Can someone give me some advice on how to tackle those long and fast chicane. Usually when I run my car through a 6 or more cone chicane, on the 3rd cone I would have to brake because the front is just too loose to repond to my steering input. Even If I maintain my speed from the 1st cone to the 3rd/4th one, I still need to brake. This added some major time to my run last weekend, since the chicane is setup near the end. I think I am pushing the limit of my tires/car, but I would sure like to improve my skills before suspension upgrade. Any advice is appreciated.

 

huh? a six cone chicane? or are you talking about a slalom? at any rate, you are trying to go faster then the car wants to go. slow down.

nate

 

It's better to slow down at the beginning of any sequence of turns and be slower through the first couple of gates accellerating through the sequence, then to be flying through the beginning and slowing down at the end.
If you are getting through 4-5 gates and having to slow down, slow down more through gates 0-1-2 and apply throttle through the end of the sequence for better exit speed.

 

another thing you want to do in a slalom with a stock suspension car is to actually turn the wheel so early that you think you are going to run the cone over with the inside front. in a way, you are trying to "aim" at the cones. a lot of drivers turn the wheel too late, and the stock suspension doens't respond quick enough to do that, thus you get late in the slalom, have to turn the wheel too much to try and keep up and eventually you lift. welcome to spin city, home of cone-carnage.

nate-who's really good at killin those orange buggers...

 

In a way, the fastest way through a slalom is the to keep the tightest, straightest line possible (ie:as close to the cones as you can get) , use as little input as possible, and keep a constant speed. What is happening to you is essentially what SoloX said... You are overdriving the car or not being quick enough on your inputs, so you get behind and are forced to take an ever widening arc through the slalom and eventually run out of room and have to lift.

Also important to count the spacing on the slalom during your morning walk, as it either maybe decreasing or increasing. Also note if the slalom is offset or not. Sometimes offset cones by even 6 inches can drastically change how you approach a slalom.

 

A rule of thumb that I keep in mind as I head through a slalom: you lose a tenth of a second for every foot you're off that slalom cone.

Don't know where I heard it, but....

Jarrod

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jsi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">In a way, the fastest way through a slalom is the to keep the tightest, straightest line possible ...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I disagree with this part of your advice. The closest to the cones with least steering input is not the fastest way. Essentially you want to late apex each slalom cone so that you stay "ahead" of the turns. You should be completing the turn when you get parallel to each cone. this means that your path must be just a little further away from straight then absolutely possible. This is much easier to draw than explain in words.

The best advice I can give you is to have someone who is very good take you for a ride and have them ride with you. Their help will be far more beneficial than anything we can provide here.

 

Do you guys think it's generally best to do slaloms with a steady throttle, or is it better to modulate the throttle to steer the car. I tend to compensate for my stock car's tendency to push by lifting quickly right before I get to the cone so that I apex late and pointed in the right direction. I'm fairly happy with my line generally, but I wonder if I scrubbing off too much speed by lifting at every cone (except the last one).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by robbin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you guys think it's generally best to do slaloms with a steady throttle, or is it better to modulate the throttle to steer the car. I tend to compensate for my stock car's tendency to push by lifting quickly right before I get to the cone so that I apex late and pointed in the right direction. I'm fairly happy with my line generally, but I wonder if I scrubbing off too much speed by lifting at every cone (except the last one).</TD></TR></TABLE>

loosen your car up, it's too tight. you shouldn't have to lift in a slalom. and the times that you do have to lift in a slalom happen rarely enough i'm tempted to say to never lift in a slalom. your car should be loose enough in slaloms that you _have_ to be on the gas to keep it straight. go a little slower in and turn earlier so that the car will react quick enough to get you through and loosen it up. this is were adjustable shocks are a huge bonus.

nate

 

My suggestion....during the walk through make sure that the distances between cones is the same...then can screw with alot of people if they decrease the distance on the last few...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solo-x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

loosen your car up, it's too tight. you shouldn't have to lift in a slalom. and the times that you do have to lift in a slalom happen rarely enough i'm tempted to say to never lift in a slalom. your car should be loose enough in slaloms that you _have_ to be on the gas to keep it straight. go a little slower in and turn earlier so that the car will react quick enough to get you through and loosen it up. this is were adjustable shocks are a huge bonus.

nate</TD></TR></TABLE>

Are adjustable shocks enough to make a stock integra loose enough to do that. I don't doubt that I could do it by altering my line slightly but I think I'd have to go slower between the cones for that, but that's not necessarily a problem if I'll be faster overall.

