prana

This modest section of scoobynet is the best of all online chats I visit, so thanks a lot folks ! Anyway, back on topic ...

I am going to the track soon in my std scoob, first time in the Scoob, and its the first time in months. My question since track time is quite limited, can I get some advise on how to entry into a corner to set the car up to a drift ?

One that I was getting used to in my FWD was LFB in mid throttle, and the more effective method was pulling the e-brake momentarily, but probably the most enjoyable was lifting off. But that was in a FWD with considerable less grip.

Any more techniques you'd recommend that is more appropriate for the AWD in a scoob ? Or are the above very similar.

And is 2nd gear a good "learning" gear for the scoob ? What kinds of tyre pressure "cold" would you recommend for such an exercise. I am definitely not out for all out speed, but out for some "handling" practise.

Cheers...

N1 SPAN

Sounds like you are going to have a bit of fun Prana.

1 - the worse tyres you can find for the back will help the car stay sideways once it is there.

2 - the most succesful way of getting the car sideways is to go into the corner on the brakes and a scoob should turn in and loosen the back end

3 - I find you nearly have to let the car get to 90 degrees or even backwards before doing much about correcting the slide. If youy correct the slide early on then the drift will not last. A subaru needs to be at quite a big angle to hold it there.

to sumarise - get the back end of the car light by braking into a corner, let it swing out with no power until you are nearly at the angle you want to stay at then play with the throttle.

I find that flooring it helps to get all the tyres spinning but it will quickly drag the front end wherever the front wheels are pointing and the drift will be over. The throttle needs to be moderated to hold a slide.

You will quickly get the hang of it and I would recomend tight 2nd gear corners for practising. I started on a hairpin in the wet, then dry. Same technique. I had the car 2 years before I realised it would drift!!!

On a wet track, any gear will do on any corner.

You will find a couple of pics for your amusement here http://uk.msnusers.com/gooning
They will not help much other than to show a big angle.

prana

Hi N1 SPAN

Sure am Wanna make the most of it as the track is quite a fair distance away. Didnt realise the WRX can handle a bit of e-brake either until yesterday but viscous center protested a little.

Kinda intimidated by the 90 degree angle to the direction of travel, but all will be revealed at the track. Much thanks for the tips

Cheers

N1 SPAN

Just make sure you dip the clutch if you are using the handbrake or you will goose the diffs. Dipping the clutch with a few revs will also help you get the tyres lit up.

The standard ones can hold bigger angles than the ones with variable diffs etc I think. They are also a bit easier to get back into line.

Enjoy.

prana

ahh thanks mate Cheers

prana

Managed to get the tail-end moving sideways using both handbrake and lift off oversteering, conditions were perfect and dry, and that was predictable. The rear end would come lose and I'd point the wheel and control the throttle, no problems, boy this car sure is forgiving. Wasnt able to drift the car as the track was too packed and everyone wanted to go "fast", still I had fun practising my lines.

Then the rain came, and temperatures dropped to about 5C and tyres were cold. I hadnt rained for over a month here (drought) so I took this chance to play. After a laps warmup - lift off oversteer. -the violent shudder of wheelhop from the rear, but I had too much opposite lock in it, the front gained traction and cut the rear now to the front, swapping ends like a fish tearing away from a hook.

Oddly enough, everyone except the Turbo B4's were pulling below 1:20's, some reaching 1:15's around this circuit (A Formula Ford does 1:00 around this track and a Lotus 7 replica running Toyota 1.6L engines turns in 1:09 on a dry day) ...

So second attempt, taking it now as a slower speed, a rounded left hairpin, I approach slow, stabbed at the clutch and pulled the e-brake. The rear steps sideways but not enough, as I have completely lost courage. Someone else had now spun-out on this track, so we have to evacuate for a minute. By this time, the tyre temps have again fallen sharply before we were out on the track. Not sure if there was ice on the track and everyone seems to have spun out on this one section where I proceeded to fishtail

A few more laps in the bag, and some late braking late into the apex brought the rear round as predicted. Heal-toe and shifted into 2nd to pull out of the corner. Front wheels begin to shudder in push understeer, so I back off the throttle and the rear steps aside, correcting the line.

So I am back , battered, but happy to report, my car is still in perfect condition, but my ego is completely and utterly destroyed, I shall now proceed to ring up some more "performance driving schools" and hand them a significant chunk of my back account to show me how to drive this thing.

Or I can go over to UK and watch you guys do it

arrgghhh next time !!!

Steve Whitehorn

iTrader: (13)

Stick at it mate.
Thats the great thing about driving -
There is always more to learn and no matter how good you think you are you can always get better. Thats the enjoyment of it.
Best wishes

Steve

N1 SPAN

Keep up the hard work.

It doesn't happen overnight and even when you reckon you are pretty good, there is still more to learn.