Driving tip for Porsche 911`s
Discussion
I hear a lot of people talking about what to do if you "lose" the back end of a 911 when driving. Generally the advice is to "keep your foot rooted to the gas and turn into the spin", ie. if the car`s trying to spin to the right turn the wheel to the left.
On the road I`d think that advice would probably cause more problems in 80% of cases.
The reason most people loose the car is because they are accelerating too hard and the back end loses grip through a wheel-spining. If you`re turning the steering wheel when this happens the back of the car will swing round. Accelerating more will in fact increase the "wheel spin" at the back an worsten the situation.
This type of spin is most common when accelerating from low speed, particularly in a low gear like on a roundabout or slip road for instance.
The way to sort things out is to lift off the gas and try and balance the throttle so the wheel spinning stops. Don`t completely lift off the gas or brake.
The time you need to keep your foot on the power is when you`re cornering at high speed in a high gear on a good gripping surface and the back end starts to break away. In that instance applying power in effect loads the rear of the car with more weight and helps the tyres to grip. Once again never brake or lift off the power as this will effectively lighten the weight on the back tyres.
Sorry if this all sounds obvious and basic stuff but I`ll bet there are a load of people reading the forum who don`t differentiate between the two types of spinning and just remeber the advice to accelerate more.
In reality most spins occur accelerating from low speed and turning, mother nature and papa Porsche combine to help you avoid the high speed spin. Mother nature because you shit yourself when approaching a bend at high speed and tend to slow down before you arrive there. Papa Porsche because he engineers the car so that it understeers (you feel the steering wheel go light)first before it oversteers (the back end swings round).
If you do feel the steering wheel go light then once again very gently lift off the gas a little to balance the power (again don`t lift off fully or brake), and turn out of the bend if you can to help re-gain front grip, (ie. if you`re turning to the right then move the wheel to the left a bit to "open the bend up" as much as possible.
Best bit of advice - avoid the car sliding in the first place by driving slower, making sure your tyres are in good condition and reading the road. If there is a petrol station on a roundabout or junction don`t be too surprised if there is some residual diesel on the road surface from overfilled vehicles !
Keep smiling - Henry
On the road I`d think that advice would probably cause more problems in 80% of cases.
The reason most people loose the car is because they are accelerating too hard and the back end loses grip through a wheel-spining. If you`re turning the steering wheel when this happens the back of the car will swing round. Accelerating more will in fact increase the "wheel spin" at the back an worsten the situation.
This type of spin is most common when accelerating from low speed, particularly in a low gear like on a roundabout or slip road for instance.
The way to sort things out is to lift off the gas and try and balance the throttle so the wheel spinning stops. Don`t completely lift off the gas or brake.
The time you need to keep your foot on the power is when you`re cornering at high speed in a high gear on a good gripping surface and the back end starts to break away. In that instance applying power in effect loads the rear of the car with more weight and helps the tyres to grip. Once again never brake or lift off the power as this will effectively lighten the weight on the back tyres.
Sorry if this all sounds obvious and basic stuff but I`ll bet there are a load of people reading the forum who don`t differentiate between the two types of spinning and just remeber the advice to accelerate more.
In reality most spins occur accelerating from low speed and turning, mother nature and papa Porsche combine to help you avoid the high speed spin. Mother nature because you shit yourself when approaching a bend at high speed and tend to slow down before you arrive there. Papa Porsche because he engineers the car so that it understeers (you feel the steering wheel go light)first before it oversteers (the back end swings round).
If you do feel the steering wheel go light then once again very gently lift off the gas a little to balance the power (again don`t lift off fully or brake), and turn out of the bend if you can to help re-gain front grip, (ie. if you`re turning to the right then move the wheel to the left a bit to "open the bend up" as much as possible.
Best bit of advice - avoid the car sliding in the first place by driving slower, making sure your tyres are in good condition and reading the road. If there is a petrol station on a roundabout or junction don`t be too surprised if there is some residual diesel on the road surface from overfilled vehicles !
Keep smiling - Henry
The fact that the bend is adverse camber doesn`t really matter. All that means is that the car will lose grip at lower lateral G than if the road were flat or positive camber.
Remember that when you go downhill several things happen. Firstly there is more weight to the front wheels and less to the rears. And secondly as you press on the gas the car will accelerate faster but at the same time putting less weight (for the given amount of acceleration) on the back wheels. Going up the hill it`s the other way round. Just to keep a constant speed your car`s back end will have more weight on it than if you were traveling at a constant speed on a flat road.
What usually catches people out coming round a down hill bend is that the car "runs away with them" and they have to brake or lift off the gas half way round the bend.
Paddock hill at Brands Hatch is a perfect example. Poeple go down the hill try and lift off then the back end comes round and the car oversteers to the right. The trick is to turn in and try to be on the gas from the apex then hold the gas flat all the way. That way you`re giving the back end the best possible chance.
Once again better to come out of the corner a little too slowly thinking you`ve "got a bit in reserve" than realising mid corner you`re going too fast.
Henry
Remember that when you go downhill several things happen. Firstly there is more weight to the front wheels and less to the rears. And secondly as you press on the gas the car will accelerate faster but at the same time putting less weight (for the given amount of acceleration) on the back wheels. Going up the hill it`s the other way round. Just to keep a constant speed your car`s back end will have more weight on it than if you were traveling at a constant speed on a flat road.
