RC drift

As RC drift refers to the drifting with remote-controlled cars . It is not just a driving technique, but a separate competitive discipline , corresponding to the motor sport drift sport .

technology

The aim of drifting is to move the vehicle in a curve sideways to its own longitudinal axis. To do this, at the entrance to the curve, the vehicle is turned in the direction of the curve. If the rear of the car swerves, the steering must be counter-steered to prevent the vehicle from turning on its own axis. Avoid excessive counter-steering, as otherwise the vehicle will drive straight ahead or in the other direction. The drift angle can be corrected by switching between accelerator and brake at short intervals.

drive

The vehicles are not designed for speed, but for the most effective control of the power transmission from the tire to the road surface. There are two types of all-wheel drive: central cardan shaft (motor installed lengthways to the direction of travel) or via toothed belt (motor transverse to the direction of travel). The cardan shaft drive usually requires less maintenance, but has the disadvantage of the so-called torque steer: when accelerating, a torque impulse acts against the direction of rotation of the engine, which continues over the longitudinal cardan shaft and thus acts across the vehicle's longitudinal axis. This is especially useful for modified motors and powerful brushless systems. The effect can be mitigated by a sensible arrangement of the motor and cardan shaft. The belt drive is excluded from this effect, as the motor is installed transversely to the direction of travel and thus the torque impulse acts in the direction of travel. On the other hand, this drive is more sensitive to dirt, small stones can get between the belt and the pulley, block the drive or, in the worst case, damage the belt and / or pulley.

The differentials are usually locked in order to favor the lateral position of the cars.

50/50

These vehicles have all-wheel drive with the same ratio on the front and rear axles. Since these vehicles are quite easy to control with a little practice and tolerate a lot of driving errors, this is considered the most beginner-friendly class.

Countersteer

Another way of drifting is Countersteer (CS). By changing the gear ratios on the front and / or rear axles, a different speed of the axles is possible - an attempt is made to turn the wheels on the rear axle faster than the wheels on the front axle. Above all, belt-driven vehicles are converted for CS, since in the best case only the appropriate pulleys (belt pulleys) have to be installed. The relation of the revolutions of the axes determines the CS in percent. If the rear axle rotates twice as fast as the front axle, one speaks of 200% overdrive (CS rate 1: 2.0). Currently (2012), around 182% oversteer (CS rate 1: 1.82) seems to have manifested itself as the standard in Asia. A freewheel is often installed on the front axle, as otherwise straight travel is hardly possible.

RWD

In the meantime, there are also vehicles with pure rear-wheel drive (RWD) for drifting . Sensitivity when accelerating and steering is even more important here than with the countersteer. This is why RWD is also known as the premier class of drifting.

Chassis and tires

Soft springs are preferred in order to be able to keep control of the cars. Furthermore, toe and camber are set so that the car's steering response is as quick as possible.

In contrast to normal RC cars, tires made of polyethylene or PVC are used in RC drift, as these build up lower longitudinal and lateral forces.

electronics

The choice of drive electronics depends on a number of factors, including the surface, tires and weight of the car.

The controller should offer at least the forward / brake functions, often reverse is also possible. Brushless systems are most widespread among motors. LiPo technology is the preferred energy source because of its lower weight.

Fast servos with response times of 0.09 seconds and better are used for steering.

To control the lighting z. In some cases, special light modules are used in which the control functions of the vehicle influence the lighting details (e.g. brake lights).

Appearance

Since RC drift (as well as real drifting) is about cornering in style, the appearance of the cars also plays a role. Models of the following vehicles are often represented:

American muscle cars are also suitable for drifting:

These are provided with accessories such as elaborate rims, dummy exhausts, spoilers, paintwork, etc.