What are the first things I should get to turn my 350z into a drift car
05-29-2013, 04:59 AM
#23
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Just get seat time.
The factory vlsd does suck, but theres no reason to go spend money a real lsd right now. I drifted on a vlsd for a year and a half with no issues, it just doesnt drive like a welded or a real lsd. Its doable you just have to learn it.
and look at the "drifting 101" thread
The factory vlsd does suck, but theres no reason to go spend money a real lsd right now. I drifted on a vlsd for a year and a half with no issues, it just doesnt drive like a welded or a real lsd. Its doable you just have to learn it.
and look at the "drifting 101" thread
05-31-2013, 09:12 AM
#24
I think I understand your question a little better, I had to go through this same thing.
In the short run, yes the biggest thing you need is seat time. If you don't understand the car and how it reacts to different situations, throwing money at the car is pointless. Once you understand your car you'll understand what needs to change.
However, I also believe that it would be beneficial to invest in a good seat and steering wheel. Those were the first things I bought, and they do make a difference. Drifting with a stock seat and seat belt where you are flung all over the place is way different than drifting in a seat that holds you completely in place. You don't have to have some of your focus on flexing and contorting muscles to keeping yourself in your seat and you can focus on driving completely.
Z's are incredibly stout cars even stock, they have great handling and the power is just enough to drift. Once you've gotten the hang of the car, start out by getting suspension / arms / alignment. If you end up not having the funds or can't find the diff you want, I've been on the same welded diff for quite some time and it's held up and perform great. The only real difference between welded / LSD is LSD's are smoother and can raise the speed of your drifting way easier. Welded diffs are snappier and more harsh, but I like that so that's why I've never changed. The speed becomes irrelevant as you learn to control your throttle or left foot braking to gain speed mid drift. Once you've gotten accustomed to a welded you can drive it just as quickly as an LSD, it'll just be harsher with more violent transitions. I think violent transitions are rad, so I know I personally would rather keep the welded at the moment and spend more money on tires.
At some point if you start competing, you will need more power. But, remember that you DO NOT NEED TO SPEND $7000 ON YOUR MOTOR TO BE COMPETITIVE. My car is full bolt ons and dyno tuned at about 260-270whp, but is one of the most competitive cars in our FD ProAm series. Alignment / suspension / seat time is more important than power. Do you have to drive harder than the people with huge horsepower turbo cars? Yes, but it'll just make you that much quicker when you up your power. I have to drive my car like it's an 86 corolla to keep up with everyone in our series, and while yeah it sucks it does make it a bit more fun. Then again, wasting your money on drifting is all about fun isn't it?
When you are going to start competing, get a cage and understand that you are going to ruin your car by caging it. I daily drove my car with a cage and no interior for over 1 1/2 years, it sucks. But because of that I know my car and how it will react to all situations better than anyone else in the series. Which goes back to seat time: knowing your car is the BEST mod you can do to it.
TL;DR - When you feel you are ready to start investing in the car:
1. Seat / wheel: they actually do help a lot.
2. Suspension: I run Powered by Max coil overs, and they've been great. BC is always a fantastic choice as well, and there are tons of other great brands like Fortune Auto and Driftworks/HSD. Megan/D2 are also cheap coilovers that perform decent, but they are cheap coilovers. I'd say go with BC coilovers, SPL suspension arms. Check your control arm / subframe bushings. If they're shot, replace with solid ones. I have full solid SPL bushings and the car feels super solid and awesome.
3. Differential: Either get a good LSD or just get a welded. The money you save on a welded (if you choose to go that route) will net you more seat time and tires. But, welded driving vs. LSD driving is totally different, and welded is much harder to be competitive with because you really have to understand exactly how it works and how to drive it.
4. Power: Don't waste your money on big turbo kits and junk. Just get bolt ons and a tune. That's all you need to be competitive. There are 600whp E36's, LSx powered s-chassis, 400whp JZ powered S-chassis, etc. in the series I compete in, and if you know how to drive your car a little 260whp Z33 can keep up with them. It's all about seat time and knowing how to make the car do what you want it to do. You are going to beat the **** out of your motor though, be warned.
