WHHHeelbase: An insightful discussion...

[Pittsy]

The topic at hand, The FC RX7 wHeelbase.

(wHy am I saying wHat wHat wHay?)


According to Wikiwhatever, the wheelbase for the FC is 95.7 in (2431 mm).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_RX-7

This is somewhere around 2" shorter than the ever-popular S13 (97.4 in, 2474 mm).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_240SX



What are everyone's thoughts on the effects this difference makes on the drifting characteristics of the FC, all other suspension differences aside? (Hell, talk about the effects the other susp differences make too if you feel like it.)

2" doesn't sound like much, but the S14 has a wheelbase of 99.4 in (2525 mm), aprox 2" longer than the S13, & there has been alot of talk about the differences in these two. Also, the AE86 has a wheelbase of 94.5 in (2,400 mm)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_AE86

just 2.2" shorter than the FC, and is known for being rather twitchy, not wanting to "hang itself out there".


Discuss.

[Dr. Marlow]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_AE86

just 2.2" shorter than the FC, and is known for being rather twitchy, not wanting to "hang itself out there".

thats what makes it fun

[jsquared]

With my limited FC experience I can say that the wheelbase did feel shorter when I 1st started driving it near the limit, it felt like it wanted to step out sooner and was a tad quicker on turn-in for sure. Probably about comparable to the difference between an S14 and S13 like you said.

[P.Haire]

it doesn't really matter.

[Lightning]

I thought a longer wheelbase allowed you to go to a deeper angle if your car could?

[Greg]

I thought a longer wheelbase allowed you to go to a deeper angle if your car could?

that's steering angle

[Lightning]

that came out wrong.


What I was meaing to say was: if you have enough steering angle, I thought a longer wheelbase was more stable during drift while allowing you to keep a bigger angle, provided you did not run out of steering angle.

[P.Haire]

yeah wheelbase means nothing except maybe that the longer the wheel base the more your car weighs.

most people with an s chassis install traction rods which shortens the wheel base and then they add caster and that changes the wheel base some more. all you really need to know about drifting is that this is possible.
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and this
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and this
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[Greg]

Haruguchi's hair is dreamy.

[icantdrift]

the quick answer

shorter is less stable but quicker to transition
longer is more stable and slower to transition


but with good suspension tuning you can make them all good.

[kOOpA]

lots of things can be done to make a car's rear want to "stay out" easier, enough to make any one parameter at least close to irrelevant. but if we are eliminating all the other variables, and just looking at the effects of wheelbase length, then yeah, longer cars drift easier, along with cars that are longer in relation to their width.

the closer you get to making your wheelbase square, the more tendency your car will have to spin. after drifting the miata for so long, even hachis feel like cheating to me so the fc's wheelbase should be more than sufficient for awesome shit.

and yeah, i could just watch haruguchi doing that entry all day every day

edit: and wtf is up with talking about drifting on dm? isn't this some sort of treason?

edit edit: reread the original post. to answer your final concern wes, fc's are known for being twitchy because they are proper sports cars, so they unfortunately have decent structural rigidity. so they have a lot greater inclination to maintain grip than other, uhhh, cars that were designed for a different consumer base (look at my diplomatic ass!).

it's all good dude, that's what 60psi and camber is for! i believe any fr car can be drifted if you drive it like you hate it enough ^^

[P.Haire]

they are twitchy because the rear toe changes as the suspension moves. people make parts so that doesn't happen anymore.

[DJones]

they are twitchy because the rear toe changes as the suspension moves. people make parts so that doesn't happen anymore.

The s2000 did that too. God that car used to piss me off. ...but, I became a better driver because of it.

[dope.didly]

actually wheel base I think has alot to do with it, Many of us have drifted multiple cars but it does make quite the difference. From the factory stand point the cars are made with limits for safety reasons mostly, but they are typically a heavier cars, transitions appear to be smoother, not snappy like corollas or miatas, they usually have more powerful engines as well,

I have been looking to get another car but the research is killing me when I'm trying to consider what options I would go for and the effect caused by such, the truth remains though:

the possibilities are endless, adjusting driving style comes with change,

I mean really, nascar craftsmen truck series engine in a traditional front wheel drive car with a that short of a wheel base, will not be a consistent ride, I think anyway

I think drifting needs to start seperating the classes, some of these cars are getting out of hand

[P.Haire]

not to be a dick or anything but your post is bumming my stoke. if you a researching a drift car then you are doing it wrong. go have some fun already.