**FR Drift Guide** - By Boundary Layer and Swift [Updated March 27, 2006]

[DORIFTO_N()B]

boundary layer and swift ,that is a great guide you have here,it will help out alot of people.
it helped out with my brake controller tuning,i used to do it just by feel and now i actually know what im doing.

 

[Swift]

You're quite welcome gentlemen.

 

[X14XE]

wow great guide!!

started me off on the ways of drifting, i was a all out try to get the fastest lap befor i read this,

Thanks

X14XE

 

[EA11R]

Default settings are 6.4kgf/mm front, and 5.8kgf/mm rear.

Earlier I reduced the vehicle’s weight by 15.04% (calculated by 1 – 1062 / 1250).
So I’ll decrease the spring rates proportionally. But, I’ve also reduced the ride height 14.78%, so I’ll increase the spring rates a proportional amount. As a precaution against running out of suspension travel, I’ll bump up the spring rates by 0.1kgf/mm after these two adjustments.

Front: (6.4kgf/mm)(1062 / 1250)(2 – 98 / 115) +0.1kgf/mm = 6.341 ~ 6.4kgf/mm [always round up]
So, I guess I’ll leave the spring rate at 6.4kgf/m [funny…]
It’s the same story at the rear of the car. I leave the rear spring rate at 5.8kgf/mm

That formula is the most brilliant thing I have seen in quite some time. I'm amazed that you've put that much thought into drift settings. Have you posted any other settings? If they were as well thought-out as the S2000, I imagine they would be excellent.

 

[Niels]

Yeah it's very thought out for the balance of the car. Much more perfect ways to tune your car don't exist I think. Unless you really become obsessed.
However, I just want to point out to new guys, that skill really makes up alot for what you might lack in tuning.

Once you get the hang of drifting, you can choose to modify your cars like BL (wich is very fun I can imagine). But like I do, I just set up my cars with enough horsepower, guess a few settings and I'm off drifting a couple of laps.
That's the advantage of being human. There's not 1 particular way to set up your car, because you can get used with any kind of setting IMO.
That is, if you just want to start drifting for the sake of it.

I can imagine this tutorial might scare newbie's off, just because of the sheer complexity. If it does, just don't be discouraged and try something on your own The Honda S2000 and the RX-7 are cars you can drift with almost any reasonable setting. Just as long as you don't go extreme with chamber or toe and completely unbalance the car. 👍

Edit: It's a bit like learning an instrument.
You can learn all theory you want and do it perfectly. That's a very good way to get at the top. But there are musicians (drifters) out there that just learn it out of trial and error. They develop their own style, and they can become just as good as the rest 👍
Take Mike from FBI for example. Ever looked at his settings? I'd never be able to come up with his settings, they look very wrong to me, but still he's concidered by some as one of the best drifters out there

 

[kadoimmortal]

Much praise to BL and Swift for all the comprehensive guides.
Must reads for sure!

 

[Vcore]

Impressive beginners guide, I'm wordless...xD

 

[BLITZ_69]

U guys have no idea how much this has helped me!

 

[Bammer]

Is it still ok for me to drift with ASM on because im still learning?

 

[dimplz]

if it helps yes but its better not to...plus earns more respect

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Sorry to bring it back up, but to Bammer:

No.

Why would you want any sort of AIDS, err, aids? I think the best thing to do is learn how to drive without AIDS, I mean aids. Traction control is good for preserving tires, but otherwise AIDS, err, aids are a bad thing.

 

[EA11R]

Sorry to bring it back up, but to Bammer:

No.

Why would you want any sort of AIDS, err, aids? I think the best thing to do is learn how to drive without AIDS, I mean aids. Traction control is good for preserving tires, but otherwise AIDS, err, aids are a bad thing.

That's all very good and funny and all, but you didn't quite answer the question.

My advice: It's alright to start off using just a bit of ASM understeer, but once you're used to driving the car at these speeds and angles, get off of the ASM ASAP! It's a slower way to approach drifting (or gripping, for that matter) just due to the nature of the system: It's a very special brake controller. When I used ASM, I found it nearly impossible to make it sideways through a sweeper, the car just slowed down throughout the course of the turn. In my opinion, it also feels just kind of wrong; I have no idea how a car actually handles until I deactivate the ASM and toss it around violently (What? Initiating drift is hard!) for a spell. And if you were referring to TCS, just don't, plain and simple. TCS prevents wheelspin, which prevents drift with GT4's understeery physics. And if the tires are just spinning too much and going nowhere very often, you should lower the power until you're skilled enough to be able to concentrate on throttle control. And lastly, I'm not sure how new you are to this so please forgive me if this isn't giving you enough credit: The third Aid, ASM oversteer, is the worst idea imaginable, as it actually tries to prevent the rear sliding out during turns.

Hope I helped!

 

[Rotary Junkie]

I was trying to point out that learning to drive with aids on will simply hurt you in the long run, as it will become a crutch.

That's all, and I think I did answer the question. The traction control thing was just what I use it for. Would I ever have it turned on in a toy? No. A drift car? No.

