Can't Decide: Drifting or Autocross

[Yasko]

We'll I plan on buying a 240sx very soon and my initial plan with it was to get it set up for drifting. But the more i read the more autocross keeps popping up. I know i would have fun doing either or. I just can't seem to decide which one.

A drifting setup i would imagine is cheaper but you burn through tires so easily.

An autocross setup can be expensive but you burn through brakes alot. (Not as fast as Tires like Drifting)

Post which you guys prefer and why! thanks

[EnjoiNismo]

I know a lot of 240 drivers that do both with the same car.

[93sivliaUsdm]

theres not really a parts list for each, you can buy performance parts to make your car handle better and then drift it and then go autocross it unless your welding your differential, and i autocrossed my prelude and went threw a set of tires in a day atleast the fronts haha

[nissanman04]

I think you are getting autocross and track days confused. You don't go through brakes very quickly if you autocross, there isn't really any time for them to heat up. Track days on an actual road course will eat up pads and rotors...

[Justin35ll]

Make your own desicion man it's whatever you like to do...Any car sport is going to be expensive.

Why not get a 240 first and fix it up then decide

[chaosli]

i plan to do both with mine and plus its a dd but it mostly it on dt(down time)

[Yasko]

Yeah you guys are right about my priority: Getting a 240sx first. About doing both: If I throw coilovers and an lsd would that be universal enough to do both? idk hard to explain. (What would i need done in order to do both? - is the better question.)

Because for drifting, the first things I was going to do was put on coilovers and weld the diff. but you can't really autox w/ a welded diff.

Then if I ever wanted to do autox would the coilovers and lsd work just as good? or do I need an open lsd to autox?

[RustspecS13]

I'm going to daily, autox, drift, and this year I'll be going to some track events this year.

Get GOOD coil overs that you can adjust dampening on so you can soften it for autox and put the rears on full hard for drifting.

Other then that autox just needs good tires at all 4 corners. I recommend the same size at all 4 corners.

Oh and replace all your bushings with a es busing master kit. It'll help out a ton.

~Alex

[hungryjoseph]

Drifting is more expensive than autox and will put a lot more stress on your car. A good lsd for autox is not a good lsd for drifting. Drifting kills my brake pads a lot more than autox does also. It also eats a lot more tires, both rear and the front. You can build a car that is a compromise of both but it will never suceed at one. Get a 240 or whichever car u like and try doing both and see what u think suits u.

All u need is a good working car to do either, a lsd will definately help for drifting though.

[chaosli]

just build a well balanced car and you should be fine

going into auto or drifting is just using your skills differently

[Yasko]

Would a 1.5 lsd be good if I wanted to do both? or...

[simmode1]

Why not do Gymkhana?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1mqkm5d2Lg

[AZ89two4Tsx]

Drifting is probably the worst/hardest thing you can do with your car. That being said, it will be the most expensive, as you will eventually break things.

But as stated before, you can do both with the same car.

[troskinatior]

im going to start drifting and auto cross my car in the spring/summer.

what i recomend to is keep the car as stock as possible. i am saying this because it will teach you how to control the car better, and it will be easier in the begining and when reach your full potential start upgrading.

coilovers are both good for auto and drift. for the diff i would keep the open or get a vlsd for autocross and then for drifting i would switch it with a welded or 2 way. look up "shiming vlsd" for a cheap 1.5 or 2 way diff.

[Yasko]

The gymkhana events look like they would be alot of fun. And luckily enough my local track has gymkhana days. What kind of lsd or setup would I run if I wanted to do gymkhana? (Does gymkhana require rwd or...?)

@troskinatior: So I should keep my diff open when starting to learn to drift?

[Wc240]

what alot of peaple dont get is ITS A CAR!!! you can take any car autocrossing, and any RWD drifting. all those flashy parts CAN make it easier. but you dont need em. you can autocross/drift a stock 240 with a viscous lsd no problem and still drive it daily.

take a stock car and try both. get the basics down. when you think you cant push your car any farther, have someone(better driver) drive it. they,ll take it farther than you thought you can. develop the driver first. flashy suspension and power comes later

[troskinatior]

you can drift with a open diff, but it is harda vlsd is good for auto cross and is better then a open diff. a 2 way or welded is the best for drifting but the 2 way costs alot and the welded is is bad for daily driving.me personaly im going to get a vlsd and will most likely shim it. and if you want to you can use a open/vlsd for dailying and auto cross then when you go to a drift even you can swap it with a welded.

what alot of peaple dont get is ITS A CAR!!! you can take any car autocrossing, and any RWD drifting. all those flashy parts CAN make it easier. but you dont need em. you can autocross/drift a stock 240 with a viscous lsd no problem and still drive it daily.

take a stock car and try both. get the basics down. when you think you cant push your car any farther, have someone(better driver) drive it. they,ll take it farther than you thought you can. develop the driver first. flashy suspension and power comes later

this guy speeks the truth

[Yasko]

Ya I like your idea of buying another open diff and welding it. Then use it on Drifting days. Then use the open for DD/Autox.

