This post looks at the reasons why sim drifting is great practice for you to hone your real-life drifting skills. Here are the 6 reasons why:

1. You’re not worried about going ham and crashing while drifting on a sim

The only way to get better is to push your limits around the track. In a real car, when finding the “limit” goes wrong, you can end up with a very expensive bill and a car that’s out of action.

In a game, if you push too hard, you can just reset and do the lap again. No harm done.

That’s not to say that you’ll be able to know the limit of your IRL car. You’ll still need to find the limit through trial and error, but coming from a SIM, you’ll have a feel for where the limits are concerning speed, tire grip, correct gear, throttle input, etc.

2. You get more seat time with less money

Now before you get your knickers in a twist, I know that seat time on a sim and seat time IRL are different. The point I want to make is that sim drifting will give you more seat time which, even if it’s only 10% beneficial to IRL drifting, it’s better than nothing, and it’s almost zero cost!

After the inital outlay for a Sim set up, all you need to pay from then on is your electricity bill and any subscription fee your game may or may not charge. That means you can be drifting within minutes after switching on your machine and sitting down in your rig. Now that’s time efficiency.

As you know, with IRL drifting, you’re going to need to buy tires, petrol (fuel), oil, filters, wheels, tools, entry fee to track, transport to and from the track, and then spend many nights preparing and maintaining your drift car. In between doing all that, you can slip in some easy sim practice to keep your edge.

3. You’re able to find a great car set-up and copy it over to your real car

If you’re really serious, you will probably build a version of your real car in the game so you can get as close-to-reality practice as possible. The beauty about a game is that you can adjust settings and change out parts with a few clicks and test them out.

Once you find what the best alignment is or the best tire pressures are etc. in the game, you can then transfer those settings to your real car. You can treat the game as a virtual tuning shop and shakedown session.

4. You’re able to practice on real tracks in a game

This is one of my favorite parts about sim drifting – you can drive on tracks that exist IRL.

Let’s say you’re planning a trip to Ebisu circuit for the drift matsuri and want to get a feel for the tracks before you come so you don’t plow your car into the wall on the first lap. Well, your Sim rig and game will let you do that. You can learn the tracks and smash out hundreds of laps before stepping into a real car. This is probably one of the biggest benefits of sim drifting.

5. You’re training your reactions and muscle memory

Like any fast paced sport, you need fast reaction times to be good at drifting. Sim drifting may not give you the sensation of speed or g-forces but it does give your eyes, ears and hand-eye coordination a good workout.

We as drifters are busy with our hands and feet throwing the car around the track. Drifting is not a Sunday drive with Miss Daisy. We’ve got to flick the steering wheel, engage the clutch, pull the handbrake, hit the footbrake, shift down a gear, pop the clutch, hit the gas pedal, grab the steering wheel and keep the car on the black stuff, and line the car up for the next corner… and do it all with precision in about 5 seconds.

The basic process and sequence of actions for drifting on a sim and IRL are the same, so this skill transfers over. Learning the sequence and timing of each action on a sim will train your muscles memory and reaction times so you won’t totally suck when you get in a real car.

6. You can get involved in sim drifting community and learn a lot from others about set up and technique and just have fun

At the end of the day, drifting is all about having fun and being part of the drifting community. If you get into sim drifting, you can be a part of an online community where you can learn from others and help others. Knowledge is knowledge and it’s important to exchange it. Anything that you learn online, you can tell your freinds irl and vice versa.

So these are my takes on why Sim drifting is a great way to hone your drifting skills irl. You may agree or disagree with some of the points and that’s cool.

In a perfect drift world, you’d be on the track in your 500HP drift weapon 10 hours a day IRL. But the reality is, no-one has that much time or money so we have to compromise.

The next best thing to the above is to practice on the sim Monday to Friday, prep for your drift day on Saturday and do your real-life skids on Sunday. Still sounds pretty good to me!

-Disco Stu

These are the three most necessary mods.

Disclaimer: this is for a rear-wheel drive car. I don’t know anything about Fwd or Awd drifting!

