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Can you steer the 8 with your rear end?

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Old 03-08-2004, 09:11 AM
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Can you steer the 8 with your rear end?

I was wondering if the 8 is powerful enough to steer a bit with the back wheels? I want to take full advantage of the handling on the car.
Old 03-08-2004, 09:17 AM
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Yes, it is possible if you put your knees in the seat, and hold up a mirror so you can see where you are heading. I don't know if you can make any 90 degree turns, but I imagine you can turn enough to cruise down the highway. I don't know why you'd want to, though.
Old 03-08-2004, 09:20 AM
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forgot one of these: :p
Old 03-08-2004, 10:30 AM
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LOL!
Old 03-08-2004, 11:01 AM
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What exactly does "steer a bit with the back wheels" mean?
Old 03-08-2004, 11:04 AM
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i think he means using oversteer to go around a turn, kinda like drifting i guess?
Old 03-08-2004, 11:34 AM
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HAHAHAHAHA!! From the title of the thread, I thought you were a troll!!

It's easy: With your back facing the dash, grab the chair, with left leg, stretch down to hit gas, place *** on stearing wheel, and drive

Disclaimer: Only works on Automatics.
Old 03-08-2004, 12:34 PM
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Re: Can you steer the 8 with your rear end?

Originally posted by flatso
I was wondering if the 8 is powerful enough to steer a bit with the back wheels? I want to take full advantage of the handling on the car.
That obviously could mean different things to different people. A Miata is powerful enough to steer with the throttle when the car is driven well. But with the RX8, the DSC might have something to say about that.

---jps
Old 03-08-2004, 12:51 PM
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Okay, now that the jokes have run their courses, let's give the guy the info he is looking for:

Yes, the 8's torque allows for breaking the tires loose and swinging the rear end around corners. I do it all the time when performing u-turns. With the DSC on, you only have a quick moment available. Turn it off and you can do doughnuts all day. Push the dash button which disables the DSC for 5 seconds and the vehicles operations are all yours.

Charles
Old 03-08-2004, 01:36 PM
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I don't have DSC, so yeah, the car is very controllable that way and extremely predictable. I don't do it much because it freaks people out both in my car and driving around me, but occassionally I use it to get the car's *** end out opposing lanes as quickly as possible when making lane changes. So, yup, is the answer.
Old 03-08-2004, 01:59 PM
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Originally posted by Winning_BlueRX8
Yes, it is possible if you put your knees in the seat, and hold up a mirror so you can see where you are heading. I don't know if you can make any 90 degree turns, but I imagine you can turn enough to cruise down the highway. I don't know why you'd want to, though.
You slay me. I didn't get it at first. Now that I see what you're talking about I am ROFL.
Old 03-08-2004, 02:05 PM
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With the DSC off, my 8 is the easiest car to prompt into oversteer that I have owned.
Bad tires, a fat power band and light and balanced weight distribution add up to a spinning top if you want it.
I pretty routinely enter turns at intersections sideways.
I'll probably be posting to this forum from the local jail pretty soon...
Old 03-08-2004, 02:23 PM
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I tried it earlier today.....kept honking the horn accidentally
Old 03-08-2004, 08:07 PM
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OK, that is what I thought you meant, but its beyond my interests on dry roads. The break the backs loose is common in the snow, and something I missed with FWD cars. There I would have to use the parking brake to get the back to slip. In the snow I found the RX-8 to be amazingly controllable in situations where it was losing traction.

I think the other technique that was "offered" would be dangerous. If the airbag went off, you may endup part way in the back seat, maybe racking something on the top of the seat as you went.
Old 03-08-2004, 08:14 PM
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i can do it easily during a turn by pressing the clutch in, rev up, dump the clutch and the tires break loose instantly...DSC off of course

Last edited by BRx8; 03-08-2004 at 08:17 PM.
Old 03-08-2004, 09:50 PM
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Originally posted by BRx8
i can do it easily during a turn by pressing the clutch in, rev up, dump the clutch and the tires break loose instantly...DSC off of course
You absolutely, positively need to enroll in a performance driving school.
Old 03-09-2004, 02:11 AM
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Originally posted by BRx8
i can do it easily during a turn by pressing the clutch in, rev up, dump the clutch and the tires break loose instantly...DSC off of course
Actually I've done it a few times with DSC on and had no problem getting loose for a second, just enough to scare the pedestrians before DSC kicks in.
Old 03-10-2004, 12:53 PM
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thanks for the tips...and laughs:D
Old 03-10-2004, 01:05 PM
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Other than gasing it at the corner, you can achieve similar effects using life-off oversteer as well. Actually it would be even smoother and more controllable.
Old 03-11-2004, 12:41 AM
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Originally posted by Berni
I tried it earlier today.....kept honking the horn accidentally
I can set the cruise and change the station at the same time!
Old 03-11-2004, 12:48 AM
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Originally posted by RotaryZZ
Other than gasing it at the corner, you can achieve similar effects using life-off oversteer as well. Actually it would be even smoother and more controllable.
Only if you have made a deposit to the "First National Bank of Inertia".:p
You need to have some significant kinetic energy already happening for lift-throttle oversteer to hapen. It won't occur from a standing start like these guys are mostly talking about.
Old 03-11-2004, 12:53 AM
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All these posts and everyone left out the most important part.

When *** backward driving you have to remember to flex your left cheek to turn right and your right cheek to turn left.
Old 03-12-2004, 11:16 AM
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*sigh*

Anyway, the car car do some really cool power-on steering when there is about 0.5 mm of ice on the road surface. Now, you can enhance that by spraying oil all over the treads before backing out of the garage...actually, once sprayed, the car will slide out of the garage without any help - or driver. I usually chain the RX to the house's water heater to prevent the 'slide-on-my-own-out-of-the-garage' trick.
Old 03-12-2004, 01:02 PM
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i can do it easily during a turn by pressing the clutch in, rev up, dump the clutch and the tires break loose instantly...DSC off of course
this is a drifting technique known as 'clutch-kick' drifting or 'shift-lock' according to the DoriKin himself, Keiichi Tsuchiya.

this is the technique i used to learn drifting. it is very simple and a great way to experience what locking up the rear end feels like.

the rx8 is a PERFECT car for drifting. it has just enough power to make it interesting and its balance makes it like another board memeber mentioned 'spin like a top.'


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