it up pretty bad in the process. Body work became my #1. hahaha. But seriously, there is no substitute for exp.

[808Supra]

Well, its possible to get some skills with out anyones help, but if you have someone who can help, listen. Take me for example...I have been drifting for about 2 years now and am still very much in the intermediate stages. I learned MOST of what I know from Drift Session. I never asked for help though...it was all trial and error (well, help as in the "how do I drift" kinda way). Its hard to take what people tell you and do it your self... atleast to me it was. For you it may be different.

Take for example Mav (alex's) video. Its a great video to watch to see how your hands should kind of work and how you should spin the wheel to countersteer. He has it down predy well. He does however (looks like in the video? maybe not in real life?) take his hands off the wheel way to much when hes letting it slide back and forth. He will not have as much control as he would if he was not taking his hands that much off the wheel. I used to do the exact same thing except even worse, but I learned because I spun into a tire wall at 60mph. Does that help you? Most likly not, but it does help Mav? It might... Everyone drives different.

Honestly one of the best places to learn is the track hands down.... BUT, I would'nt have the skill level I have today if I just drove at the track (ds =once a month). You will gain a lot of experience from driving mountain roads (when no ones around!!!) and messing around in BIIIIG open parking lots in the rain. No matter what anyone says, the best guys are the guys who started on the street (usually....)

DON'T however, try to mess around when there is anyone else around. I made that mistake early on. It was wet and I thought I was cool because I just bought my 240 and wanted to show my friend that I was a hardcore drifter. It was like 9pm and raining and I tried to drift in an intersection with people all around. I spun in the middle and made my self look like a dork. Nothing happend besides a little bruised ego, but somthing could have...

All and all, seat time is everything. No magazine, video, or anything will help you the way DRIVING will. I have a 4min video of Nomura Ken going through some basic drifting lessons that I would be happy to send to you. Its off of one of the Drift Tengoku videos. Its not the bible of how to learn, but it can help if you have no idea what your doing... Just let me know...

here is some of what I have learned...

http://members.stanzadriven.com/matt/Choku.AVI

http://members.stanzadriven.com/matt/Slide01.AVI

[elevator]

Drifting is easy!! Just drive faster than you are capable of.:D
http://www.dorispot.com/images/02.26.03/jasonsilvia05.jpg
http://www.dorispot.com/images/02.26.03/jasonsilvia02.jpg

[sykikchimp]

I personally feel that there is no substitute for actual grip experience. Go to a track event, get a good instructor, and spend 6-8 30 min session on track with him over the course of the weekend. Talk to him about your goals. You will come out of that weekend having learned more than probably 3 DD's. Having someone in the car with you, correcting your every mistake, and explaing exactly what you did wrong and how to correct it, is the best way to learn.

Also, READ. Buy a book or two if your really searious about becoming a better driver. Notice I said better "Driver", not "Drifter".. because being a good drifter comes from being a good driver.

[019]

Originally posted by gladhatter
Drifting is easy!! Just drive faster than you are capable of.:D

that's kinda true in some ways, but it also means you have to be a good grip driver. if i remember correctly, drifting started in japan when people would race on the touge by gripping and it got to a point where they were going so fast that their rear end started sliding out.

my advice on drifting is to go read up on it. there's plenty of sites on the net that will give you information on drifitng. that's how i started. just reading, reading, reading. trying to learn from people that know what they're doing. occasionally pick up a few things from forums. and when you get the chance, go out and practice those things. i started practicing i the rain, in huge open parking lots, but that's not enough and not worth the danger (other people, cops, etc). now i'm trying to get some track time, but being on the east coast, it's harder to find drift events... like everyone said, there's nothing like experience.

[Bill Roberts]

I was into stunt driving for a while and learned from the best...Joie Chitwood. What happens is when you learn to perform all the motions with your professor in the passernger seat, you have to relearn again due to his weight not being there. On stunt cars, we added 150 LBS to the right passenger side , bolted to the floor area to simulate the passenger. It worked wonders! Then as time goes on, you slowly remove the Iron plates until you are confident enough with the cars character to drive "plateless". This was back in the day..Chit used cameros, mostly Chevys but they ended up using the lowly Chevette. A rear drive platform with the "iron duke" 2.5 LTR 4 cyl. engine. You could do amazing things in a Chevette because it was so ****ty a car but a decent little platform. I did not drive for the Chitwoods in a show but was a show alternate in case "the show must go on. Backing a vette around a track at 85 MPH was most fun and meaningful for the learning curve.

All that experience will make you a DRIFTMEISTER in no time./..but the luxury of working with stunt drivers is rare. Drifting is easy compared to stunting. I wonder how many top drifters started out as stunters myself.

Drifting multiple cars up close IS "stunting" so I feel that the world of drift is an evolution of the world of stunt.

Believe me, Stunting is so much more involved than drifting...because stunting involves much more balance and finesse. To give you an idea, take your car on a ramp and drive it on the right sidewalls at a 60 degree angle...that is stunting...bad for engines because your oil sump has to be modded for having no oil. We overfilled the crankcases some with stunting..

Stunt driving school is the KEY to being a good drifter as well.

My comment about the bonniville salt flats is a good one. Nothing to hit, just make sure you do not incite a rollover condition and you will gain serious seat time.


Best way to learn your cars dynamics is to back at high speed. Go around a drift track in reverse...very hard on engines, you need super fans as the car is getting no ventalation.

I would love to come to cali and show what skills I have left...their will be time for it I am sure..(future)


Fun ****e!!!!!!!http://www.stuntdriver.com/currytbone.jpg


http://www.stuntdriver.com/tcep.html




http://www.stuntdriver.com/tcep5.jpg

[pinoydrifter]

THANKS!!!!!
Thanks for all the very helpful posts! This info you guys have blessed me with is some good stuff! It is nice to see some people still have respect for others! If anyone has any other input, please feel free! Thanks again- Cheers

saul240-WHY DO YOU HAVE 240 IN YOUR NAME IF YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE???? (hahahahahhahaha)
:fawk:

[nokeone]

some good info in here..someone should consolidate it and make an FAQ or somethin...who knows...:)

[pinoydrifter]

I agree!!!:bigok:
this is some great info!

[pinoydrifter]

808supra- can you send that video via email? THanks-

[808Supra]

sure...but its huge.. can your email handle it? if not IM me and ill direct send it to you (if you have cable :D )

im: mattoattacko

[AlligatorBling]

find an empty parking lot, go fast, kick your car sideways, turn the wheel the other way and go with it. then repeat untill you feel like your good at it. thats what i did anyway. lol

[Maeda]

Looks like i'll have to NOT forget and go to DD8 ^_^;;

[SiL1480]

Don't forget to look at dates also;)