There are countless mods you can make to your car’s engine, suspension, brakes, body, aero, etc. to make it drift better but these are the 3 bare minimum mods you should make at first to get your car “driftable”.

1. A LSD differential

LSD stands for limited-slip differential. It’s the thing under the back of your car between the wheels that will make both axles/wheels spin when on power and let you do two-wheeled skids instead of doing a lame “one wheel peel”.

Most regular cars come standard with an open diff which sends power through one wheel only – the wheel with the least amount of load on it – resulting in an embrrassing non-drift U-turn where the inner tire does a burnout.

What you need is to get both rear wheels spinning and the part that allows this is an LSD (limited-slip diff).

Or if you just want to go full bogan and send it asap then get your MIG welder and weld the crap out of the open diff centre.

This is what an LSD looks like inside. This diff pictured is a R200 Nissan diff that you get in your S-chassis and R32 Skylines etc. With the cover taken off you can see the mechanical differential (limited slip differential) to the right of the ring gear.

Inside the LSD casing there are a set of clutch disks and shims which will lock together when force is applied i.e. when you’re on power (accelerating).

A 2-way LSD means the clutches will also engage when on and off the power (accelerating and decelerating) so you’ll have both wheels spinning when speeding up and slowing down.

A 1-way LSD means wheels are only locked on acceleration.

A 1.5 way means locked on acceleration and some slippage on decelleration.

Anyway, you don’t need to know all the science behind how a LSD works for you to use one… you just need to get one! (or weld up your open diff… which I personally don’t like but that is a debate for another post)

2. Bucket Seat

You need to be braced in your seat when drifting because there is a lot of side-to-side force on your body and not pressed up hard against the door and you’ll be trying to keep your body off it using your knee. This is not ideal because you need full use of your legs and feet to contrl the pedals.

A bucket seat will provide the support for your whole body to keep it in place while going sideways.

There are a couple of popular choices – a fixed-back bucket seat or a reclining bucket seat. If you have a 2-door and want to access your back seat, then a recliner is the best option. If you’ve set up your car for full drift spec, a fixed-back seat is the better option as it’s a single piece, so it’s stronger and more durable. But just keep in mind that you won’t be able to adjust the upright position of the seat if it’s fixed.

As you can see, BRIDE is a popular choice among drifters. They have a good selection of budget to high-end seats to suit most applications, from street cars to full-fledged competition cars.

3. Coilovers

Please please please, don’t call them “coils”! Coils are an entrely different part on your engine that make spark go bang. You will sound like a major degen if you call them coils.

They are coilovers or adjustable suspensions. In Japanese they’re called “shakouchou” which translates to “rideheight adjustment”. They are made up of a coil spring with a shock absorber inside, hence the name “coilover”.

This is the final essential mod in the trilogy to make your car easier to drift and the reason why is that coilovers are designed for motorports by providing 3 benefits over stock suspension.

1. Heavier spring rate (can interchange springs easily too)
2. Stiffer shock absorbers (adjustable options exist too)
3. Adjustable ride-height

Suspension set up is a major part of whether your car will drift well/easily or not. The spring rate has to be matched with your car. Too hard in the front means it may understeer, too hard in the rear and you won’t get traction so you have to consider things like weight distribution of your car, power, tire grip and your driving style. If you want a quick snappy style of drift akin to Naoto Suenaga or Nakamura, then soft-ish rear springs will help acheive that.

When it comes to ride height, the basic rule is that lower is better, but you also don’t want to mess up the suspension/steering geometry which will have adverse affects on drift-ability.

To sum up, the three essential mods to do to your car to turn it into a drift car are, a LSD, a bucket seat, a set of coilovers. Once you get them installed on your car, drifting will be easier and more fun!

Happy drifting.

-Disco Stu

Feel free to use any one or several of these at your next drift day.

