No drifting/handbrake turn

[CollinMB]

IMO drifting has it's place it's a good technique to have under your belt if you're doing any high performance drving. However, with a FWD car all you can really do is powerslide it. Drifting requires you to control the amount of steering angle there is through a turn, which can only realistically be achieved using RWD. also, unless you are on a track I would not advise doing this as it is much harder to control and much more dangerous than it would be in RWD.

It is possible though: FF Dori: The Honda Civic Drifter

 

[FiestaSTan]

 

[KKaWing]

Need to beat Takumi in Mount Akina later?

Don't hit the rails!

 

[SloCal]

As I'm getting shit on in this thread may I take a moment to just throw this out there. The target market for this car is early 20s enthusiasts. Now I don't know about u but I enjoy the cars dynamics however every once in a while if I want to handbrake drift into a parking spot then by all means I will because it's my car. I simply asked if there was something I was missing. Not for anyone's opinions. Yes rwd drifting is fun but I've had enough pants shitting moments doing that and lift off oversteer does not produce donuts so I was merely wondering why the handbrake was too weak to lock up the back end in a half mile open parking lot

 

[GateCityRadio]

Because you bought the wrong car, you meant to buy the late 90s Honda civic with the body kit and park bench wing.

 

[TheStig]

Please post your vin so we can warn people what car not to buy used off the lot.

I can see it now. "New rear brakes, new rear wheels, new paint job, new rear bumper, never molested."

 

[rodmoe]

Late to the game here but have you tried a more aggresive rear brake pad and maybe check the ebrake handle setting found on this forum to see if it is up to spec ?
What you do with your car is no different than someone like me that tracks the car in the summer heat and uses up the brakes that way. Though not my cup of tea it is more fun in winter and having had a FRS I understand the fun that can be had on a wet round about all alone At least you are not street racing in a school zone !!
Here is the link to Ebrake adjustment if you need it LINKY.
Also check tire rack they seem to have a few sets of rear pads that might suit your need.. Oh and you may want to air up your rear tires to help them break loose as they would be more crowned and less tread flush on the ground..

 

[Pete]

Also do the Octane Academey if you havent already. They will teach you how to ebrake park, 180, and even reverse 180. Then there is the skid car, that is an adventure on its own.

 

[SloCal]

Also do the Octane Academey if you havent already. They will teach you how to ebrake park, 180, and even reverse 180. Then there is the skid car, that is an adventure on its own.

Your car makes me regret not buying green.

 

[dyn085]

As I'm getting shit on in this thread may I take a moment to just throw this out there. The target market for this car is early 20s enthusiasts. Now I don't know about u but I enjoy the cars dynamics however every once in a while if I want to handbrake drift into a parking spot then by all means I will because it's my car. I simply asked if there was something I was missing. Not for anyone's opinions. Yes rwd drifting is fun but I've had enough pants shitting moments doing that and lift off oversteer does not produce donuts so I was merely wondering why the handbrake was too weak to lock up the back end in a half mile open parking lot

There's nothing wrong with wanting to do that and I would be lying if I said I didn't do it at that age. But also try and understand that if you post on the internet you're going to get internet responses, and the target audience for the ST is above the 20-somethings. Most of us have 'been there' and 'done that' and there's a reason we don't condone it.

With that being said, the 'parking' brake is most likely mechanical and has some form of spring to avoid cable stretch from pulling it too hard. I haven't looked because I haven't cared, but I would guess that that is the cause. If having that ability is that important to you then crawl under your car and figure out what is causing your 'problem'.

 

[CollinMB]

Because drifting is for shitted beater RWD cars, not for brand new FWD cars. I'm in my mid twenties and I also have a Miata, which is the car I would use if I wanted to go drifting. Don't be an idiot, if you want to go sideways get something that is set up for it and isn't going to bankrupt you when you break it

 

[Pete]

Your car makes me regret not buying green.

Thanks! And pictures really dont do justice on the green compared to in person. Also I am 24 and occasionally do ebrake turns. But mainly on dirt roads with no one around. I did them a lot more last year after the octane academy. But since I upgraded my suspension on got stickier tires I havent touched a dirt patch. If you want sideways fun get some mudflaps and find a dirt parking lot!

