newbie planning to buy a miata

[conandd]

yea Im planning to buy a NA8 miata since its FR and cheap and look good.

but question : w/o a LSD I still can learn drifting right? though it may not be able to last long ?

and if I want to put a LSD on the tranny afterward, how much possibly would it cost?

[prodigy]

Hmm. To hate or not to hate? Well atleast you have your car picked out, so I will be nice. You can drift with an open diff, I suggest you get good enough to where the stock diff is starting to hold you back from going to that next step and learning how to drift better. That is when you should upgrade, when you hate your open diff and you want a LSD more than anything. Search Google for LSDs for the car and get some prices, then go down to a local shop and ask how much it would cost to swap one in. That is all you have to do.

[MrodDrft]

Read this and make ur own decisions.. Some lsd advice and knowledge from actual drifters

http://www.ziptied.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1067

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by MrodDrft
Read this and make ur own decisions.. i would rather listen to these guys they are actual drifters with good skill..

http://www.ziptied.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1067

I cant agree with these "real drifters" as mrod put it. Im sure they are accomplished but i believe you should learn as much as possible with your open differential the same way prodigy sugest. When you can drift smoothly when an open differential then you are truely skilled wtih counter steering. Then imagine how great you will be with a LSD. No one says you should go out and try to win competitions with an open differential however while learning i think you should...

And as to that site's comment about smoking funny *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored*... well i dont smoke anything so oh well.


Basicly if your car already has a LSD great, but if it doesnt then i see no reason to advoid practicing until you get one.. Yeah its going to be hard alright. But guess what... drifting is hard! And i see no reason to rush out and buy a LSD If you cant even max out the open differential then why buy a lSD? to me only a weak driver purchases a part to make up for a lack of skill... But thats just my opinion And all i can do to prove it is get good and go out and prove it on the track and on the road.

And i plan to do just that.

[conandd]

ya thanks guys I get it
the idea is similar to mastering braking before u get an ABS

[prodigy]

Originally posted by conandd
ya thanks guys I get it
the idea is similar to mastering braking before u get an ABS

Haha. Is that straight from Initial D by any chance? Not hating by the way. You don't ever need ABS, I don't know if I would ever want it on my car.

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by prodigy
Haha. Is that straight from Initial D by any chance? Not hating by the way. You don't ever need ABS, I don't know if I would ever want it on my car.

Modern ABS is suposed to be very very good. But i wouldnt trust one in the gravel or in a drift car from the early 90s.

[MrodDrft]

i think if u learn and get used to open diff, u are going to need to re-learn and adjust to the limited slip.. so why waste time on the 1st step wen u can skip right to phase 2

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by MrodDrft
i think if u learn and get used to open diff, u are going to need to re-learn and adjust to the limited slip.. so why waste time on the 1st step wen u can skip right to phase 2

The problem you have with open differential is one wheel will want to drag. Meaning both the car will be more violent when regripping and wont hold a drift as long. Learning with these things in play teaches you to be very very good with the countersteer because it needs to be perfect, it also forces you to learn other little tricks to carry the drift farther and faster.

When you get the LSD you will still have those skills with you, they can be applied to other aspecs of drifting. Thus there is nothing to relearn. Just extra things to learn.

At least thats my theory. And its what i've been working on. When my car is back up i will be getting a LSD shortly afterwords. I hope to apply what i have learned on the open diff to become even better then i am now.

[prodigy]

The thing that you learn is how to start a drift with the use of weight transfer and not power. With a LSD you can get a drift going with the use of power because you can break both tires loose at the same time. A LSD isn't the first thing that I would be worried about. My project's suspension is going to pretty much be nearly done before it will ever move and I might have a LSD in before it moves also. Don't waste your cash on one right away, they are expensive. Do all the maintanence on your car and keep it running strong. Make sure to change the brake pads when they are getting really warn down. I just seen the rear pads on my project car and there was nothing left. In drifting it is really important to change all your pads and not just your front. I am sure you know that though or else you wouldn't be able to e-brake it.

[MrodDrft]

i didnt think of it that way good insight NIssanguy

[nissanguy_24]

Originally posted by MrodDrft
i didnt think of it that way good insight

Well like i said, its *My* Theory, my skill will be the only way to prove it right? there are alot of philosiphies about these things, its up to each of us to have our own and try them out.

I've seen people including my self drift very very smoothly in a open diff, and it all boils down to countersteering skill mostly. And that is an important thing in drifting.

[Slonie]

At least if you're buying a 1.8L Miata it will be in tons better condition than the average S13 or AE86 you buy...On account of the newness, and the owner. Thus, you'll save on maintenance, at least till you start beating on it!

A budget choice for LSD is the clutch-type LSD from the FC RX-7...It swaps into the 1.8L rear end. I'd prefer this over the VLSD or Torsen options, but with those two you could find them equipped on the car that you buy already.

Check http://www.miata.net/garage/ for a lot of good info...