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Old Apr 22nd, 2003, 02:36 AM   #27 (permalink)
Greg200SE-R
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Hey man, pulling the handbrake is fun, but just remember that doing so gets exponentially harder the faster you go. Drifting is supposed to be the ability to hold a sustained speed while at 100 - 105+% of the available traction of the tires. Yanking on your e-brake forces your rear tires to not-so-delicately pass their traction limits. Compared to real drifting, it is just an abrupt transition from grip to slip for the rear tires. The faster you're going, the more unpredictable it gets. I'm sure you know by now that it's very easy for the rear end to slip too much and start to come around faster than you expect. If this happens, then what you do next will determine how you and your car will come out of it. Takes practice not to panic and recover smoothly, if possible. Using the ebrake is great in autocross and sharp corners, where you need rotation quickly and at controlled speeds. But, try it out on public roads and/or at higher than a leisurely pace (say 30 or above) and it could become dangerous real quick. Just my 2 cents and words from experience.

If you're gonna practice, start slow and try these:

Don't try to take long turns like the rear- or 4wheel drives. Best kept to sharp turns.

Feint (turn away then into the turn) to help break traction.

Keep your foot on the gas after you pull the ebrake, it'll help
keep your speed up and help a lot to keep the car from spinning once traction is broken.

Feel the wheel countersteer by itself, pay attention to both it and its relationship to where your car is facing!

While you're at it, practice left-foot braking and using the ebrake while left-foot braking (watch out, ebrake becomes a lot more touchy!)

Patt, those Teins should make it more fun! Can't wait for mine. But I don't think I'll be pulling my ebrake much anymore, can't afford 17" rubbers too often!
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