What usually catches people out coming round a down hill bend is that the car "runs away with them" and they have to brake or lift off the gas half way round the bend.
Paddock hill at Brands Hatch is a perfect example. Poeple go down the hill try and lift off then the back end comes round and the car oversteers to the right. The trick is to turn in and try to be on the gas from the apex then hold the gas flat all the way. That way you`re giving the back end the best possible chance.
Once again better to come out of the corner a little too slowly thinking you`ve "got a bit in reserve" than realising mid corner you`re going too fast.
Henry
A parental warning. Obviously don`t try any of this stuff at home kids !
Seriously - all the talk of lines through corners, drifting and so on are only ever applicable on a race track or closed circuit where you can use the whole of the road width.
Your road fun licence (assuming you bother) only allows you to use half the road. Not only that people using transport systems called walking, cycling, horse riding and so on also share the space. You will look a tw*t if you come into contact with any of the above. Very few roads have run off areas as good as the Craners either !
The delicate inputs are really applicable at all times, not just in the wet. Try not to upset the car by either asking it to change direction too harshly or change your mind half way through a change of direction. Driving a car is a lot like making love to a beautiful woman !
Swiss Henry.
Seriously - all the talk of lines through corners, drifting and so on are only ever applicable on a race track or closed circuit where you can use the whole of the road width.
Your road fun licence (assuming you bother) only allows you to use half the road. Not only that people using transport systems called walking, cycling, horse riding and so on also share the space. You will look a tw*t if you come into contact with any of the above. Very few roads have run off areas as good as the Craners either !
The delicate inputs are really applicable at all times, not just in the wet. Try not to upset the car by either asking it to change direction too harshly or change your mind half way through a change of direction. Driving a car is a lot like making love to a beautiful woman !
Swiss Henry.
Rubystone. Yes the car oversteers to the right. In other words the back of the car slips away towards the outside of the (right handed) corner and the car "turns" to the right.
Druids is actually one of the most risky corners at Brands. Certainly it hosts lots of contact between competitors and exits from the circuit. It is the slowest part of the track and so you feel more confident. The risks are running out of brakes going into the corner. Carrying too much speed into the corner and spinning or putting too much power down too soon and hitting either wall as you exit towards Graham Hill bend.
A lovely circuit with bags of character. Every time you go there it seems to get more undulated !
Keep your eyes peeled for the Porsche event of the decade being held there next year !!
Henry
Druids is actually one of the most risky corners at Brands. Certainly it hosts lots of contact between competitors and exits from the circuit. It is the slowest part of the track and so you feel more confident. The risks are running out of brakes going into the corner. Carrying too much speed into the corner and spinning or putting too much power down too soon and hitting either wall as you exit towards Graham Hill bend.
A lovely circuit with bags of character. Every time you go there it seems to get more undulated !
Keep your eyes peeled for the Porsche event of the decade being held there next year !!
Henry
Which one !
Le Mans when I managed to catch the old girl through a rather sodden Dunlop curve and literally just folded the wing mirror in, (no damage and even managed to fold the mirror back before coming back to the pits !!)......
Or Folembray where an excursion 2 feet off the track involved a trip to my friends the painters !!
Incidentally a lovely circuit Folembray but bloody lethal on a track day. Little or no run off and no marshalls to prevent you running into an already stricken vehicle, particularly on the blind right hander under the bridge.
When you race cars you`re assured of denting a few panels. You`re chasing the outside envelope of a car`s performance and that doesn`t leave any comfort zone. A quick lap as a driver is actually quite an uncomfortable experience. Even when we do a track day we approach it from a different angle to the guy who doesn`t compete. Whilst we don`t want to total the car there is little point in pottering round a track in the comfort zone, especially if it`s a track you know.
That`s the problem I`m faced with for next year in the GT3. It`s going to be a very tough season as I`ve got to spend a lot of time outside the comfort zone trying to raise my game to compete against some very talented drivers.
As I`ve said on more than one occasion - a tough life - who`d want it ?
Henry
Le Mans when I managed to catch the old girl through a rather sodden Dunlop curve and literally just folded the wing mirror in, (no damage and even managed to fold the mirror back before coming back to the pits !!)......
Or Folembray where an excursion 2 feet off the track involved a trip to my friends the painters !!
Incidentally a lovely circuit Folembray but bloody lethal on a track day. Little or no run off and no marshalls to prevent you running into an already stricken vehicle, particularly on the blind right hander under the bridge.
When you race cars you`re assured of denting a few panels. You`re chasing the outside envelope of a car`s performance and that doesn`t leave any comfort zone. A quick lap as a driver is actually quite an uncomfortable experience. Even when we do a track day we approach it from a different angle to the guy who doesn`t compete. Whilst we don`t want to total the car there is little point in pottering round a track in the comfort zone, especially if it`s a track you know.
That`s the problem I`m faced with for next year in the GT3. It`s going to be a very tough season as I`ve got to spend a lot of time outside the comfort zone trying to raise my game to compete against some very talented drivers.
As I`ve said on more than one occasion - a tough life - who`d want it ?
Henry
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