1. “I don’t have knuckes.”
2. “Going to put my angle kit in next week.”
3. “It’s on low boost.”
4. “My tires are too grippy.”
5. “I need grippier tires on the rear.”
6. “He’s running 265 semi slicks.”
7. “I hit the marbles and it just spun.”
8. “I need new front steer tires.”
9. “Needs a proper tune.”
10. “It’s not tuned for e85.”
11. “The car needs an alignment.”
12. “It’s a fresh build.”
13. “I’ve changed the set up.”
14. “It’s got a boost leak. “
15. “Diff isn’t locking properly.”
16. “I don’t have an LSD.”
17. “Car in front was going to spin.”
18. “Rear/front tire pressure too high/low.”
19. “The track is not grippy.”
20. “There are too many drop offs on the track.”
21. “My front tires were binding.”
22. “I couldn’t see through the smoke.”
23. “The gearbox is too notchy. That’s why I misshifted.”

Which one(s) have you used?

Can you add more to this list?

Pop them in the comments!

-Disco

Not only does lowering your car make it look cooler, it improves its performance for drifting and driving fast around corners.

A lowered car has a lower center of gravity, making it more stable and easier to handle when drifting around corners.

Why Lower Your Car for Drifting

Lowering your car for drifting is an essential modification. It improves your car’s performance on the drift track, and makes your car look bad ass.

When you lower your car, you decrease its center of gravity, which improves handling and stability during high-speed drifting.

Lowering your car also reduces body roll, which is the side-to-side movement of your car’s body during turns and when drifting. When your car experiences body roll, it can adversely affect your control and stability, making it harder to maintain drifting on the proper line and stay on the track. By lowering your car, you can reduce body roll and improve your control, making it easier to drift through corners and maintain your speed.

Lowering your car can also improve traction in the front and rear tires, which is crucial for drifting. When your car is lowered, it transfers weight to the tires, increasing their grip on the road. You want traction in both front and rear for obvious reasons. In the front, you need to be able to steer the car so you don’t prang into the other cars or the wall, and in the rear so you get speed and not too much wheelspin which is not fun.

However, it’s important to note that lowering your car too much can have negative effects on drifting performance. If your car is too low, it can scrape the ground and damage your undercarriage, which can lead to costly repairs.

The other downside is that it can mess up the suspension and steering geometry if your car is too low. It can cause bump steer which can be dangerous as your front wheels will steer in unwanted directions when going over bumps. At high speeds, this is less than ideal as it can make you lose traction and at best, put you off the drifting line.

Lowering too much can also make your car less comfortable to drive on bumpy or uneven roads but you probably don’t care about that.

In summary, lowering your car for drifting can improve your performance on the track by reducing body roll, improving traction, and increasing stability.

However, it’s important to find the right balance between lowering your car and maintaining its functionality.

Choosing the Right Lowering Kit

You could get out the wheel of death and chop the springs. But you actually want to keep your fingers and want your suspension to work while still low to the ground, so put the angle grinder down.

There are two main types of lowering kits: lowering spring kits and coilover kits.

Lowering Spring Kits

Lowering spring kits are a popular choice for those on a budget. They replace the stock springs in your suspension with shorter, stiffer springs, lowering your car by one to three inches. Spring kits are relatively easy to install and are available for most makes and models. They are also a lot less expensive than coilover kits.

When choosing a spring kit, it is important to consider the spring rate. A higher spring rate will provide a stiffer ride, which is ideal for drifting. However, a stiffer spring rate may also result in a harsher ride on rough roads.

Coilover Kits

Coilover kits offer more adjustability than spring kits. They allow you to adjust the height of your car as well as the stiffness of the springs and shocks. Coilover kits are typically more expensive than spring kits but offer better performance and handling.

When choosing a coilover kit, it is important to consider the quality of the components. Look for kits made from high-quality materials that are designed to withstand the rigors of drifting. It is also important to choose a kit with adjustable dampers, which will allow you to fine-tune the suspension to your driving style.

In conclusion, lowering spring kits are a budget-friendly option but usually don’t get your car super low and not as stiff as you’d like, while coilover suspension kits offer more adjustability and better performance. Consider your driving style and the conditions you will be driving in when choosing a kit.

