I was under the impression that an AWD car couldn't properly countersteer, and therefore couldn't "drift". The exception to this being cars like the GTR which act like FRs but use AWD only on demand. Yet there are numerous vid clips of EVOs zipping around sideways or with the rear swinging out during hairpin turns. Is this something inherent in the ADC/AYC that allows this, or is this something that even the US EVO with it's 50 50 drive can do?

I know that in rally races that the emergency brake is use to induce drift by locking the rear wheels. So unless that's what the EVO drivers are doing then lets forget that for the purpose of this discussion.

Thanks
Rufus

 

check out the videos near the bottom of this page http://www.evoclub.net/champion/2002/wrc.html
they will answer your question

 

Whoa. Those were great! But see the second question. Can they do this because of the ACD/AYC or is this something that even the US EVO can do? If so, why don't we see WRX's doing the same thing?

 

Agreed. Dude has it backwards. AWD is synonomous with drifting.
He seems to be confusing drifting with RWD power slides.
That's not the same thing. If you lift off in mid corner and kick the end out and then put the power down you can drift all day.
You'll drift better in a properly setup awd than you will in something like a mustang or camaro that's for sure.

 

Power vs. traction vs. suspension setup, throw in rear diff set up. The WRX in stock form doesn't have enough power, in modified form would need a better rear differential.

Most (or all) of the tuned Evo's and STi's in Japan that are run in drift contests, or in "fastest lap time" battles have no ACD/AYC or DCCD. They prefer better front and rear differentials and completely reworked suspension setups for that.

Cheers,

Paul Hansen

 

That's not true. Well, it's kinda true . On slow speed hairpins you will see WRC drivers using the handbrake to help rotate the car. However, you will likely not see them yanking the handbrake at 100+, unless they are understeering dramatically maybe.

There are 3 general techniques to drifting:[list=1][*]Flooring the throttle after turning the wheel (need power or loose grip for this)[*]Go into the corner hot, turn, and lift off the throttle[*]Flick the car in the opposite direction of the corner before turning in proper (Scandinavian flick)[/list=1]

Of course, those techniques just get the back end out, and there is much more to drifting than just that. There is a reason why all the top WRC cars are AWD, and it's not because of the handbrake .

 

you can drift any car.

you're either going fast enough or have min. traction.
through all the snow rallys/ice races this past winter, I could drift on demand on all the turns.

If traction is good and you're not going fast enough, then left foot brake to induce drift around a turn.

On tarmac, you're gonna have to put the clutch in, down shift, rev the engine up and pop the clutch and then gas it to induce the drift around a corner. If you're racing this will not give you fast times...just cool as hell to see.

Drifting is hard to control, if you're not experienced in doing it, makes sure you have a lot of run off room as a beginner (parking lot). Or for something less harsh on the car, try it on ice/snow.

DO NOT PULL THE E BRAKE ON AN AWD CAR.
Pulling the e brake will try stop the rear wheels, but the front and rear are trying to go the same speed cause of the center diff., basically means the front will continue moving, the rear will stop, and the center diff will start getting ripped to shreds, actually all the parts connecting the front to rear will receive a huge amount of force...

WRC cars when pulling the e brake will automatically disconnect the center diff. Japan/Euro EVOs, because of the ACD will also automatically disconnect the center diff...
WRC cars can lock, unlock, any diff. with a flick of a switch, and any variations of lock. Its much better than ACD and AYC...

 

It's a known fact that the USDM Evo w/o ACD/AYC is easier to drit than the Euro/JDM models with ACD/AYC.

 

If I'm not mistaken. The US STi will do the same. Pull the parking brake, and the center diff disconnects. Put it back down and the DCCD goes back the setting you had it at last.

 

haha why is he pulling every time he brakes?
I never had a need to use it yet when racing!
I usually just turn, and accelerate to get the back end to come out. OR JUST BOUNCE OFF THE SNOW BANK! haha

dunno if I wanna risk it, I guess thats why I never even think of using it.

 

Drifting means two different things to me.

1. You are in a controlled power slide 'drifting' through a corner. When I say controlled, I mean you can control the direction of the car through the turn with steering and throttle while sliding. I do not consider massive understeer through a corner as 'drifting'.

2. You chop the throttle in and AWD and the rear end starts 'drifting' out.

Sure a stock production AWD car is going to 'drift' the rear end out when chopping the throttle through a turn. That same AWD is going to understeer through the turn when under power.

I beleive Rufus was refering to the first case (drifting under power). An example would be a drifting competition in Japan.

The way I understand it, Mitsubishi has set up the chassis of the JDM EVO VIII to oversteer more than the US EVO (different front differential, possibly different sway bars.) Yes the ACD will induce understeersteer, that is the intent. The ACD induced understeer can be varied by the ECU to control/counteract the oversteer conditions when needed. I suppose the question is, how well will the ACD/AYC work on the JDM EVO VIII?

 

Like everyone has said AWD cars can drift BUT properly setup RWD cars have been proven to be the best drift kings. Of course it may also be that the best RWD drift cars are just cheaper to get and setup. Sylvia's or 240SX, MKII Supra(Celica? Don't remember), and some others I forget are king of drifting. There's no real drifting areas or competitions around here that I know of so don't get to see it much or find out the best info.

 

Here is an evo drfiting in a drift event. Its not as much ACD or anything else as it is Speed, Horse Power, Driving Skill and a lot of *****...

www.rmrproducts.com/download.htm