drift start

[1dollae30]

was wondering if you guys could give some help i want to be able to get my 325i to get sideways. my friends can all drift their 240s and corollas and i can barely get my car to break free and i know that my car has the power but i just cant get a good drift unless the pavement is wet. and for all the extreme stuuf that my get thrown my way lets keep in mnd the car will be daily driven

[Erick]

Your best initial investment would be a shock/spring combo. When I started I jumped on Ireland Engineering Stage 3 Springs with Bilstein shocks and I loved it. Makes the car very rear end happy and it adds a sense of stability, giving you a lot more feedback than the stock suspension will.

That would be your best bet right now.

Also, with that, look at basic suspension maintenance. Bushings, mounts, control arms and tie rods. You'll be surprised how much better the car will handle when everything is fresh.

e30s are awsome drift cars. Takes a bit more $ to make it as competitive, but balls out the most fun car to have sideways.

- Erick

[e30 gangsta]

lsd?

[Erick]

Personally I think an LSD should come at a later point in time. Suspension helps out handling much more than a stock suspension car with the ability to spin both wheels at the same time.

I practiced for a year with stock motor, open diff and IE3+Bilstein, and I would recommend it to anyone joining the sport.

[DoriftuEvo]

I agree that suspension is very important.

If you can't afford or don't have time to get suspension on immediately, your choice of rear tires will affect the ease of initiation as well. Some old all-seasons with high air pressure should do you nicely. Once you let a few people know that you're drifting, free and cheap tires come surprisingly easily.

[crazynoll]

i just changed my springs and put in an lsd and my car gets pretty side ways now reminded its only and "e" u have an "i" so that going to help u out alot

[Shoomakan]

Sticking in an M30 helped me out greatly... ;)

[BrandC]

Do not drift a daily driven car, you will regret it when shit starts to break left and right. Chances are you are a street "drifffer". Watch out for curbs, baby Jesus, and cops.

Next, learn about varieties of drift techniques. I recommend going to a drift event, but in any case find lots of open space with no lamps/pillars.

-Feint
-Clutchkick
-Shiftlock
-E-brake
-Left foot brake

If you are on stock suspension, the best way to break loose is to clutch kick AND e-brake simultaneously. Lots of multi-tasking. It will mostly scare the shit out of you the first time you do it.

The M20 has plenty of power, no need for more yet. I can spin the tires with my M42, so you have no excuse.

[Erick]

The M20 has plenty of power, no need for more yet. I can spin the tires with my M42, so you have no excuse.

Great quote.

[gearheadE30]

I'm assuming your car is a stick. In my M42, the handbrake works great bit really kills the tires. Clutch drop from 4k usually works pretty well, though.

[shiboujin]

Drifting takes finesse. Esp with a stock suspension and an open diff you need to make a feint movement and shift as much weight as possible. Most beginners make the mistake of just gassing into a corner. That will only make you understeer.

My group puts on drift events in the northern VA area (manassas). Our next event is on the 24th so you can sign up and drift if you want. It's a beginners thing so we have instructors. I dunno if Nate Braz is coming by again to teach though (FD driver FYI)

[etxxz]

...i had a great time on stock suspension (w/ lsd). it was pretty scary throwing an e30 around like that, three wheeling on transfers (have plenty of proof!)

i nearly flipped over once in a parking lot because i lifted the outside rear wheel and made the inside wheel bounce up so that when it landed, the tire came off completely off the rim and onto the trailing arm....i stopped drifting untill i got suspension...the stain is still on my driver's seat.

[OBEY]

i need to fix my ebrake. i have not used my ebrake since i first started drifting, so all i have been doing is:


initiate/faint
clutch kick
angle out, left foot brake if entered too fast
hold drift/wheel/angle and modulate gas
transition by letting the rear slide out (clutch kick if losing torque)


i started with an LSD and wack suspensions = not so good, but good enough to learn. then i just went all out including coilovers, urethane etc..., welded diff and now it is easier to drift, but still trying to figure out settings based on my drifting/driving character... next stop is power (maybe turbo)

[slo325i]

Just get really comfortable with your car first. See the limits of the tires' traction. Try steering quickly left and right, right and left and see how the car reacts. Before you start throwing parts at the car (assuming you have basic necessities: brake pads f/r and decent tread on tires, etc..), seat time is best.

[wolfgangstbd]

the first thing you really have to do is just be comfortable sideways. hell just get comfortable spinning out once your not scared you can start learning.

suspension before lsd is debateble imo. every one ive ever watched drift with an open in the dry just ebrakes then exits a turn understeering. if you have the opprotunity just weld that shit cheap and efffective but only good for drifting really.

also play with air pressures and dont be a douche and drift on the streetz thats a stereo type you shouldn't fulfill