 

[Swift]

I say go with ZERO aids. None, ever(well, maybe with AWD sometimes)

There is no reason to use aids. None, you won't be able to develop the correct technique and as important, your drifts won't look as good.

Basically, your letting the computer do the work for you. This is GREAT in real life when you're on an icy, snowy, wet, leaf covered road. But in GT4, it's totally useless in drifting.

 

[raidroagin']

Heck of a post you 2. Very informative for a noob like myself. and very well written I might add. See ya out there.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Thank you, Swift.

 

[Swift]

Welcome! This is exactly the kind of discussion that should be in this thread.

 

[Ambiguity]

All the video examples are gone .Can any1 re-upload 'em please?

 

[nissan tuner]

ASM understeer controls your throttle input. if the tires are under friction and you let go of the gas, the ASM kicks in and keeps you at a constant rev until u regain grip THEN the car slows down.

it isnt helpful at all. the wall new drifters needs to get past is learning GT4's tire grip(dont use sport tires, ever) and finding the line between GT4's nice countersteering and retarded snapbacks

 

[nk4e]

ASM understeer controls your throttle input. if the tires are under friction and you let go of the gas, the ASM kicks in and keeps you at a constant rev until u regain grip THEN the car slows down.

it isnt helpful at all. the wall new drifters needs to get past is learning GT4's tire grip(don't use sport tires, ever) and finding the line between GT4's nice countersteering and retarded snapbacks

Well, your suppose to learn manually how much gas you give in before each corner. From you response, it seems that you just hold the button down till it redlines. What is the "wall new Drifters"? The reason of the snap back occurs that it could be anything from the tires to the setup.

Drifting with ASM Understeer on is like riding a bike with training wheels” ~ Boundary Layer

And don't forget to read the AUP!!!! If you want to do a small battle to prove your thinking, I wouldn't mind at all. I wouldn't care if I lose or win but just show me what your talking about.
The only time I believe that I used ASM was to drift a 2004 Subaru Spec. C

 

[-graham-]

hmm... i was reading a couple of posts in another thread and people were saying to drift with a completely stock car. I have the nismo ??R270?? from the ia licence (speld rong) and I've been kind of drifting in that. but it took a double feint drift to get it sideways enough. Unless i am wrong, drifting should be a LITTLE easier, right?

 

[nk4e]

hmm... i was reading a couple of posts in another thread and people were saying to drift with a completely stock car. I have the nismo ??R270?? from the ia licence (speld rong) and I've been kind of drifting in that. but it took a double feint drift to get it sideways enough. Unless i am wrong, drifting should be a LITTLE easier, right?

Drifting a stock car is challenging. Though a lightly tuned car, like in the guide, shows you the basic on what to do. Each "stock" car would have different characteristics like the S13 wouldn't have enough power or the M3 wouldn't break traction easily like the S2000. The mid-tuned car, is nice to show you basic drifting lines and it should be able to teach you the techniques in order to drift.
Try the Honda S2000, if it isn't your taste, go may low level FR cars.( Rx7 series, Ae86... so on and so on..)

 

[mistamontiel]

Very neat and organized guide. Straight to the point. Like the other dude said, should be published in a book dude.

I was trying to view the videos though and they're down. I just wanted to get an example of a good drift in replay, with HUD, I've always been under the impression that the E-Brake was a necessity when drifting in GT4 but its almost always failed me

Reading the guide got me somewhere though, I'll be sure to tune my cars right then I'll go for it. Thanks bra !!

 

[Swift]

Using the ebrake is certainly not needed to drift in GT4. I'll see if I can find the vids or at least something on youtube that would be an example as well.

 

[nk4e]

Using the ebrake is certainly not needed to drift in GT4. I'll see if I can find the vids or at least something on youtube that would be an example as well.

Well, its not needed but its good to have in some cases. I believe that your the one who told me try not using your brakes around Trail Mountain. And I still have that replay.

 

[Swift]

Well, its not needed but its good to have in some cases. I believe that your the one who told me try not using your brakes around Trail Mountain. And I still have that replay.

Was it brakes or just e-brake? Either way yes I remember that from a while back.

The revelation when you first understand how to shift the weight in GT4 is amazing. Absolutely enlightening.

 

[nk4e]

My lines were dirty..

 

[Swift]

I remember that. I still think TM is one of the best tracks to get used to drifting as it has almost every type of corner and incline in one track. But still not difficult to drive.

 

[Tiddle]

The videos won't work . I would kinda like to see with the s2000 how you drifted because well first i'm havin a lil trouble gettin sideways in some place i also still have to get used to when and where to shift and down shift. Cause im focusing on steering and i forget to down shift and i don't have enuff power to get out of the corner or continue the drift. i'm also not using the e-brake at all because i seem to be more successful if i don't i unno why but i can do it better with out it. But thanks for all the other info i jus wish i could figure out how to get sideways into the corners. i just end up hitting a wall most of the time. everyonce in a while i'll get a good one though.

 

[Tiddle]

lol i figured it out. I still had the driving aids o i though that i had turned them off when i went to options but those are the games driving aids i forgot the each car had driving aids on them like real cars do. No my problem is not getting sideways but trying to stop spinning out but i know the reason why i just gotta get better a
t controlling the car