Drift Problem - Night Drifting

[Drift For Food]

Ok, I have this weird quirk. I can seem to get used to drifting at night. I don't know what it is exactly. I have no sense of where the front wheels are pointing. One problem is I can't see my steering wheel, so I can't tell how it's turing. Second is the limitted visibility. I don't really care about that as much, but it may be part of the lack of perception. It's really tough to control a drift when you don't have a clue which way the front wheels are pointed. The only thing I can think of is to attach a light the wheel or keep the dome light on. Anyone have any ideas to help me out? Anybody have similar problems?

[nissanguy_24]

i do about 95 percent of my drifting in controled environments at night.

For me its a matter of feeling out the car as to where the wheels are and where its moving with enough experience i 'just know' i guess from experience. I would sugest as you drift in general try not to look at the steering wheel or anything.

Its like a keyboard. When you first start to learn to type you look at the keys, Although that can insure accuracy it slows down your reaction time and your speed. I think the car is the same way in that respect.

unfortionately i dont have any advice to help you, I learned in the dark so to me thats natural. other then just keep practicing.

It should be noted i drive a 240sx, and most guys will describe them as very forgiving, it may be one reason i was able to learn it that way easier.

[Menchi]

there is a trick I learned from some SCCA racers where they put a piece of tape around the top of their wheel so they know which way is up, and get some fog lights, I only drift at night, the cops don't seem to care as much if know one is around, and it's the only time I'm not working, as for where you wheels are pointing, I feel for it, I can't see'm even when it's light out so I don't see why the dark would make a difference. the only thing I can tell you is practice in the dark more often.

[BL1TZ_W1NG]

i count how many time's i tern the wheel

[Drift For Food]

My problem is that my hands may not be on the wheel at times. That and my lock to lock turning is 8 full revolutions, yay for manual steering. I am aware of where it is in the day time. At night, it seems like a lost cause, but as was just said, I think I do need to just practice some more.

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by Drift For Food
My problem is that my hands may not be on the wheel at times. That and my lock to lock turning is 8 full revolutions, yay for manual steering.

Whoa, maybe you should look into modifying that. Might help out.

Hell my 240 needs quicker steering.

[plinker]

Drift for Food,

that sounds like your car is totaly lacking steering information.
but I don't know how come.
I drift only when there is snow or ice and I mostly do it with
4WD but sometimes with RWD.
I never had that problem.
I can always tell if my car is in understeer or oversteer
and which way and how much I need to turn the wheel.
that is enough.

my steering wheel has a large "momo" logo on top of it,
and my previous one had a yellow line and it helps to
remember how much I turned it, but I don't really look at it
or care about it when I am drifting.
only when I did beautiful, perfect and fast drifting, I want to remember the amount of counter steer along with other elements of the cornering and the yellow mark helps.

I care about how much turn (more) and to which way, when,
but I don't really care about which way the front wheels are pointing.
but I think I can always tell if you ask..
you don't have much feel of it if the car is in understeer.
I can't remember how much turn I did when the car is going straight or outside.
(I turn the steering wheel because it's in snow,
you shouldn't do it on tarmac. just in case someone new to driving are reading)
you really don't feel anything from your steering wheel?

I guess this isn't helping much.sorry.

[QuickStyle]

tape a flash light to your wheel

[GlitchFC]

i never have a problem telling where the wheel needs to go....even in my 69 camaro, i can just sense it by the seat of my pants....

[nrgdrft]

hids

[Drift For Food]

Yeah, the letting go of the steering wheel is an issue. I did it some back last fall, and it was a matter of catching it and adjusting as needed. Really, doing that is just to speed up the steering by letting it go by itself. It would be a real pain to do it by hand that fast.

For the most part I don't actually let go of the wheel unless I'm just chucking the rear out on a 90 degree intersection or something. Then I just let it slide and crank the wheel straight at the end and give it gas. That's just for fun though. Most steering is a turn or under.

I'm generall pretty shallow in the corners since my truck is quite underpowered. Oh yeah, currently drift car is an old Ford Ranger, 70hp 2.0L and 3900lbs, oh yeah! lol I even got sand in the back still from winter, another 300lbs. It's not what I'd consider a proper drift vehicle by any means, but it teaches me none-the-less...until I get myself a new car sometime this summer. It's got power nothing and a complete lack of electronics, mmm carburator and vaccum hoses!

Despite being manual everything, even brakes, it has a suprising lack of feel. There's some but it's pretty muddled.

As far as where I drive, it's primarily gravel roads cause, well she ain't got the balls to go on anything more. Winter was actually fun for drifting. It was the only time the truck actually had the power to use throttle control. It was pretty easy drifting.

[BL1TZ_W1NG]

when i was lerning way back when i used the stiching as a mark as to how far i moved the wheel

[Godfather]

Not a flame, but if you can't FEEL your car, you can't CONTROL your car.

If you are having to look at your wheel to know what your car is doing you have a problem that needs to be sorted out before you start trying to drift. Glancing at it once in a while to make sure it is where you want it is one thing, but haveing to see it to get it where you want it is another.

The tape at the top is a good tip, but not really used for what you are talking about having to do.

[Menchi]

What are you driving????

[Shin_Kudou]

Also, you really shouldn't be turning the wheel so much as to the point where you have this problem. If you're losing track because you're turning the wheel lock-to-lock, work on your weight transfer, which will drastically reduce the amount you have to turn the wheel. For example, watch a Best Motoring touge video sometime, note that the drivers almost never turn the wheel more than a quarter turn.

Another possible idea is to get a racing wheel. Because they have a shape, and have protrusions for ergonomics, it's easier to tell which direction it's pointing than it is with a nromal wheel, which is just a circle all around.