Eastern creek drift school - Will it kill my car?

[pap11y]

Hi everyone,

I am really interested in this but don't want to fk my car up in the process.

Has anyone done a course like this?

How will a 1999 MX5 nb 1.8 hold up to drifting?

I want to have some fun in a safe environment. I just don't want to kill my baby.

What are your thoughts?

[hks_kansei]

I've done a Driver Dynamics sliding day.

Unless you hit something it generally won't cause any large damage.
But being higher stress than normal it can exagerrate any weak points (ie: if the clutch is already on it's way out, it may finish it, etc)

Just make sure the car is healthy, check the oil etc and make sure it's not low.


Do you know if it's done on a wet or dry course?
Wet courses are a lot less stress on the car, and (personally) I think are better for learning.

It all happens at a slower speed, so you've got more time to concentrate on the technique.

[pap11y]

It is a wet course. This was a big reason for me being willing to give it a go.

Less tyre wear and engine thrashing.

For me its about having the opportunity to learn to start and control slides.

[hks_kansei]

Wet course will be fine.

The one I did was wet, it was great fun, even better learning experience.


Since it's wet, the strain and wear on the car will be very low.
If it's in good mechanical condition it won't have an issue.

[pap11y]

Thanks for your responses. I figured as much but why not ask when you have people on here who know

Cheers..

[NitroDann]

The most power your engine can produce is at full throttle.
The most strain you can put on it and the drivetrain is using the lowest gear with full traction.

Ever used 2nd gear at full throttle? You have already done the worst you can do if so.

Drifting in the wet is half throttle at most, you will mostly be feathering the throttle, and tyre wear is almost non existant.

Get out there and have fun.

Dann

[manga_blue]

I'd throw on a set of crap tyres, at least at the back. Less grip = more fun.

[hks_kansei]

The most power your engine can produce is at full throttle.
The most strain you can put on it and the drivetrain is using the lowest gear with full traction.

I was thinking more if it were dry, therefore having to do things like
high rev clutch drops (clutch wear)
Axle tramp (lots of force shaking the rear suspension/diff/etc)

Wouldn't those be a lot more stress than 2nd gear acceleration?
They're sudden high loads.

Sort of like trying to push a nail in with a hammer.
Then hitting it with the hammer.

The pushing is as much force as you can generate constantly, but if it's sudden, the force is greater, for a smaller period of time.



(Pap11y, note that these don't really apply in the wet, the lack of grip means the tyres simply spin instead. Also the fact that do get a car to clide on wet bitumen won't need anywhere near the level of force as in the dry. Think the nail example, now imagine instead of wood, it's butter, less force needed to get the nail in, so no real chance of breaking)

[NitroDann]

You are spot on, but its a wet course, and instructors would never have noobies clutch kick. It would be guaranteed spins everywhere. Besides you dont need to learn to kick a clutch, you need to learn weight transfer, thats what will be taught.

I can drift 4th in the wet with no clutch, its all weight transfer.

Dann

[pap11y]

Your responses are just fuelling my excitement.

Excellent.

Dry drifting is not really what I want to do. Too much stress on my car.

It's $200 to do 4 hours at eastern creek. What a bargain...

[hks_kansei]

You are spot on, but its a wet course, and instructors would never have noobies clutch kick. It would be guaranteed spins everywhere. Besides you dont need to learn to kick a clutch, you need to learn weight transfer, thats what will be taught.

I can drift 4th in the wet with no clutch, its all weight transfer.

Dann

Fair call.
But yeah, was more to say that 2nd gear isn't the most strain you can put on it, it's the most in this situation.

[Guran]

Is this the course you're talking about:
http://www.drivingsolutions.com.au/drift-school/

I've not done this specific course, but have done several of their advanced driver training days. They are run on the skid-pan and/or the skid-circuit. Both are constantly watered down concrete surfaces.

Tyres - You will be doing very well to detect ANY tyre wear on your NB8A after this.

Engine - You can't over-rev your engine because the ECU will cut fuel at 7200rpm or thereabouts. And as said already, you'll have trouble controlling a slide on the skid-pan if you're using those revs anyway.

Brakes - Low grip conditions mean that you'll only use about 60% braking capacity at most, not enough to show ANY signs of excessive wear on pads/rotors.

Hitting something - It's all low speed stuff (<60km/hr) with cones marking courses, and one car at a time. The skid-pan has concrete jersey barriers around the outside but the instructors will not let you get anywhere near them.

Attitude - Be sensible. Cowboys don't last too long because the instructors will kick them out.

Summary - No problem at all. Get out there and have some fun.

[Locutus]

i've done it.

as already mentioned:
- it's very safe. you need to be a complete tool to hit a barrier TBH.
- wear is minimal. it's a wet skidpan with polished concrete.


if you have a set of crap tyres, put those on. i had trouble keeping the back out. i am a drift n00b, but track oriented wheel alignment and good tyres may have had something to do with it (that's what i tell myself anyway ).

[NitroDann]

Track oriented alignment will give you less grip in the wet due to less rear toe in, and more camber, which cannot be utilised in the wet as the car wont have the grip to body roll and therefore you will have less contact patch.

Its all just practice though.

Dann

[Locutus]

guess i'll just need to work on it