I was finally able to analyze/ comprehend my cornering technique and I had to share it. I have always just driven and not really comprehended how I was doing it so its a thrill for me. And I owe my new found knowledge to this forum.
This is in a 1978 subaru brat (my daily driver till I get my bug fixed) which is front wheel drive with a light rear end and a high power band (read stumbles at low RPM).
So it's a 90 degree left hand corner. I'm going 35mph on approach let off throttle shifting weight to the front as I drive strait to the outside of the corner. Cut the wheel hard left to get my line... weight transfers to the back right corner breaking rear traction. rear end slides to line up with where I have the front pointed. Floor the gas breaking front traction and stoping my tail from spinning around. The momentum pushes the car a little to the outside. Achieve redline, Shift to third. go.
Is this at all similar to cornering technique for a beatle? Sadly I havent driven mine in about a year. I think when it was running, I just drove corners as hard as I could without breaking traction. Anyone have any driving tips?
That sounds cool.
I have to say that when I drive, I drive strictly by feel. This is done via that feeling in the gut where you get to that edge, any more and you'll break loose, any less and its time wasted. I will say this, I drove an STI and thats completely different from the beetle/ghia in the sense that you have awd, and that makes a huge difference but the same gut feeling is there. I think an STI is harder to drive in the sense that it doesnt usually break loose, but when it does... you better hold on and pray for mercy as those speeds are intoxicating. Ive held a lot of turns in an STI that a beetle cant touch (stock) but I am planning for the ghia to be able to run almost toe to toe with the STI in the sense that the car is so much lighter, only sucks that the weight is mostly in the back which is why I tried to get the most meat for the back. Practice to me is the best teacher, I just wish my car could be running steady so I could run.
Awesome post btw, I like hearing peoples experiences.
what you are describing is exactly how I always drove my water vw's
hard into the corner in a straight line qiuck flick of the wheel to break the rear loose while I momentarily let off the throttle and load up the suspension, hard on the throttle then point it where you want it to go, and drag the rearend along for the ride,
makes some beautiful exits, all three wheels scrubbing with the inside rear tucked high in the air, and the smell of tortured tires wafting in the windows
If you drive a Bug like that at any sort of speed you'll be facing the wrong way pretty quickly!
Get your braking done while you're in a straight line, steer gently in (don't yank the wheel sharply) and then feed in the power gradually through the corner.
Drive like a racing driver and you'll be fine.
Unless you've got 100hp or more you won't have enough power to break traction in the corners (Beetles have great traction with the engine in the rear) so you can pretty much forget drifting. Even with lots of power you need to balance the car and you must have suspension that's tied down well - no camber changes!
Whatever you do, DON'T brake (or even lift off the gas) while you're in mid corner.
As I said, drive it like a racing driver and you'll be smooth and fast.
rsb wrote:I was finally able to... I have always just driven and not really comprehended how I was doing it...
That's good, but don't expect the same results with the same technique between a FF & a RR car. Calming down to the point where you can feel, do & remember is critical to improving your driving. Now all you need is seat time in a RR car.
"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."
Ben Franklin
choc-ice wrote:
Whatever you do, DON'T brake (or even lift off the gas) while you're in mid corner.
As I said, drive it like a racing driver and you'll be smooth and fast.
I agree completely... my only problem comes in when you have the car blalncing on a fine line and the corner starts to tighten up slightly and you feel the front end starting to under steer...
My solution... very quickly release your foot off the gas ---- this is when your rear starts to come around very quickly but if you get it right, its a 4 wheel drift as your fronts are already loose ---- then put your foot back onto the gas to get your rear traction back... this should have made you loose about 6mph.... passengers get a bit of a fright though