If you feel your differential is going out right now, I'd say seriously consider either snagging another VLSD from a junk yard until you can save up some funds to get a good diff. Snagging another VLSD from a junk yard or snagging an open differential and getting it welded is a cheap way to make sure your car isn't going to be fighting drift, and you'll get to use the money you save to go to more events and get more seat time.
In terms of alignment, if you don't know what to get for your alignment you want more camber up front, less in back. Toe out in the front will give the front more bite, but will ruin your tires quicker. I've driven with both toe out in the front and no toe in the front, either way works. Just worry about the camber and around 9* of caster or so. For reference, I personally run around 3.8* of negative camber up front. That'll probably change once the dude making my new custom knuckles finishes.
In the back I'm running around .5* of negative camber with no toe, and if there is any toe it's very very slight toe in. Toe in on the rear will make the rear feel a little more planted or stable I guess you could say. This set up has been working for me for last season and this season, and I finished top 10 last season and have been qualifying in the top 10 and finishing in the top 10 at both events so far this season.It's all about preference though, my setup may not work with yours. It's all about playing around with things and figuring out what works for you and your style of driving. When I let my friend drive my car he would link the course and it would look great but with no tire smoke, I got back in the car and I was on the limiter the entire time with lots more smoke angle and speed, but it's only because I know everything about my car and am so used to it. Anyone can hop into anyone's car and drive it, but you won't be able to really drive the **** out of it unless you REALLY know the car. That's seriously so important it's not even funny.
Hope this helps.
In the short run, yes the biggest thing you need is seat time. If you don't understand the car and how it reacts to different situations, throwing money at the car is pointless. Once you understand your car you'll understand what needs to change.
However, I also believe that it would be beneficial to invest in a good seat and steering wheel. Those were the first things I bought, and they do make a difference. Drifting with a stock seat and seat belt where you are flung all over the place is way different than drifting in a seat that holds you completely in place. You don't have to have some of your focus on flexing and contorting muscles to keeping yourself in your seat and you can focus on driving completely.
Z's are incredibly stout cars even stock, they have great handling and the power is just enough to drift. Once you've gotten the hang of the car, start out by getting suspension / arms / alignment. If you end up not having the funds or can't find the diff you want, I've been on the same welded diff for quite some time and it's held up and perform great. The only real difference between welded / LSD is LSD's are smoother and can raise the speed of your drifting way easier. Welded diffs are snappier and more harsh, but I like that so that's why I've never changed. The speed becomes irrelevant as you learn to control your throttle or left foot braking to gain speed mid drift. Once you've gotten accustomed to a welded you can drive it just as quickly as an LSD, it'll just be harsher with more violent transitions. I think violent transitions are rad, so I know I personally would rather keep the welded at the moment and spend more money on tires.
At some point if you start competing, you will need more power. But, remember that you DO NOT NEED TO SPEND $7000 ON YOUR MOTOR TO BE COMPETITIVE. My car is full bolt ons and dyno tuned at about 260-270whp, but is one of the most competitive cars in our FD ProAm series. Alignment / suspension / seat time is more important than power. Do you have to drive harder than the people with huge horsepower turbo cars? Yes, but it'll just make you that much quicker when you up your power. I have to drive my car like it's an 86 corolla to keep up with everyone in our series, and while yeah it sucks it does make it a bit more fun. Then again, wasting your money on drifting is all about fun isn't it?
When you are going to start competing, get a cage and understand that you are going to ruin your car by caging it. I daily drove my car with a cage and no interior for over 1 1/2 years, it sucks. But because of that I know my car and how it will react to all situations better than anyone else in the series. Which goes back to seat time: knowing your car is the BEST mod you can do to it.
