Drifting Techniques Explained!

Heel Toe Shifting
Learn proper race shifting to get your car into the right gear for drifting. Section also includes double clutch shifting so you can downshift before drifting without blowing out your transmission too quickly.

Power Over Drift
A throttle induced drift, this is performed when entering a corner and using the accelerator to slip the rear wheels, producing heavy oversteer through the turn. You will often need lots of horsepower to make this happen.

E-Brake Drift
This drifting technique is very basic, but also a highly skilled technique if used in the proper way. Most know the e-brake as just pulling the E-Brake or side brake up to induce rear traction loss and balance drift through steering and throttle play. This can also be used to correct errors or fine tune drift angles. Main drift technique used in FWD vehicles, however since it does decrease speeds, e-brake drifting is looked down upon during solo (tansou) type drifting competition. This technique is commonly used by professionals to adjust angle while in mid-drift.

Clutch Kick Drift
This drifting technique is performed by depressing the clutch pedal on approach or during turn in to a corner. The clutch is “popped” to give a sudden jolt through the driveline to upset rear traction, causing the power wheels to slip. Drifting is maintained by balancing the throttle.

Shift Lock Drift
This is performed by letting the revs drop on downshift into a corner and then releasing the clutch to put stress on the driveline to slow the rear tires inducing over steer. This is like pulling the E-brake through a turn, but this should be performed on wet ground to minimize damage to the driveline. Similar drifting technique to Clutch Kicking.

Dirt Drop Drift
This is performed by dropping the rear tires off the road into the dirt to maintain or gain drift angle without losing power or speed and to set up for the next turn. This technique is very useful for low horsepower cars. Do not attempt this technique at the Drift Session.

Feint Drift
This is performed by rocking the car towards the outside of a turn and then using the rebound of the vehicle’s suspension to throw the car into the normal cornering direction. This is heavy rally racing technique used to change vehicle attitudes during cornering.

Jump Drift
In this technique the rear tire on the inside of a turn or apex is bounced over a curb to lose traction resulting in over steer. Do not attempt this technique at the Drift Session.

Braking Drift
This is performed by trail braking into a corner. Loss of grip is obtained and then balanced through steering and throttle motions. This is mainly for medium to low speed corners.

Kansei Drift (Inertia Drift)
This is performed at race speeds. When entering a high speed corner a driver lifts his foot off the throttle to induce a mild oversteer and then balances the drift through steering and throttle motions. The car that is being used for this style of drift should be a neutral balanced car therefore the oversteer will induce itself. If the car plows through any turn this technique will not work.

Long Slide Drift (Choku Dori Drift)
This is done by pulling the E-brake through a straight to start a high angel drift and to hold this to set up for the turn ahead. This technique can only be done at high speed.

Swaying Drift (Manji Drift)
This is a slow side-to-side faint like drift where the rear end sways back and forth down a straight

Post what drift techniques you are trying to or would like to master and share your experiences! Let’s hear some input from you guys!

I’m personally trying to master choku dori and manji (once i get rid of my shocks/springs)

I can’t really say that i “truly” drift but i love everything about it. Whenever i’m fooling around I like to use the feint technique, turn the opposite way of where i’m going then sharply turn where i want to go and kick the rear end out. Where i used to live there are a lot of gravel roads so there’s tons of practice.

I’m really trying to learn heel & toe but i’ve gotta work on setting my seat in the right position and the timing.

you should come out with us next year. the events will be posted for track days everyone wanting to can come out and try. you gotta learn somehow and same goes for me . ill be at most events next year trying :slight_smile: everyones welcome

Lol if i’m ever driving down to Toronto hells yeah I’ll go to some events for sure :smiley:

For now i’m going to try and go to as many drift events here in Edmonton. . .

BTW, I like how you guys have several threads just for drifting. . .i’m liking this forum a lot. :smiley:

im a beginner… i did practice last saturday at area 51 and this is what happened.
-did ebrake drift twice sucessfully-
-throttle drift twice successfully-
-clutchkick once on 3rd gear-
-spun around twice-

-i was having trouble with clutchkicking- tips??

get ready to countersteer really fast when clutch kicking… and try not to rev that much since u dont need that much high rev, u just need a “jolt” to start the tire spinning and it becomes a chain reaction to keep on spinning.

can a fwd come? i will master the Ebrake drift…provided there is snow at these events, other wise i just want to take some pics :smiley:

i like clutch kicking and ebraking… right now im a beginner so lol i dont tink im very good at it… but clutch kicking is fun lol

for now you’re an sidebrake whore lol :stuck_out_tongue:

i see… thnx a bnch xuperxero… is there somebody there that has an unorthodox drifting tech? or if u use combinations of drifting techniques while youre at drift pls share…

It’s easier to explain techniques in person. In the end, if you wanna get good at drifting, it’s all about practicing. Just make sure you have lots of spare tires and gas, and go practice in a parking lot or at the track.

^^^ +1

If you’re a beginner any and everyone will tell you stay away from streets and stick to wide open safe areas or track. Have fun with it and dont out/over do yourself take it one step at a time.

you dont wanna break anything that you cant fix right away. :drivin

^^^ +1

ya im liking this snow. lots of practive for me, and when i get off work the roads are clear parking lots are empty so im getting lots of fun in with this snow :slight_smile:

and yet you have no footage… :stuck_out_tongue:

i got noone to take footage of me.
we should meet up again you can tape.

for sure if you have a spare battery to put in an s13 it will be even better for both of us :smiley: shifty eyes

spare battery? nope dont got one.

cool but we will chill really soon. :R