Adjusting Suspension for Optimal Drift

When it comes to drifting, having the proper suspension setup is crucial. Here are some tips on how to adjust your suspension for optimal drift:

Adjusting Spring Rates and Shock Dampening

One of the most important aspects of a drift car’s suspension setup is the spring rates and shock dampening. Typically, higher spring rates and stiffer shock dampening in the front are used to transfer weight to the rear tires to give you more bite while drifting. However, too hard springs in the front will produce understeer. Finding the right balance between front and rear stiffness is key to achieving the desired level of oversteer and feeling.

Experiment with different spring rates and shock dampening settings to find what works best for your driving style and the specific track conditions.

Camber and Toe Adjustments

In front and rear, camber and toe adjustments can also play a significant role in a drift car’s suspension setup.

In the front: Increasing negative camber on the front wheels can help with turn-in and provide more grip during transitions. Additionally, adjusting the front toe can help fine-tune the car’s handling characteristics when at angle.

In the rear: For maximum grip and even tire wear while drifting, 0 degrees camber is ideal for the rear tires. And you will want a little toe-in to produce forward bite. It will also give you a little more control. But be careful as too much toe in in the rear will end up being very snappy in transitions which will be hard to control.

Again, it’s important to experiment with different settings to find what works best for your car (power and tire levels) and driving style. Keep in mind that extreme camber and toe settings can also lead to uneven tire wear and reduced grip in certain situations.

Sway Bars and Other Adjustments

Sway bars can also be used to fine-tune a drift car’s suspension setup. Increasing the stiffness of the rear sway bar can help induce more oversteer, while increasing the stiffness of the front sway bar can help reduce understeer.

Other adjustments, such as ride height and alignment settings, can also play a role in a drift car’s suspension setup. However, it’s important to keep in mind that these adjustments should be made in conjunction with the other suspension settings to achieve the desired level of oversteer and control.

Overall, finding the right suspension setup for your drift car can take time and experimentation. However, by adjusting spring rates, shock dampening, camber, toe, sway bars, and other settings, you can fine-tune your car’s handling characteristics to achieve optimal drift.

Maintaining Your Lowered Car

Lowering your car for drifting can improve its handling and give it a more aggressive look. However, it also requires you to take extra care of your car’s maintenance. Here are some tips to help you keep your lowered car looking good and in one piece:

1. Watch Out for Speed Bumps and Other Obstacles

Lowering your car means that it sits closer to the ground, which can make it more challenging to navigate over speed bumps, steep driveways, and other obstacles like leaves. To avoid scraping your car’s undercarriage, you should slow down when approaching these obstacles and take them at an angle whenever possible.

2. Check Your Tires Regularly

Lowering your car can affect your tires’ wear and tear. You should check your tires’ pressure and alignment regularly to ensure that they are wearing evenly. Uneven wear can cause your tires to wear out faster and affect your car’s handling.

3. Keep Your Suspension System in Good Condition

Your car’s suspension system absorbs shocks and keeps your car stable while driving. Lowering your car can put extra stress on your suspension system, so you should regularly check to make sure that it is in good condition. Check your control arms for signs of wear and tear, such as cracks and worn bushings, and replace any damaged parts. Over time, your suspension (shock absorbers) may develop a leak too so keep an eye out for that.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When it comes to lowering your car for drifting, there are a few common mistakes that you should avoid to ensure that your car performs at its best.

Mistake #1: Lowering Your Car Too Much

Lowering your car too much can lead to a harsher ride quality and make it more difficult to enter and exit the vehicle. It can also cause your car to scrape against the ground, which can damage the undercarriage and cause problems with your suspension. It’s important to find the right balance between lowering your car and maintaining a comfortable ride.

Mistake #2: Using Cheap Parts

While it may be tempting to save money by using cheap parts, this can actually end up costing you more in the long run. Cheap parts may not be as durable or reliable as higher quality parts, which can lead to problems down the road. It’s important to invest in quality parts that are designed for your specific make and model.

