I'm coming from a whole world of front wheel drive and have yet to own a RWD till the 8. I'm pretty well versed in the FWD techniques (I solo1 and solo2 - hope these are not strictly Canadian terms) but I would like to know what is the best method to drift the 8. From all the videos I've seen it seems like a pretty diffcult job with the balance and lack of torque this car has. Oh and a show of hand from the autocrossers in the bunch would be appreciated. I'd like to start up again this season - I'm rusty as hell.

Oh and lastly, any mods that make the 8 easier to drive sideways but still maintain streetability?

BTW I'm buying the 8 tomorrow! Yay for me!

 

drifting is lame

 

Yeah, but quickly becoming a whole new dimension in competitive, performance driving. It's gaining huge momentum in Japan and many European countries. Lots of sponsors and lots of $$$$ are beginning to take notice.

If done under track safety guidelines, it's not a whole lot different from autoXing.

Competitive driving......why is it lame?

http://www.drifting.com/

 

You might want to start here...

RX-8 Drifting

 

make sure you buy these tires
http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/ra...ing-103293.php

 

This will be the first of many, just wait...

 

^^ Niiiiice. (The link I mean)

 

Extra hard rear suspension setting, wide range low rpm torque, fully adjustable camber kit

 

 

With the 8 you have to compensate the lack of torque with high rpm's, get versed in keeping rpms above 6-7k rpms.

 

I drift in my Mustang... when I get an RX-8, I'll take it drifting too! Drifting falls in the "don't knock it if you haven't tried it category", and if you haven't tried it yet, I'll bet anyone here five dollars that you'll spin out at least once during your first lap. I'll double that bet for anyone with auto-x experience! The steering inputs are 180 degrees opposite of proper track driving technique and take a bit of time to get used to...

That said, here are my thoughts on drifting an RX-8:
1. Whoever said a "stiff rear suspension" is an idiot. The DRIVER drifts the car, not the other way around. Roll control is paramount, as you'll be using weight transition to initiate some high speed drifts. Get a coil-over suspension with heavier, but balanced springs at all corners, and better dampening. Also, when you let off the gas to return grip to the rear, you generally want that to happen immediately. An overly-stiff suspension would not allow that
2. Better anti-sway bars would be a "minimum upgrade". Eliminate the rubber popcicle links for either polyurethane ends or heim joint for the bars.
3. Falken ST-115 Azenis Sport rear tires are long-wearing drift tires. They handle the high temperatures drifting causes, slide well, and can be driven to and from the event as they are street tires.
4. The "clutch kick" is something you'll have to master. You'll turn very hard in the direction of the turn BEFORE the corner entrance, and with the gas pedal matted, quickly kick the clutch to the floor and release. This should break the rear tires' traction, and the rear should begin to "drift". Quickly countersteer to catch and hold the drift, and proceed to steer around the corner that way! That's drifting...

A way to adjust the front and rear camber would be a good choice too, as you'll want more front negative front camber to more effectively use the tire when it rolls hard. High rear tire pressure helps, and you'll probably find that a front PSI around 35 and a rear PSI between 45 and 50 to work pretty good. You'll want LESS negative camber in the rear as all excessive camber does back there is wear out the inside edges of the tires very fast! It's possible to make a set of Falkens last an entire Drift Day (www.driftday.com) on the rear of an E46 M3, just by making the rear camber about -1 degree (the least it'll do). Toe settings up front are a matter of choice, but I prefer a little toe-in for drifting, as the formly inside tire will now effectively be the "outside" tire as far as steering geometry is concerned. Toe-in will make the car roll through the corner a little easier as that outside wheel will be turned a little more in the direction of the corner then.

I'll post a few more comments as I think of them. BTW- Grenade Racing is campaigning an RX-8 body with an FD turbocharged engine in it in Formula D this season with Rod Millen doing the driving. He's actually pretty damn good in it!

 

Scott Oldham took the entire morning, NOT just a few minutes, to realize what most drifting newbies realize in their first lap; they need INSTRUCTION! Scott and the crew complained about the car being "undriftable", then Alex Pfeiffer climbed in and just ROASTED the hell out of the rear tires for several laps! Came back in and pretty much said, "So what's your problem? It drifts just fine."

I was there with my own car and had a jolly good laugh about it.

Starting HERE would be a better choice: www.drifting.com

Also see here: www.driftday.com

If Scott had bothered to check in advance, he'd have learned that a 2nd set of wheels and tires is MANDATORY as a part of a Drift Day tech-inspected car... but he didn't

 

One more quick note, AE-86 Corollas have been drifting with 120 hp and no torque for nearly a decade now. They spin those little 1.6 liter motors to 8,000 rpm and use 5.30 rear ring and pinion sets with fully locked differentials. Once they get sideways its clutch-kick, clutch-kick, clutch-kick, downshift, and kick it again in 2nd! If they get "off the gas" they never catch up again!

 

need a lot of money to buy tires, practic will make perfect

 

Yeah, I'm sure there are plenty, more applicable websites pertaining to drifting. I was merely trying to illustrate that drifting is no longer simply driving dangerously on public streets by a bunch of teenegaers in ricers, but a legitimate, sponsored events, ever increasing in popularity and every bit as genuine as any other motorized sport.

 

TOKYO DRIFT!!!

 

So what part of "wide range low rpm torque" as a best mod for drifting don't you understand?

 

Ah, got it. That makes more sense... BTW-Drifting was only ever associated with "driving dangerously on public street by a bunch of teenagers in ricers" in Japan. I've been in the "car craze crowd" since the beginning of this current JDM import revolution and can't think of one instance where someone was cited for "driving dangerously" in a dfift style on a public street. I can certainly name MANY street racing events, however those more closely resemble drag racing than any other form of motorsport.

 

normally anything that requires judging is not a sport, somewhat like figure skating and ice dancing

 

I am sure drifting is tons of fun for the driver. Hell, I've driven my cars sideways a couple times. But for the spectator? It may be a generation thing.

 

go to driving school.

 

PhotoMunkey.

Thanks for the insight. Oh and competitive driving is never lame. Autocrossing made me a more sedate driver on the roads. Instead of racing around the highways I ended up saving myself for the courses. I'm hoping that by trying out drifting it will free up the tire burning alterego I might have. Plus new driving skill are always good. I've seen too many people drive sticks only to conserve fuel... Fuel savings suck and that's why rotary motors kick ***.

 

Anyone following or have more info on this build?

Falken / Mazda / Speed Machine Drift RX-8
http://falkenrx-8.blogspot.com/2006/...reak-down.html

This blog will cover the build of the new Mazda RX-8 drift car for Falken Tire Corp. The car will be built by the team at Speed Machine Performance Corp. in Vista, CA. The car's main purpose will be competing in the Formula Drift and D1GP professional drifting series'. The cars build and logistics throughout the 2007 season will handled by Falken Tire Corp, and supported trackside by Speed Machine Performance Corp.

 

I would say, You'll need LOTS of money to master drifting.

Cuz this is something that will put TONS of stress on your car. Not to mention the accidents that you might *run* into and hurt yourself (hospital bills)

 

Closest driving school from me is like an hour something 2 hour drive(Performance driving school)

What should I do ? Any other options ?