FWD drifting question

[White95Max]

When I drift with a FWD, I pull the Ebrake to get the rear to swing out, but is that bad to do when the car has 4-wheel ABS? I would think that the computer would be confused as to why the rear wheels aren't spinning when the fronts are. Would the computer keep pumping the brakes or something in an attempt to get all 4 wheels spinning again?

[NavindraLR]

good question.. good thing my car is still under the warranty

[Setec Astronomy]

If you are not on the brakes, the computer won't do anything, because there is no hydraulic pressure being applied to the brake cylinders. If you are on the brakes, the computer would likely release the pressure to the rear brakes in an attempt to get them to "unlock". I don't think this would cause any damage to anything.

[Prometheus]

^^ What Setec said

I think the computer would try pumping the regular breaks, but as the wheels are already locked, this pumping will obviously do nothing. Dont see how it could hurt anything, as it is just pumping the breaks as it ordinarily would, nothing has really changed, still same pressure on pad, same stresses, dont see how it could do anything.

[hirosh]

i agree with setec astronomy.

try looking at some of the import tuning magazines. there was one (maybe import racer?) that talked about a FF drifter. something about having the right suspension set up and really driving into the corner hard. if not, try check out keiichi's "drift bible." i think he does some drifting with an integra, and he goes over how he does it.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

if you're worried about it, just pull the fuse out for the ABS while you're having fun, and replace it after. No harm, no foul, I should think.

[White95Max]

My car doesn't have ABS or traction control, though they were both options. I was just wondering. I drift in my car all the time (on the snow anyway).

[Setec Astronomy]

Sheesh, Maxy---you were just execising us??

[White95Max]

I drove my mom's concorde to school today since the roads were so crappy. She has 4-wheel ABS and that's how I got to wondering about it. I would never drift in that thing anyway, because the Ebrake is on the floor.
The Max is still nice and clean. And smooth I might add ...

I have to drive the Max tomorrow though... And I have to get up early, unlike today (I didn't have class until 1:00 )

[TW85 HHI]

Fishtailing will not harm the ABS. I've worked the ABS while spinning (yes, true 360s) and the brakes lock up 100%, possibly because none of the wheels are really rolling much.

[Kanchou]

uh. . in most cars ABS electronically disables when the handbrake is pulled as far as I knew...

[Accumulator]

On all the cars I've driven the parking/emergency brake operates independently of the brakes that are controlled by the ABS system. And if you lock the rears, the fronts won't anti-lock anyhow. I've done "handbrake turns" in a *LOT* of ABS cars, including FWD and AWD ones, and it always works fine.

But it is very hard on the tires (flatspots) and the shock of locking the drivetrain is hard on most everything. I'd take it a little easy on a car you care about. But yeah, I've done it in almost every car I've owned and never actually hurt anything except the tires.

A better way to get the rear out is to lift off the gas, flick the wheel first the *wrong* way, then back the right way (the way you want to turn) while you get back on the gas. This unloads the soon-to-be-loaded rear tires (specifically the outside tire) using weight transfer before you get into the turn. Much faster than using the handbrake and taught in tight-corner security driving (as well as rallying). There's a name for this.. the "what's-his-name flick." Can't remember the guy's name at present. But this is pretty hard on the car.