Mistake #3: Neglecting Your Suspension

Lowering your car can put extra stress on your suspension, so it’s important to make sure that it’s in good condition. Neglecting your suspension can lead to problems with your steering, handling, and overall performance. Make sure to regularly inspect your suspension and replace any worn or damaged parts.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Alignment Issues

Lowering your car can also affect your alignment, which can cause your tires to wear unevenly and affect your handling. It’s important to have your alignment checked and adjusted after lowering your car to ensure that everything is properly aligned.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your lowered car is ready for drifting and performs at its best. Remember to invest in quality parts, maintain your suspension, and keep an eye on your alignment to get the most out of your lowered car.

Conclusion

Lowering your car can be a great way to improve its performance for drifting and making it look cooler than Coolio. By lowering the center of gravity, you can improve stability and reduce body roll, making it easier to control your car in high-speed drifts. However, it’s important to keep in mind that lowering your car can also have some downsides.

One potential issue is that lowering your car too much can lead to bottoming out, which can damage your car’s suspension or undercarriage. Additionally, lowering your car can make it less comfortable to drive, especially on rough roads.

When deciding how much to lower your car, it’s important to consider your specific needs and preferences.

If you’ve got a track-only drift monster, then you can probably go crazy and drop the thing as you like, (as long as it still performs well).

However, if your drift car is also your daily driver, you may want to find a balance between comfort, performance and safety.

Make sure to research your options and consult with a professional if you’re not sure what’s right for you. With the right setup, you can enjoy drifting in a slammed whip while still keeping your car safe and comfortable to drive.

-Disco Stu

Netflix released their original competition series Hyperdrive on August 21 2019. It’s been likened to a “drifting meets American ninja” type of competition TV series – and I fully understand why. It’s got the same style of battle formatting, annoyingly hyped-up commentary that you cringe at 99% of the time, dazzling light shows and same overall dramatized feel to it all. If you think of American ninja and just place the competitors in cars, you have Hyperdrive.

I had seen a few posts about this Hyperdrive beforehand on Instagram – namely from Kisa Awano whom I thought would make a major appearance and was one of the main reasons why I wanted to watch Hyperdrive in the first place. Surprisingly, she appeared in the crowd shots more than she appeared on the course! Apparently she had (mechanical?) trouble with her JXZ100 Cresta so she struggled to drive at a competitive pace. The few shots they put into the episode with her in it showed her coming to a complete stop before the target she was meant to drift into, which – for anyone who can drift, and she can – is very unusual. The next scene shows her not being able to manji down the straight and hit the targets there either. I’m guessing her car had some major issues with it to not even be able to drift into those targets, which is super unfortunate.

After realizing I wouldn’t see Kisa anymore, I kind of lost interest. And after watching some very laughable driving and mind-numbing commentary in the first 4 episodes, I was just about to do a big fat skid on the show and never return. But I was curious about the other Japanese competitor, Atsushi Taniguchi. Since I live in Japan and it’s my home now, I’ve got to root for my fellow Japanese countrymen! (I’m kind of surprised there are no Australian drivers in it – coz Aussies are deadset drifty kings!) So I go to the next episode to see how Atsushi goes and he makes it through. And he keeps on making it through all the way to the finals! I was really hoping he would, because after all, Japan’s drifting pride was resting on him and his ‘Meihan Police’ 2JZ Toyota Crown.

The last half of the series was MUCH much better than the first half. Thanks to the elimination format, the weak drivers were knocked out so only the drivers who could actually drift/drive were left to compete. Sorry to say it, but some of the drivers made me wonder why they even thought they’d have a chance in this competition. Did they even have to audition or was it just pure random? By the last 2 episodes, I could finally enjoy watching decent driving.

I actually became a fan of Fielding Shredder even after I was like WTF after he waaaay overshot a turn and crushed the rear of his red Kouki S14 Silvia into the side of a building! He made it to the finals too, so it was exciting to see him progress through the rounds. Fielding and Atsushi were definitely my favorites. I don’t want to spoil it and tell you who wins – you’ll have to see it to find out.

