Clutch Kick

[drift matic]

i was just watching one of my option vids and i was wondering how the do a clutch kick it doesent even look like they take there right foot off the gas it looks like they just press the clutch in and realese it.

[MarshallMX5]

Yep. The engine revs while you kick in the clutch and when you let the clutch back out it jerks the wheels into losing traction.

[Pennyman]

Be aware that this method can not only break traction, but also stress and potentially destroy drivetrain parts if excessively done on dry pavement.

[SilviaLove]

I wouldn't suggest this type of technique unless you are in a low traction condition such as rain or snow. If you try using this often you will damage your transmission/drivetrain, as the previous posted has stated.

[AlexPfeiffer]

You use clutch kick mainly for the initiation of a drift. Doesnt matter if its dry or wet. If your drive train breaks then you have a weak car.

Its just bad information to say not to do it because every pro uses it.

[fsr]

Hmmm... I almost never use it to initiate a drift unless I'm accelerating. Upon corner entry I'd rather brake drift or use the e-brake/shift-lock. The only time I really use clutch kick is in long 3rd gear corners where the revs drop too much and I need to kick the clutch the rev it back up.

However, I do use the clutch a lot, just not always while keeping the accelerator floored. And to be honest, I think a lot of people focus too much on the techniques that have a name, wheras in reality you don't really think about this when driving. I just use whatever technique, or combinations of thechniques that are suitable in a given situation...

[AlexPfeiffer]

In the comps you are always accelerating into the corner. Maybe its different on your side of the world. Its also looked down on to use an e brake to start your drift, this is also why you initiate with a clutch kick first then switch over to your brakes or ebrake.

[fsr]

Well, I guess you're right about not really using e-brake to initiate. But I, and the japanese guys as well, usually apply the e-brake pretty early, allthough perhaps using a bit of faint to throw the car out of balance upon entry. When Nomura judged the event in Birmingham, UK, he always awarded higher points for a fast entry with e-brake/brake drift than a huge faint on the straight before the first corner. He's argument was that using big faint drifts is too easy, and throwing the car straight into the corner at high speed while balancing on the brakes/e-brake was harder...

On his demo runs with a borrowed Skyline he demonstrated it by sliding down half the straight on the e-brake before entering the corner. Then again, maybe Formula D is judged a bit different than D1? It seems as though they usually like the huge powerslides of Sam in the Viper, allthough he's quite slow around the corners. As you probably know from the D1 in Irwindale (where you attended if I remember correctly), the Japanese guys focus a lot more on speed and racing line.

But I'm getting off topic here. The question about how to do clutch kick has been answered a long time ago. Sorry

[Ghost of Duluth]

I'm not much of a clutch kicker, my foot is usually hurt from car kicking my FD.

[SilviaLove]

It's true, clutch kick all you want and if your car is weak it will have some problems. It is a good technique but I do not try to use it often, mainly because I can not afford to have my daily driver down for unnecessary repairs, aside from the normal wear and tear expected from driving and drifting. I am trying to keep my car in good working condition and save money for upgrades not repairs. I know there will be a need for repairs, it is inevitable, but I am trying to keep that to a bare minimum..maybe it is wishful thinking, but it is a plan.

[tonesdef86]

i always clutch kick. Its the only way i can i have a hachi with stock power. I can't power over the only driver train i went through is a clutch thats all. I don't know what you would break maybe your trans but i don't see how. Every driver is differnt a lot of the bigger guys use there e brake UEO uses it once in awhile but like alex said us americans look down on it.

[malcolm]

do yourselves a favour. try to learn to drift without clutch-kicking as well. Sure, pros may use it, but it's not the only way to drift. You should be able to come into a corner, and without even touching the clutch or handbrake, initiate a drift with ANY car. It's called weight transfer and braking. Master this, and then adapt the clutch-kick to it to make your drifts bigger and better. If you just rely on clutch kicking, you'll never be able to get massive drift angles without letting the revs drop to idle before engaging the clutch again.

Don't think I don't know what an underpowered car is like. I can drift my AW11 MR2, which has the SAME engine as you (stock 4AGE), and it's harder to initiate a drift with the AW11 than the AE86, because of the higher weight distribution to the rear in the AW11 (of course, once I am drifting, the weight distribution is in my favour, provided I can keep the wheels spinning). Also, I've drifted my slick-shod vette, and that was just with a slight feint and a slight trail-brake. It had nothing to do with power until I was already sideways, and accelerating through the corner.

[Slonie]

Originally posted by malcolm
If you just rely on clutch kicking, you'll never be able to get massive drift angles without letting the revs drop to idle before engaging the clutch again.

I agree with your point that people should be adept at various techniques, but what the heck are you talking about here? I mean seriously. Dropping to idle? My foot is never off the gas during a clutch kick.

[malcolm]

well, I guess there are two ways to do a clutch kick:

One: keep your foot on the throttle. The surge of acceleration will break the rear loose, and you can slide through the corner.

Two: keep your foot OFF the throttle. The sudden engagement of the clutch when the engine is just a little too slow will also break the rear loose, and you can slide through the corner. This version is just like a slightly softer version of a shift-lock, but just a sudden kick of the clutch while off the throttle instead of doing a downshift as well.

With my MR2, unless I am doing it wrong, the first version doesn't help me, and I just understeer into the corner. Also, I would be accelerating into the corner, therefore my entry speed would need to be slower to allow for the surge of acceleration. With an off-throttle clutch kick, it helps me slow down, so I can go in faster.

Try both, and see what works for you and your car.

[grift]

I clutch kick all the time. Dry wet, whatever the conditions . My car never breaks it is my preffered method. The E-brake is hard to use for me. I have stock s13 seats-that need to be upgraded badly-any way I am so tall . that and the stock seats make it very akward as I sit so high it is kinda hard for me to use the E-brake. Power over and weight transfer work good too. I just kick it when I am accelerating into a corner. The worst is maybe your clutch will wear out-oh well. Drifitng = alot of money. Fun= money sounds like they have something in common. Do the clutch kick youll be fine. If not upgrade your parts