TL;DR - When you feel you are ready to start investing in the car:
1. Seat / wheel: they actually do help a lot.
2. Suspension: I run Powered by Max coil overs, and they've been great. BC is always a fantastic choice as well, and there are tons of other great brands like Fortune Auto and Driftworks/HSD. Megan/D2 are also cheap coilovers that perform decent, but they are cheap coilovers. I'd say go with BC coilovers, SPL suspension arms. Check your control arm / subframe bushings. If they're shot, replace with solid ones. I have full solid SPL bushings and the car feels super solid and awesome.
3. Differential: Either get a good LSD or just get a welded. The money you save on a welded (if you choose to go that route) will net you more seat time and tires. But, welded driving vs. LSD driving is totally different, and welded is much harder to be competitive with because you really have to understand exactly how it works and how to drive it.
4. Power: Don't waste your money on big turbo kits and junk. Just get bolt ons and a tune. That's all you need to be competitive. There are 600whp E36's, LSx powered s-chassis, 400whp JZ powered S-chassis, etc. in the series I compete in, and if you know how to drive your car a little 260whp Z33 can keep up with them. It's all about seat time and knowing how to make the car do what you want it to do. You are going to beat the **** out of your motor though, be warned.
If you feel your differential is going out right now, I'd say seriously consider either snagging another VLSD from a junk yard until you can save up some funds to get a good diff. Snagging another VLSD from a junk yard or snagging an open differential and getting it welded is a cheap way to make sure your car isn't going to be fighting drift, and you'll get to use the money you save to go to more events and get more seat time.
In terms of alignment, if you don't know what to get for your alignment you want more camber up front, less in back. Toe out in the front will give the front more bite, but will ruin your tires quicker. I've driven with both toe out in the front and no toe in the front, either way works. Just worry about the camber and around 9* of caster or so. For reference, I personally run around 3.8* of negative camber up front. That'll probably change once the dude making my new custom knuckles finishes.
In the back I'm running around .5* of negative camber with no toe, and if there is any toe it's very very slight toe in. Toe in on the rear will make the rear feel a little more planted or stable I guess you could say. This set up has been working for me for last season and this season, and I finished top 10 last season and have been qualifying in the top 10 and finishing in the top 10 at both events so far this season.It's all about preference though, my setup may not work with yours. It's all about playing around with things and figuring out what works for you and your style of driving. When I let my friend drive my car he would link the course and it would look great but with no tire smoke, I got back in the car and I was on the limiter the entire time with lots more smoke angle and speed, but it's only because I know everything about my car and am so used to it. Anyone can hop into anyone's car and drive it, but you won't be able to really drive the **** out of it unless you REALLY know the car. That's seriously so important it's not even funny.
Hope this helps.
05-31-2013, 09:23 AM
#25
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^^^
Very detailed answer!
+1 to bushing
The LCA bushing and compression bushing, I would switch out to SPL!
Again more seat time, most the crashes in my club/any club are due to those missed experiences you get from pushing your car to the limit!
Most Z driver and basically any sports car driver can't even complete a power slide let alone drift through a green light.
Keep us posted!
Very detailed answer!
+1 to bushing
The LCA bushing and compression bushing, I would switch out to SPL!
Again more seat time, most the crashes in my club/any club are due to those missed experiences you get from pushing your car to the limit!
Most Z driver and basically any sports car driver can't even complete a power slide let alone drift through a green light.
Keep us posted!
06-01-2013, 08:45 AM
#28
People's say seat time then mods. I agree but mod up quick makes the experience more enjoyable. My 2way differential from tomei over my busted *** stock vlsd gave me so much more predictability and control. The Pbm super angle kit for a beginner would be forgiving and you would spin out less and when you start learning ur car you would be able to actually use All that extreme angle. Also having adjustable suspension and Coilovers is a big one. Taking body roll out helps you transition without ur body roll catching up and spinning you out. You don't need a huge hydro ebrake to drift. You use it to correct angle manley or to do long slides. I have one and barley use it. I do just messing around or practice days or for long slides but don't need it. I'd be fine without it but its nice to have.
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