[dimmy32]

Like every WRX owner, we all need to know how to drift.
I was practicing after a snow storm in a shopping mall parking lot...empty lot.

Is it best to have the traction assist button on or off, while drifting around and doing circles ??
Does it potentially damage the car in any way, if the traction control is on of off ?

 

[EJ257]

The only reason you partake in such shenanigans is to make sure you're familiar with your vehicles handling characteristics. By doing them in an empty parking lot, you're able to make mistakes and figure out how to correct the vehicle when you lose traction, without the risk of damaging your vehicle or others.

These shenanigans are meant to train you as a driver so that if you happen to accidentally lose control while operating on public roadways, you're able to mitigate the situation and regain control to avoid any kind of accident.

How do you operate your vehicle on public roadways? That is how you should have your vehicle setup when performing said shenanigans.


That said...

The big thing to be wary of is your power steering pump. Operating the vehicle while on full-lock for extended periods of time has been the death of many power steering pumps, and you should avoid that.

 

[SD_GR]

Like every WRX owner, we all need to know how to drift.

No we don't.

Is it best to have the traction assist button on or off, while drifting around and doing circles ??

Yes. Notice I've not addressed the actual question.

Does it potentially damage the car in any way, if the traction control is on of off ?

Yes.

That said, I'd do this all day in your car. Not mine though.

I'm more worried about the steering pump frankly but not all that much -- again, it's not my car.

 

[dimmy32]

Of course, i am in no way condoning reckless driving practices...the act of drifting in a parking lot is purely educational, and a means of learning the limits of safe handling, to ensure better driving practices.

Having viewed your responses, I do not think it is worth damaging a steering pump over this.
Sounds like an expensive job, that is most likely not covered under my non-Subaru warranty.

HOWEVER...my understanding is that a WRX was built as a sort of rally car ? ..and don't rally cars drift around corners ?? I guess rally cars must blow out steering pumps often !

Thanks for the advice guys !

 

[RayfieldsWRX]

It's important to realize (and it's a common misconception) that the production WRX is NOT a rally car. Back in the day, it was "inspired" by cars that Subaru was racing in the World Rally Championship, but those were specialized, expensive machines, quite different from what you pick up from the local Subaru dealer. These cars have more in common with a Toyota Camry than they do with Colin McRae's '97 WRC machine.

All that said..when I got my first WRX in 2002, I was still relatively young, a mere 35 years old, and after a frozen backpacking trip, I had the opportunity to spin it around in an icy parking lot. I started to do it, but the engineer in me intervened, and wouldn't let me get too wild...stupid engineer.

 

[fastcar]

Get a 15+ WRX they don't have a power steering pump. Problem solved.

 

[zax]

Get a 15+ WRX they don't have a power steering pump. Problem solved.

2015+ WRX still have the viscous center differential that will be easily damaged by prolonged traction difference front:aft.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[fastcar]

2015+ WRX still have the viscous center differential that will be easily damaged by prolonged traction difference front:aft.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

Yea but imagine how many views I'll get on my youtube video bro! *techno music playing*

 

[zax]

Yea but imagine how many views I'll get on my youtube video bro! *techno music playing*

That is very true. Enough ad revenue to weld your differential. #sweet

Eurobeat intensifies....

 

[Jbravo_AK]

Like others have said its not a car designed to rally. If I had a dollar for everytime someone asked me have you rallied your car I think I could fund a small business. Its worth a try once in a controlled place but i wouldn't make it an every weekend thing for fear of hurting my car mechanically or wrapping it around a lightpole.

 

[dimmy32]

So how much drifting can one do, before any damages occur ? I guess it's random ?

 

[dorsodurojohn]

The only reason you partake in such shenanigans is to make sure you're familiar with your vehicles handling characteristics. By doing them in an empty parking lot, you're able to make mistakes and figure out how to correct the vehicle when you lose traction, without the risk of damaging your vehicle or others.

These shenanigans are meant to train you as a driver so that if you happen to accidentally lose control while operating on public roadways, you're able to mitigate the situation and regain control to avoid any kind of accident.

How do you operate your vehicle on public roadways? That is how you should have your vehicle setup when performing said shenanigans.


That said...

The big thing to be wary of is your power steering pump. Operating the vehicle while on full-lock for extended periods of time has been the death of many power steering pumps, and you should avoid that.

Yeah, like his dog is practicing humping that pink panther, for when it actually happens some day!

 

[Sasquatch]

Yeah, like his dog is practicing humping that pink panther, for when it actually happens some day!

.......................................... :shakehead:

 

[rexxx0486]

So how much drifting can one do, before any damages occur ? I guess it's random ?

I did plenty in my bugeye that I put like 50k on, no issues*. However, I work for Subaru, I had autocrossed it a bunch already, it was out of warranty, and it was my second car just for fun so I wasn't really worried really about breaking stuff. ymmv

*professional driver, closed course

 

[Jbravo_AK]

So how much drifting can one do, before any damages occur ? I guess it's random ?

Depends on so many things, Conditions, your driving, the vehicle, maintenance history, fuel, tires, ect. Will it break you taking it out once or twice, probably not. Then again I don't know what year or car we are talking about here.

 

[dimmy32]

View attachment 303073
Its this magnificent beast....a 2012.

 

[Camaromjr]

It would seem that Subaru is building a very fragile car. No AutoX (voids warranty). No HPDE track events (voids warranty). No 1/4 drag racing (voids warranty). No playing the snow (too dangerous and breaks things on car -- voids warranty).

Exactly what fun can you have in a Subaru? Drive very sedately, at least 10 miles an hour under the speed limit and never offer a cornering load above 3/10ths of a G?

 

[zax]

This thread is a waste of digital ink and nothing good will come from it. I think OP's question has been sufficiently answered.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[RayfieldsWRX]

IATL!

 

[EJ257]

Yeah, like his dog is practicing humping that pink panther, for when it actually happens some day!

Just because your practice never amounted to anything, that doesn't mean you should ruin the hopes/dreams of that puppy...what did the puppy ever do to you?


That script is a good way to handle the inevitable LEO intervention that's bound to happen with said shenanigans. They often appreciate that you're trying to make yourself a safer driver overall, and will typically just ask you to leave the premises with a warning.