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converting AWD to RWD for drift...


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Ok, old school 4wd subes, you remove the front axles, and put the stubs back in and have at it. RWD! Does this still work with the AWD? Anything different about the center diff in the AWD versus the old school 4WD? Any loss of power if it does work?

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Ok, old school 4wd subes, you remove the front axles, and put the stubs back in and have at it. RWD! Does this still work with the AWD? Anything different about the center diff in the AWD versus the old school 4WD? Any loss of power if it does work?

 

You have to remove the transmission, and remove the center diffferential/transfer clutch assembly, and have the spider gears in the differential (or the viscous coupling, depends on the year) welded. You are better off just leaving it, you can still drift an AWD car, it's just harder :brow: *cough* e-brake *cough*

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my 87 gl wagon is set up to drift, and like someone posted, you have to weld the center diff, and possibly the rear diff... when the ej20 motor was swapped in, the power of the motor kept snapping all the rear diffs, so now the car has a welded rear diff... works reliably, but causes fast tire wear.

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You can make anything drift, on pavement, anyway. All you have to do is change the relative tire pressures and the tail end will come right out, especially if you pitch the nose in.

 

I used to drive a VW Scirocco on a road course, and as I recall we had about 42-44psi in the front, and about 30 psi in the rear. The body and suspension would flex enough in some turns that you could get the inside rear wheel up in the air, and if you tapped the brakes (while staying on the throttle, another technique to get FWD cars to go tail-out) the inside rear wheel would be completely stationary for the duration of the turn. Entertaining.

 

I've never bothered goofing around with this on our 97 OBW because my driving skills aren't what they used to be, and relentless understeer is often a Good Thing on public roads.

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To drift my legacy (on dirt), I just let up on the gas at the start of the turn, then punch it. Letting off shifts the weight to the front wheels, letting the rear spin when i punch it. I've gotten the car close to broadside many times :banana: Only thing i have to watch for is trees. They always seem to pop up at the wrong time. I haven't perfected the exit yet, I still fishtail for a bit. main thing is to not let off on the gas at exit. bad times. I only missed a 20 in diameter pine tree by about 3 in. I was sh*ttin bricks.

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Ever since I got my first Suby and feared that doughnuts were a thing of the past. Its a matter of practice. I turn the wheel hard to the inside of the turn while hitting the gas hard. The rear will swing out and stay out as long as you keep the gas on. Point the wheels in the dierction of the slide as soon as it breaks loose and steer with the gas. when its time to stop turning ease up on the gas and keep the front wheels pointing in the direction of travel. When the rear starts to catch and center itself hit the gas again to prevent the fishtail or a violent return of traction and you can mahe a smooth transition under full accell.Go play in the snow. Thats where to practice. Get used to having the wheels loose and using the gas to steer in the snow and the transition to dirt is easy. If y'all live in the south take a vacation in the north.

Kahoona

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Learn to use your brakes to kick the rear out.. and I'm not talking about the E-brake. Enter the turn to the point where your front wheels are on the edge of breaking loose, transfer as much weight to the outside side of the car as possible and roll onto the brakes and watch as the rump roast end kicks out, while keeping enough gas to have the front pull you back out.

 

Takes a bit (note: a lot depending on how smooth you are) of practice, but its alot easier, cheaper, and more satisfying than chopping your drivetrain to bits and just hammering the throttle to whip the back out.

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  • 17 years later...

I installed a 9-Drive electronic gas pedal in my 05 Legacy GT Limited, I knew absolutely nothing about this and that really wakes up your engine up with no added torque or horsepower even though I can’t do a burnout with the AWD. I haven’t tried this but I’m sure that will make drifting in dirt or snow a lot easier with the slightest push of the gas pedal to get throttle response. If anyone is interested, just search Google, eBay or Amazon for an Electronic Gas Pedal for your car/truck.

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46 minutes ago, Turbone said:

Good info, but you might want to look at post dates in the future

This thread is from 04 ;)

And still a good read from start to finish!

Now waiting for the edit of the thread revival post to be edited with a dodgy link in the next week or so (also happy to be proven wrong)! 

Cheers 

Bennie

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The easiest thing to do is learn how your car loses traction (driving in snow is my favorite) as many have described here. Another thing that can help would be reducing the weight in the rear of the car and increasing the rear tire pressure by a few PSI that will help reduce oversteer in hard cornering.

However I tend to stick to drifting in snow only. Dirt drifting/rally driving is reeeeally hard on the suspension/undercarriage/brakes/wheels and tires. Watch some videos on youtube of the mods they do to the Subarus they use at the drifting school out here in the PNW. I wouldn't want to put my Daily through that abuse with how much I pay to maintain it.

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