 

I tried steady throttle and even the late apex. My car steering wheel locks up usually on the 3rd cone because my steering was too sharp (power steering gave up on me). I was thinking about switching off my power steering so I can be more sensitive to the speed and steering. Another thing I want to try is upshifting, partly because I feel I am not smooth enough keep that steady state of throttle. If all else fails, ill slow down.

I think the last course I ran had an offset between the cones. Next time ill be sure to notice this.

hehe chicane and slalom... sorry

 

There really isn't one rule of thumb for slaloms imo.

But if you have a 5 or 6 cone slalom first off get parallel to it (very important) and keep a steady speed at first....not to fast. Like was mentioned before you dont want to exit going slow.

Generally on slaloms I give it full wood around the second to last cone depending on the next obstacle.

Before yall start yelling at me...Like I said keep a steady speed on the first go round on your second run you will have a better indication on how fast to go.

If you go ***** out and you have to slow way down to gain control you've learned nothing....waste of a run.

You wont get the "hang" of it right away, very few people do. But as you learn more you can sometimes get away with increased acceleration as you go through them.

Dont concentrate on the cone directly in front of you...look up aways and "feel" the groove.

Ive had some fast times just neandering and some fast times whipping my car around them cones at the brink of swapping the rear end around.

But all in all I love the slaloms.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by robbin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Are adjustable shocks enough to make a stock integra loose enough to do that. I don't doubt that I could do it by altering my line slightly but I think I'd have to go slower between the cones for that, but that's not necessarily a problem if I'll be faster overall.</TD></TR></TABLE>

many, many times, slower is faster. ots koni's will make an integra looser (if it's on stock suspension). revalved koni's will make it loose enough. if you are running on stock suspension you should also be using at least 1/8" total toe out in the rear.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EssenceofChicken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If all else fails, ill slow down.</TD></TR></TABLE>

if all else fails, try the other stuff. slow is fast. i promise you that your idea of "late apex" and my idea of getting on the back side of the cone is completely different. the next time you run a slalom, ask yourself after the fact if the wheel was ever straight or not moving. in a slalom, the wheel should never stop moving and never be straight. the distance a stock suspension car covers while in transition is amazing. the time it takes for a modified suspension car to trasition is amazing too. check out this pic of KC at nats this year. note where the car is and how far the wheel is already turned. http://photos.groups.yahoo.com...iew=t

nate

 

I will try that next time. Thanks for all the reply guys.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
check out this pic of KC at nats this year. note where the car is and how far the wheel is already turned. http://photos.groups.yahoo.com...iew=t

nate

</TD></TR></TABLE>

linky no workie

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solo-x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> check out this pic of KC at nats this year. note where the car is and how far the wheel is already turned. http://photos.groups.yahoo.com...iew=t</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Nice! lol. very nice.

 

his wife said she super glued the cones to the tarmac. after seeing that pic, i'd almost beleive her!

nate

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Essence of Chicken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I will try that next time. Thanks for all the reply guys.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You plan to try it here this upcoming weekend?:

 

Ha! (Watch out for that cone on corner 4 going from the 'straight down the back side into the left.. that's a doozie!)

Also, I'd have to question if this course is safe to run around lightposts. Under corner one to the light.. that slalom can cause problems if you exit corner 2 while behind. I hope that's taken into consideration... some people did spin in that slalom in that area. (Especially once you start throwing novices into the mix)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by KC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ha! (Watch out for that cone on corner 4 going from the 'straight down the back side into the left.. that's a doozie!)

Also, I'd have to question if this course is safe to run around lightposts. Under corner one to the light.. that slalom can cause problems if you exit corner 2 while behind. I hope that's taken into consideration... some people did spin in that slalom in that area. (Especially once you start throwing novices into the mix)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exiting corner 2 you would be going uphill, so you'd have a little more control than if it was flat. I'm concerned with the second and third cone in the first slolam too - they straddle a crest with a pole nearby (at least the slope is away from the pole)...bound to be some sideways action at that location.
Don't worry, that map is not to scale - there is usually a fair amount of space between the course cones and any light pole. The parking lot is VERY large with the poles some 100+ feet apart or so...




Modified by Vracer111 at 12:38 PM 9/30/2003

 

I remember doing an auto-x several years back that actually slalomed THROUGH light posts with concrete bases. I was inexperienced and stupid enough to do it instead of just turning around and going home.


Matt