Auto Dori

[S13_Steve]

you should try my g35 with power shifting

[ryanracer]

Crazy Hawaiian and Sideways in SD are right there are alot of clowns here that will give you all kinds of screwie info on what and how to drift. Auto's drift fine. Learn to use weight transfer to initiate drift. (I found its more fun with auto at least to me anyway..) my 2 cents again...


Here I am drifting my auto Tundra at DD7, yes you can drift a stock Tundra!!

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by CrazyHawaiian
Well hey everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I will have to disagree. Drifting with an auto is just as much fun as drifting with a 5 speed. I have done both, so this isn't comming from someone who only has experience with an auto. The only difference between auto and manual is that you need to use different techniques. I have no problem acknowledging that a manual tranny is better for drifting because it offers you more techniques and better gear selection. But saying that you're not gunna be able to get a good drifting experience out of an auto car .... I disagree.

Using an auto was probably the best way to learn if you ask me. Because you dont have a clutch to kick, you must learn different techniques. That means that you are no longer dependant on any one technique, but instead you practice different techniques more often. Having the E-brake crap out was probably the second
best thing to happen to me while I was learning. Again, you are forced to learn new techniques and make due with what you got. After going through these learning experiences, and then moving to a car that does have a manual tranny and a handbrake that works, I will have many more techniques at my disposal than I would if I had just been relying on a clutch kick from the start.

As for gear selection, you are right that a manual valve body helps, but even with a completely stock 4 speed auto with overdrive I was able to drift fine. Like drifting with a manual, you need to keep your speed, gear, and powerband in mind. When entering the turn, you should know what speeds you will be reaching, you should then select the correct gear that will put you in your powerband at that speed. For instance, if I was getting ready to drift a turn between 40-50 mph, I would put the auto in 2nd gear before even entering the turn. Use different techniques to kick it out, and just control the throttle through the drift, keeping the RPM's between 2500 and 5500. I dont think I've ever changed gear while drifting, just set it up right with pre-meditated gear selection and use throttle control to stay in the powerband. There have been times when the tranny kicked itself down to a lower gear but this just brought the RPM's up. The fact that I have a large displacement V8 with a flat torque curve makes it easier for me to drift with an auto. Maybe thats the problem that you guys are having with your cars. If your powerband is peaky then drifting is harder in general because throttle control becomes very touchy, and this will be even more pronounced with an automatic tranny. The only time my car was in 'D' (which would be third gear) was on the straight away while choku'ing between 65 and 75 mph. The car never saw 'OD' or fourth gear. Alex thought it was cool ....

First i want to introduce my self, I drive a 92 240sx with an automatic transmission. I've owned it alittle over a year, and have been drifting with it for about 9 months, usualy once or twice a week in a empty rual area.

I want to thank crazyhawaiian for saying something i've believed for a long time. you can indeed drift with an automatic vehichle. You have weight transfer techniques and the hand brake. I usualy come into the turn about second gear, i relied on the hand brake for a while, and once i felt comfortable with the car sliding and counter steering, i worked on doing this earlier and earlier before the apex, so that i can usualy get the car sideways before i ever enter the turn. Also i've uses faint manuvers to help kick the *Censored**Censored**Censored* around at slower speeds, as my speeds increased in the last 3 months i've been working on using less and less hand brake, comming into the corner faster braking hard and letting the rear get light. I am by no means an expert at this, but i am learning, and i think more importantly im learning weight transfer. i've watch videos like the drift bible and noticed the drift king him self uses ALOT of weight transfer, and even the hand brake when he needs to.

Im not putting down techniques like the clutch kick, but from what i've heard, lurking around on various forums is alot of americans seem to think these are the holy grail of driftng techniques. Though i dissagree. I usualy dont put down these people, just practice more hoping to get better. When i feel i can control a car better i would swap in the manual tranny in my car. and learn form there.

But over all i think having a Open differential is by far a bigger problem in drifting especialy in any competitive sence then a autotranny. Like crazyhawaiian said i do not believe the auto is superior for performance, but perhaps just perhaps its better to learn on.

BTW, Crazy hawaiian are you the guy with the fbody out there everyone is talking about? i've heard of you in california if so.

[Ghost of Duluth]

Learn the way you want to. Thats how you get better. Your own style is the best style for you. If you want auto, go for it. If not then go 5 speed. But whatever you choose, perfect it.

[zdss14]

how do u get the vid to work all i got was audio?

[CrazyHawaiian]

Nice to meet you NissanGuy. There are 2 f-body drifters here in Hawaii. The one you probably heard about was Revlimit in his white 91 RS. Currently Revlimit is swapping over to another f-body shell, so you wont see his car for a month or two. I have an 89 RS that I used to drift, but currently the car is being built up as well. To practice in the meantime, I got another f-body (budget project for the website) and I just finished getting it painted yesterday. The car will be out at the Jan 31 driftsession. Look for tandem domestic drifting at our May event when the D1 guys come down. Not sure what color Revlimits car will be, but my practice car is green and my race car is black.

[nissanguy_24]

Ah thats cool. You guys keep up the good work then.

It will be interesting to see more and more domestic vehichles at drift events in the future. Ill look forward to seeing the tandem drifting.

[180sx2nr8u]

the only problem i would think you would have is you wont be able to drift with shift lock, and it will be harder to break traction with an auto. the tranny will take a beating if you frequent the e-brake.

[Sideways_In_SD]

Wah, Wah... wha wha wha....wha wa wha wha wa wa ...

Originally posted by 180sx2nr8u
the only problem i would think you would have is you wont be able to drift with shift lock, and it will be harder to break traction with an auto. the tranny will take a beating if you frequent the e-brake.

Say the subject line like Charlie Brown's teacher