snow driving fun tips

OK boys, y'all got me revved up for some winter dorifto. Here's a clip from the LDR archives, from an ice race in Quebec a while back. Check out the steering-wheel action. This course was on ice base that was 2 feet thick, tires were studded, with more studs in the front seats.....note how early we get the car turned in for the hairpin by the Jumbotron screen!

 
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^^
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05RSKID said:
And why is that? what am i getting my self into? since im lifted and have a 24mm (I think) sway in the rear
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He means the throttle, not the car. 24mm sway bar is WAAAAY overkill for driving in snow. You're going to go off backwards.

 
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Chris said:
He means the throttle, not the car. 24mm sway bar is WAAAAY overkill for driving in snow. You're going to go off backwards.
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Yea I figure it will be interesting the first drive in snow but im not to worried. If its to bad i will just be putting my stock one back in.

 
Bump this up for a great deal on the Team O'Neil winter driving school.

Nigel Prodrive said:
OK guys, just to show that the Team O'Neil crew is serious about winter driving...how about this.

Mainely Subarus members get to do the Team O'Neil Winter Safe course for $295. Call up the school, check out the schedule, ask for Nancy, tell her you're a MS member and that Dave G sent ya.

Bring snow tires, it gets kind of old pulling Scoobies out of the snowbank cuz they're trying to run "all-ski-sons."
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Anyone else get out in that quick 3-4 inches of snow tonight? First winter with the WRX, and I'm running 22mm front & rear sway bars, so I had to take it out and see what's what. Was really curious about the TC and the open differentials...

Surprisingly, the traction control, which 'simulates' a LSD via braking, actually works very well for 'safe' driving and is very non-intrusive if you're being delicate. You can get the car to step out just a tiny bit, (probably because of the stiffer sways), but mash the throttle or cut the wheel hard, and it will flash on and straighten you out very smoothly.

Getting a feel for the snow and eventually turning off the traction control, I was amazed at how loose but controllable it was. It would do anything I wanted and never gave me more than I bargained for. 45mph on a slight curve? Cut the wheel for a quick second and you're gently gliding along with the rear stepped out about 20 degrees. With more speed or a tighter turn, 30-40 degrees is just as easy and drama-free. No darting, no over-rotation, no understeer, no nothing. Just a smooth all-wheel-drift. I'm surprised the open differentials didn't spoil the fun, though I don't really know how much it differs from having LSDs in the snow. All I know is it was able to put the power down and it behaved exactly as I wanted it to.

Saw robbie out there too playing in the snow with his STI. Can't wait for more snow!

 
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Drift team had a great time.

My only advice that we all should know. When in doubt flat out.

My 22-24 mm rear bar is clearly excessive which made it really tail happy. Slight bend in the road and the back end came right around, a little sliding and ebrake action followed by rev limiter straightened her out.

 
heres a bit of advice, curbs hurt when you hit them sideways at 40. dont do that.

 
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I wanted to come play in the snow but I put a nail through my foot and was tripping hard after the shots I got yesterday.

This morning I got to hang it out through some intersections on the way to work. The auto is WEIRD. I'm spoiled by the RS.

 
I thought about going and enjoying the 1.5 inches of snow around. But here is a tip. Don't do it on a college campus that has security, chances are you will get caught. Luckily I knew better before hand.

 
Yeah, I was only messing around in the really wide open spaces and it was a ghost town. I'm not sure if it's illegal to drive your car a little sideways but I wasn't speeding and I felt more in control than I ever did in my FWD FTL Mazda.

 
was playing with a honda crv automatic. he got pretty good at getting that thing to kick the rear end out! too bad the plow trucks started showing up and ruined our fun and had to move on.

I finally had a chance to learn how to drift my fatass outback, just gotta bump the hand brake and give her hell and she will drift all day long!

 
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had some fun and several scares... damn roads lined with trees! and yes, on a level plane, hitting gas does help get you 'out' of trouble as I found out today.. but add incline on either side, and that's an added gravity factor that doesn't help
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Wish I knew of open-ended areas, around where I am, it's just snowy roads lined with trees... oh well! I still luv snow!

 
Since Nigel Prodrive hasn't shown up in this thread yet... I'm gonna say it for him: Winter roads, summer ditches.

When you stuff it on the first snow, there aren't nice snowbanks to catch your fall into the ditch, slow your progress into that oak tree. You're on your own, and your car will lose badly when you go off this time of the year. Also. SNOW TIRES..

 
snowbanks are your friends. lack of same is the Enemy.

another thing...if you find yourself sliding toward something you'd rather not hit, DON"T LOOK AT IT....look where you want to go. Staring at the oncoming tree or curb or ditch or whatever is a common reaction...understandable but all wrong. At Team O'Neil this phenomenon is known as "target fixation" for good reason.

 
Nigel Prodrive said:
snowbanks are your friends. lack of same is the Enemy.

another thing...if you find yourself sliding toward something you'd rather not hit, DON"T LOOK AT IT....look where you want to go. Staring at the oncoming tree or curb or ditch or whatever is a common reaction...understandable but all wrong. At Team O'Neil this phenomenon is known as "target fixation" for good reason.
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Just like when you're taking sharp corners on your sportsbike ^^^

 
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