quick newb. question about Turning
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Seattle
Hard to be sure from reading a description, but my guess is you're not easing off the brakes smoothly enough.
Smoothness is very important to keeping the chassis settled. All your actions should be smooth, but that doesn't mean slow! Ease quickly onto the brake, ease quickly off of it, and ease onto throttle a bit.
Once you are more experienced, smooth, and consistent, you will eventually start trail braking. That is where you are still easing off of the brake as you start your turn-in. Once completely off the brakes, you start easing onto the throttle as you continue turn-in.
All braking, shifting, and back onto maintenance throttle is the safe way to learn. It's too easy to make a mistake trying to trail brake and upset the car's balance while you have steering input -> spin. Work on that smoothness and consistency of your line before you try trail braking.
Hope that helps,
Ted
Smoothness is very important to keeping the chassis settled. All your actions should be smooth, but that doesn't mean slow! Ease quickly onto the brake, ease quickly off of it, and ease onto throttle a bit.
Once you are more experienced, smooth, and consistent, you will eventually start trail braking. That is where you are still easing off of the brake as you start your turn-in. Once completely off the brakes, you start easing onto the throttle as you continue turn-in.
All braking, shifting, and back onto maintenance throttle is the safe way to learn. It's too easy to make a mistake trying to trail brake and upset the car's balance while you have steering input -> spin. Work on that smoothness and consistency of your line before you try trail braking.
Hope that helps,
Ted
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 22,888
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From: Covington WA, USA
I highly recommend you read some of the very good books on this subject.
The normal way this is taught is to start with the following sequence:
1) Brake in a straight line. Do any downshifting that is necessary. (Do not downshift too early so that you avoid over-rev, but also you do not have to wait to downshift until the very last moment.)
2) Then get back on maintenance throttle.
3) Turn in, and let the car "take a set" on the suspension.
4) When you can, start to smoothly add on more throttle and simultaneously ease off on the steering angle. The car will accelerate and straighten out.
You are correct that the sequence as I have described does mean you have to brake a little earlier than is really necessary. As Ted described, if you are very smooth you can start to trailbrake. But this is less safe, because if you make a mistake (not smooth enough) you are much more likely to spin the car. That is why it is not taught until after the driver learns the necessary smoothness.
The normal way this is taught is to start with the following sequence:
1) Brake in a straight line. Do any downshifting that is necessary. (Do not downshift too early so that you avoid over-rev, but also you do not have to wait to downshift until the very last moment.)
2) Then get back on maintenance throttle.
3) Turn in, and let the car "take a set" on the suspension.
4) When you can, start to smoothly add on more throttle and simultaneously ease off on the steering angle. The car will accelerate and straighten out.
You are correct that the sequence as I have described does mean you have to brake a little earlier than is really necessary. As Ted described, if you are very smooth you can start to trailbrake. But this is less safe, because if you make a mistake (not smooth enough) you are much more likely to spin the car. That is why it is not taught until after the driver learns the necessary smoothness.
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