Hi I have been practicing shuffle but fail to see the advantage it has over the traditional "hand-over-hand" method. Can someone enlighten moi?

 

What is shuffle steering?

 

The first time I drove on a track I used an instructor. He told me to do a couple of laps the way that I normally drive. At the time I was 18 and I thought I was bad a--. I drove hand over hand and thought my times were pretty decent. Then he told me to shuffle my hands instead of going hand over hand. Guess what, I was faster shuffling my hands even though it felt uncomfortable at first. Why it is better is because when you are going into a turn fast any jerky motions on the wheel can cause you to lose control. With both hands on the wheel you can turn the car more smoothly(if that is a word). Also it is very important to use your dead pedal too, they put it their for a reason.

 

When you have to change direction in a car, you hand usually go over one another to keep pulling in one direction to get enough turn in the wheels. This is the hand over hand.

In shuffle steering, you hands never cross each other nor do they cross the 12 o'clock mark. One hand will push the steering and then the other hand will pull, but both are not done at the same time. The action looks like you are "shuffling" or "juggling" the steering wheel.

 

The steering is so fast in this car I

 

So the purpose of shuffle steering is for smoothness only? Not saying it is a small thing because it is not, but is it the only reason?

 

Smoothness is not the only reason for shuffle steering.

For example (you may need to do this in your car the next time to see what I mean) in hand overhand steering when one hand reaches its extreme the other crosses over to grab the wheel. At this point you can only turn the wheel in one direction until your other hand is in position. In shuffle steering since both hands are on the wheel you can react very quickly and move the wheel in either direction. (Interestingly in hand over hand steering there is also a brief moment in time when it is difficult to move the wheel in any direction-when one hand reaches its peak the other crosses and grabs on, before the hand at its peak lets go the wheel can't be moved in either direction) Shuffle steering is a technique designed for quick and controled responses with both hands in contact with the wheel. Hand over hand is a lazy method (which is fine for lazy driving) when you are turning in a relaxed fashion.

Hand over hand is less fluid than shuffle steering and the apex of each hand is accompanied by a brief period in time when you can only steer in one direction. In other words your hands work against each other.

(Hope this helps.) When you get used to shuffle steering it is much more reliable, efficient and effective for performance driving, be it on the street or the track.

[Edited by hpalmer on 05-23-2001 at 08:50 PM]

 

Hpalmer, good review. I have been practicing this type of steering ever since I took the Ride and Drive sponsored by Car and Driver, etc., with Mingster and my son a couple of weeks ago. The Skip Barber "pro" at the event explained it in somewhat the same way, about not being able to turn in certain direction when the arms are crossed, and your explanation makes it even clearer.

Shuffle steering does feel rather strange at first, and I am still getting used to it and would like it to become second nature.

 

Err...

Shuffle steering is definitely NOT the way to go in short lock to lock steering systems like many open wheel racers. I don't remember seeing any F1 racers using that kind of steering and they seen to be plenty smooth to me.

Shuffle steering is used (as a crutch) to overcome a deficiency in the car- namely, the steering. It's sort of like how heel/tow downshift pedal technique is different in most passenger cars vs. racecars. In many cases, "shuffle" steering is used when high torque in combination with low leverage is needed to turn the wheel- karts come to mind...

 

Just watched the video of that Ruf Porsche on the Nurburgring. Probably a good example of shuffle steering with subtle changes of where the steering wheel is being held. Rarely the hands are really cranking over past 12oclock, but even that had to be done in 3-4 places.