Hyperdrive is worth watching if you’re a fan of drifting and/or tuned cars because there is quite a bit of action and most of the cars are high horsepower and properly built – but I recommend watching the first couple of episodes and then skipping to the last two or three. The middle gets pretty boring – coz it’s more of the same – and there is only so much “WOAHH! Listen to the sound of that engine!” in-your-face commentary you can take. The last few episodes where the really good drivers competing against each other was quite entertaining. Go here to watch Hyperdrive on Netflix.

I guess there will be a season 2 after all, because at the end of the episode finale, there was a call out for drivers to go to https://www.hyperdrivecasting.com/ and submit your details in hopes for an appearance in the next season(s). With a public call out like this, I suspect they’ll have much more talent to choose from for future seasons. And that’s what I’d (and probably everyone) like to see. More skill behind the wheel and less over-the-top dribble from the commentators.

– Disco

I understand the reasons for the criticism, but we haven’t seen a fully customized ‘drift spec’ version of one yet! That is, until now.

Check out this Pandem Rocket Bunny kitted out A90 Supra that will be appearing and doing some mad drifts (I’m assuming) at the D1GP kick-off Exhibition round at Odaiba Tokyo. To me, this thing looks super bad-ass hot. In fact, I dare say it may be tougher-looking than any other drift-spec Supra I’ve seen – Mk IVs included! (if it only packed a 2JZ, then it would be the ultimate Supra…)

The D1GP 2019 season kicks off with the Tokyo Odaiba Exhibition round on March 23rd & 24th 2019.

Tickets are on sale and prices start at 1,900 yen (standing area) and go up to 4,900 yen (reserved seat). Tickets can be purchased from Lawson and MiniStop convenience stores. More info on ticket sales here.

If you can’t make it to Tokyo for this event, you can catch the Live Stream of the Tokyo event via the D1GP Youtube channel.

Unfortunately, I can’t make it down to Odaiba that weekend because of family commitments up here that particular weekend, but I’m hoping to catch as much of the Live stream as I can, and drool over seeing the first drift spec A90 Supra!

Disco Stu

Hey Drifting fans! Here are the dates for the Ebisu drift matsuri events this year in 2019.

Spring Matsuri May 3rd – 4th

Summer Matsuri – August 11th – 12th

Fall Matsuri – November 9th – 10th

As usual, there will be the G1GP drift competition held the day before the matsuri weekend (on the Friday) which you can enter or watch and cheer along your favorite gaijin driver.

See you there!

Disco Stu

Here are the dates for the matsuris this year.

Spring – May 3 & 4

Summer – August 18 & 19

Fall – November 10 & 11

Don’t forget, the G1GP competitions are on the day before (Friday) each matsuri. I hope to see you there!

Disco Stu

The course was Nishi (west) long course – the same course that they run Formula Drift Japan on. After watching the pros drift on this course, it had become a course that I always wanted to drift on. Apart from during the Matsuris, this course is not usually open for drifting. So entering in G1 was my chance to have a crack.

My car of choice (the only only choice) was the old C33 Laurel packing a RB25 DET. Check out some of the pics that I was able to snap during the day.

Summer at Ebisu circuit is notorious for being an absolute sweat-hole but, with some rain and cloud coverage, it was surprisingly nice to be outside. The rain however did make it tricky to stay on the course at end of the first corner. As soon as you run onto the ripple strips, you lose almost all traction and slide right off the course into the mud. I came off a few times but one time I hit the muddy bank pretty hard and gave the intercooler a mud pack. Luckily, no damage was done and I could keep on drifting.

As always, it’s great fun to enter the G1Gp comp with other foreigners. That’s what it’s all about – just having fun and not worrying too much about breaking their cars ‘coz everyone is basically driving a matsuri car.

Big thanks to Kumakubo and Suenaga from Team Orange and the Ebisu staff for putting on the events every time. Looking forward to more G1Gp in 2018 and onward!

Disco Stu

Unfortunately, the rain poured down right before the Best 16 and delayed the start for 2 hours. Time was dragging on so I bailed and went home before the finals. Oh well, there is always next time.