Which is more crucial for drifting: Coilover's or LSD?

It seems like all you really need to drift decently are: Coilovers, and a lsd/welded diff. Am I missing anything that's sorta necessary?

[troskinatior]

you dont need coilovers to drift. i heard its harder to drift with coilovers when you first start. all you really need it a diff. and i also recomend a bucket/aftermarket seat to keep you from sliding aroundand i would say the diff is more important.
Modified by troskinatior at 9:01 AM 1/3/2010

[simmode1]

Which is more crucial for drifting: Coilover's or LSD?

Neither. They both help lot, but it's not like you can't drift if you don't have them. Skills trumps both.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z3uxew_7Nk

[speedeast]

Just have a set of sticky tires for autocross and do both!

[swift240sx]

you dont need coilovers to drift. i heard its harder to drift with coilovers when you first start. all you really need it a diff. and i also recomend a bucket/aftermarket seat to keep you from sliding aroundand i would say the diff is more important.

Modified by troskinatior at 9:01 AM 1/3/2010

I would definitely get both at the same time. And it is in no way harder to drift with coilovers when you first start. The 20+ yr old suspension sucks balls and will act like a boat on the road. Trust me... get the coils. It will be easier to drift, and will respond/react better than stock old blown out suspension.

[Ter240sx]

do both. i do both and only have to adjust my coilovers to different settings when swithcing from drift to autox.

autox will help u learn how your car feels like at the limits and help u find out what it's limits are.after you autox you will be able to start drifting with more confidence because you will know how much you can acclerate/brake/turn before u lose control. at least thats how i gained alot of confidence to start sliding my car.

[CaptainTrips]

Rally!

[SILVIAJayS]

I'm done with AutoX. One minute and 30 seconds of driving for a week's worth of prep, a month's worth of pay, and a full day of travel and work? No thanks.

[Yasko]

do both. i do both and only have to adjust my coilovers to different settings when swithcing from drift to autox.

autox will help u learn how your car feels like at the limits and help u find out what it's limits are.after you autox you will be able to start drifting with more confidence because you will know how much you can acclerate/brake/turn before u lose control. at least thats how i gained alot of confidence to start sliding my car.

Do you have an LSD? or do you use open for both?

Ok, so I probably will get coilovers and a lsd at the same time like Swift said. My question is what kind of coilovers and lsd should i get? I read around and alot of people like megan street and tien ss coils and for the lsd many people like the Kaaz 1.5 lsd. Are those good suggestions or are their better?

When all said and done I plan to drift or auto x every weekend. So I want a good coils and a good lsd. I'll worry about a bucket seat later.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

JIC makes good coils. That's what I have. Powered by Max too. There are many others too, actually.

If you plan on spending the money on an actual lsd, most will say to get a 1.5 if you plan on driving the car on the street regularly. For most, a 2-way will be more harsh as it will be locked up more, thus wearing out your tires quicker. I don't have recommendations as I've never driven in anything with a 1.5/2 way diff. I've daily-ed a welded one for a few months but didn't like it at all, so I switched back to an open one.

But if you're cheap, or just don't want to spend $600+ on a true lsd, get a welded to go along with your open one to swap in during track days. You don't really NEED an lsd on the street, and welded ones are so cheap, they're kinda hard to resist. While an lsd will ultimately be better for any motorsport, a welded diff will suffice fine for drifting. As far as auto-x idk as I've never tried it.

Really, it all depends on your budget.

[zeedakay]

most important before everything is you gotta get a car first.

[Justin35ll]

get a car, drive it

As for the diff.open = sucks1.5way = auto x2way = drift / auto xwelded = drift

[Chris28]

I can't read, sorry if this was already stated.

You don't need to "set up" your car for any particular type of racing at the level you will be driving. This isn't a condescending post, it's just the truth. If a) you don't even have the car yet and b) all you're going to be doing is the occasional autocross or drift event, all you need is nice coilovers, some braces here and there, and replace some bushings with energy suspension units. It's not until much higher level of competition that you really need to "set up" your car for something other than public roads. That is what the car will spend most of it's time on.

EDIT: And where/how are you going to get track time every weekend? Unless you are made of money and like travelling to the track there is no way you will drift or auto-x every weekend.