 

[koozy]

I asked the guys at STOA and their experience and opinion was the stock e-brakes aren't up to snuff for longterm e-drifting. the cable will stretch, etc. that's why STOA out fitted their cars with their custom Wilwood e-brake system.

 

[Gone in 60]

This has got me thinking... let me preface by saying that I'm 47. Clearly out of the main target market for this car, but I can pay for this one and have fun, or lease a five-series BMW and try to impress people.
I travel a lot for business, which means I'm in rental cars a lot. And, like any red-blooded American on a boring business trip, my only release is to abuse said rental cars. What I've found, over the past few years, is that parking brakes, in general on newer cars, don't have the grab that they once did. Used to be that you could yank the e-brake and loop a car at will. Now, seems like they are dampened or something, and they don't lock the rear wheels as easily. Probably a safety feature.

Two things that do work, however weak the e-brake is, to have fun in a non-modified FWD car. Ahem... not that I've done this, mind you. #1: Grass. As long as you've got enough of it. #2: Trays. Stick two fiberglass or metal food trays under your rear wheels, lock the e-brake, and loop your butt off. Again, as long as you have enough room. The metal ones last longer, and you don't hurt the car, unless you whack a curb.

 

[wrongwheeldrive]

Lift off oversteer is lame

You should probably just go trade your car in now, you don't deserve a Fiesta ST.

Need to beat Takumi in Mount Akina later?

Initial D FTW! I need to re-watch the Civic Type-R episode now that I have a FWD.

 

[XuperXero]

This has got me thinking... let me preface by saying that I'm 47. Clearly out of the main target market for this car, but I can pay for this one and have fun, or lease a five-series BMW and try to impress people.
I travel a lot for business, which means I'm in rental cars a lot. And, like any red-blooded American on a boring business trip, my only release is to abuse said rental cars. What I've found, over the past few years, is that parking brakes, in general on newer cars, don't have the grab that they once did. Used to be that you could yank the e-brake and loop a car at will. Now, seems like they are dampened or something, and they don't lock the rear wheels as easily. Probably a safety feature.

Two things that do work, however weak the e-brake is, to have fun in a non-modified FWD car. Ahem... not that I've done this, mind you. #1: Grass. As long as you've got enough of it. #2: Trays. Stick two fiberglass or metal food trays under your rear wheels, lock the e-brake, and loop your butt off. Again, as long as you have enough room. The metal ones last longer, and you don't hurt the car, unless you whack a curb.

Now this is a pretty cool 47 year old guy! I haven't done the metal tray sliding thing since high school either! Some people never grow old.

 

[Gone in 60]

A quick follow up on this topic... I'm currently on a business trip in Nashville. My rental is a Fiesta SE sedan. At 40 mph, a quick yank on the e-brake causes the car to slow noticeably, but no rear wheel lock. So, doesn't work on drum brake, narrow-tire version either.

 

[SloCal]

Hahaha I love the follow up. Honestly I think the cables aren't stretched tight enough. How is that car compared to our cars?

 

[Gone in 60]

Well, it rides a lot cushier on soft springs and 15" wheels. It's slower but still quite responsive off the line, but the engine sounds thrashier. The seats have squishier foam and are less supportive (I have the non-Recaro seats). And I keep forgetting it's an automatic... Looking under the hood, the engine doesn't look much like the ST's with the cover off, even though they are both based on the 1.6. The sedan has a decent trunk, but I don't like the looks as much as the hatchback.

This one is Tuxedo Black. There was an Oxford White next to it on the rental lot at the airport, which I thought would be a better choice in the hot weather here, but it smelled like someone spilled milk in it recently... so I grabbed the black one.

We were looking at getting my wife an SE, but a deal on a friend's low-mile Honda CRV came up that we couldn't refuse.

 

[BrokenSVT]

And I wish I could easily find that old demographic thread. This car is NOT aimed at 20-somethings. Of course I'll misquote the data, but it was something like "50+ years old, 100k a year, lots of disposable income". This car wasn't meant to be a starter car, it was built as a refined sports car for someone who fits the above description(roughly) and whom heads to the track on the weekend.

That being said...wow. A thread about yanking the ebrake to slide...wow.