4g61t.org

My car's suspension is bone stock. So when I drove around a corner at a moderate speed (been driving faster) yesterday, I got nasty understeer. However, I somehow managed to stay in my lane. Obviously, I need to learn how to handle FWD cars well.
So how about a tutorial by all you autox and racing experienced guys? I'd really love it!

_________________
Got rabies?

First off you need good tires and good spring/shock. Srings will lower your center of gravity. Tires need to have a strong sidewall that will let you take a corner at twice the posted speed. I've also found powerstearing to help out with controling 275+hp.

_________________
Adam
93'FD Touring non-seq
05'WRX

I learnt the worst thing you can do when understearing is to turn the wheel any more. Point it in the direction you want to go and just let off a little. May help to dab the breaks to shift some weight to the front or if you know what your doing some left foot breaking. I can't do left foot breaking, and it's not easy/safe to learn on normal roads.

Adam, this is a good answer, yet not what I was really asking for. I actually wanted to learn how to drive (ahem) a car good, no matter how bad its suspension is (i.e. Ford Fiesta). However, I think I'll invest a tad more money in my next set of tires.

_________________
Got rabies?

Yes, I've learnt that, too - almost the hard way... After almost driving in the field next to the road (thank god it was only a field) I decided I need more practice.
Good info, I'm going to memorize that so it becomes normal driving routine in case I ever need it another time, i.e. in snowy conditions, or when I just drive as mad as hell again (never ever!).

_________________
Got rabies?

fwd, at the car's limit, if you give it gas, it should understeer, if you let off it should over steer, sometimes, VERY fast and VERY badly.
if you do start to oversteer, give a little gas, if you understeer, back of the throttle a bit, not all the way off,

my maxima is a big car, and is heavy enough to show these properties very early, without a sudden "breaking loose" effect.

awd, acts like a fwd when off the throttle, as it will over steer, and sometimes badly as well.
and it acts like a rwd, when giving gas at the limit, as it will oversteer as well.
just point and squeeze at that point in time.
the trick is to scrub all of your speed before you enter the corner, and accelerate through it,
practice, practice, practice.

_________________
If speed kills, then i shoulda been dead awhile ago. There is no such thing as "Too Much Power". There is no excuse for a lost race. Do you view the rev limiter as a fun limiter?or as a shift point? And we all know, more boost=more fun.

i have to say this because it probly wont be said, for instant fun, two words, emergency brake the ebrake is you friend my friend, if you practice using it and you enjoy ruining tires and brake drums so practice makes perfect i cant write out a paper on the ebrake just go out to a parking lot or dirt field and have fun(if im really having fun ill tape the ebrake lock to make it easier).its cool to do 720's(yea 720deg. ) going 70 mph in my altima on a abandoned govt dirt road. but also this can be used n practical forms (i saw cops chasing a car on college ave in fredricksburg Va and the person in the car{i later found out it was my brothers friend}evaded the cops by doing a 180 and racing out, his car was like tray faster then any cop car{it was a ford probe turbo with about 6000$ poured into it})<i dont recomend , dont try this at home or on any college ave, SOME ONE COULD GET HURT

_________________
4g61t.org
4g61t.com

For handling purposes don't touch the e-brake, for fun, have at it.

The trick with FWD cars is to be patient and VERY smooth. With RWD you can make up for a lot of mistakes by just getting back on the gas. If you do that with a FWD, you'll push right out of the line.

Get all of your braking done before the corner, so that your front tires are only trying to do one thing (turn). Once you have the turn setup correctly, then get back on the gas. This should be at or just before the Apex. Keep in mind, when I say "get back on the gas" that doesn't mean full throttle. During the turn, you can use your left foot to do a little trail braking which will bring the back end around. Again, these have to be smooth inputs or you'll toss the car around. You also have to leave your right foot over the gas pedal to correct for too much braking or rear slide. Once the car is pointed in the appropriate direction go to full throttle. This is generally right before you get completely straight. If you find your burning the inside wheel, then let up a little to regain traction.

Not to be rude, but go to a closed track or autox event and practice how to become a good FWD driver. Don't read a few things hear, think you're the man, and loose it around a corner and plow over somebody's kid.

That goes for anybody and everybody.

You aren't rude. Good someone actually said this!
However, there are just two things that don't apply to me:

1. There is no race track in 400 km near me. (however I'm still looking for abondoned parking lots and stuff like this in my area)

2. I don't drive mad around town. I keep that up for seldomly used roads in the fields where every other car can be spotted early enough. And I only drive like a madman alone and when I'm in the mood for it.
In the mood means concentrated, focused on driving and sure I'm not endangering others.

_________________
Got rabies?

as far as driving/handling theory (and practice) goes i strongly recommend reading "secrets of solo racing" by henry a. watts (though i'm not a "racer" personally). its sort of like "a brief history of time", but dealing with cars instead of physics. the author does a really good job of explaining things. you'll have more fun in your car.
goes for $10.47 at amazon (am i allowed to post that price? -please delete if not).

Hey thanks helldonkey! I'll look forward to get this book somehow.

_________________
Got rabies?

OK.. My 2cents worth. I race these little FwD jobbers at an asphalt oval track. We have to corners that flow nicely, then we have 2 corners that aere almost a 90degree. Now, setup is a very good thing, but if the driver can not drive the car with a stock setup, the car will not be anygood to a driver with a "race" setup. The car is only as good as the person behind the wheel. Before You mod any of the handleing stuff, I also reccomend practice. You where saying that you have empty parking lots... well get your self a make-shift trtack set up. Use cones to set up the lay-out of the track. Almost like a autoX track, rights, lefts, stright aways, u turns..and what not. I see youe live in germany...does your location get snow? If so practice in the snow, you might spin out alot, but if you can some-what sontrol the car in the snow...dry roads will not be a problem. But the best thing i can say is.. if you don't have the track, or can't make 1.. I myself use racing video games to help with my driving....most of the new games have the same physics in the game as the cars do on the road. This is only a little like really driving, but it helps get ideas on how to drive, with out having to replace your car, or spending a week in the hospital. If u get out of control on the game.. it's just a game...this sounds sad, but it is true.. the next best thing to driving.. is a simulation video game.

_________________
MyRaceCarPics
MyWebSite

• 2.0 dohc n/a swap

My biggest complaint about the handling of our cars is when cornering over rougher surfaces. The rigid axle rear end can really make things scary if your taking a corner at speed and hit a few bumps in the road.
I think my car handles great other than that. I consider good tires to be the main point since they are what connects your car to the road. Bad tires on a great suspension set up can make it a handling nightmare where good tires on a stock suspension can really increase your cars ability. Just my opinion.

_________________
Turning a 4g61t into 1595 cc's of FURY!
10.995 @ 134.44 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZXvcvzuWGQ

SOLD to the fastest shifting hermaphrodite in CO

I have GT3 and play it regularly. I like it a lot, but it's not driving. Until they can work out how to put G-force feedback into my couch, it will never be a true 'simulation.' Driving requires analyzing and reacting to much more input than just two-dimensional video and sound, which is all video games really provide (I don't consider a vibrating controller to be an input ). Personally, on certain courses, I have difficulty predicting corners and turn-in points simply due to the way the graphics are laid out. I'm still addicted, though.

Ethereal: If you get a chance, and if they are available, take part in an indoor driving school. Even though there is no hands-on application, the basics are there and I'm willing to bet anyone with a driver's license could benefit. Here in the States the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) puts them on. I'm going to a series of them myself in the next few weeks. Also, if you need help getting that book, I'll be more than happy to oblige.

_________________
Witty Signature Goes Here!