Launch technique ?? revs..dump..slip

[tex]

Hi there all.

I was wondering what launch technique individuals prefer for their respective vehicles, 6, 8 auto and manual.
While i understand that everyone, and every vehicle is different it might be interesting to get some others thoughts on this.....

Personally i prefer the sympathic getaway with minimal wheelspin via VERY slight ride of the clutch with around 2000 rpm dialled up and nail it from there, my car only spinning the wheels briefly in first and the change into second, shifting (with varying degrees of success !) just before the rev cut. This tecnique seems to work.... although I havent run at the track, only traffic light grandpre

And what about peoples tried and true burnout technique....... does anyone rely on their stock clutch to hold a 5000 rpm dump in second gear....

Can someone please explain why MOST V8 supercar drivers use a full rev (on the limiter) launch... slipping the clutch as they go ? Surely it can't be because 450 KW and 700 NM can't get 1650 kg off the line with say ONLY 3500 rpm clutch dump.

my car..

03 XR8 sedan 5 speed, Phantom, Leather, CAI, exhaust, Flash tune, Herrod suspension, alloys, AP Racing 4 spot brakes

Originally Posted by tex

Hi there all.

I was wondering what launch technique individuals prefer for their respective vehicles, 6, 8 auto and manual.
While i understand that everyone, and every vehicle is different it might be interesting to get some others thoughts on this.....

Personally i prefer the sympathic getaway with minimal wheelspin via VERY slight ride of the clutch with around 2000 rpm dialled up and nail it from there, my car only spinning the wheels briefly in first and the change into second, shifting (with varying degrees of success !) just before the rev cut. This tecnique seems to work.... although I havent run at the track, only traffic light grandpre

And what about peoples tried and true burnout technique....... does anyone rely on their stock clutch to hold a 5000 rpm dump in second gear....

Can someone please explain why MOST V8 supercar drivers use a full rev (on the limiter) launch... slipping the clutch as they go ? Surely it can't be because 450 KW and 700 NM can't get 1650 kg off the line with say ONLY 3500 rpm clutch dump.

my car..

03 XR8 sedan 5 speed, Phantom, Leather, CAI, exhaust, Flash tune, Herrod suspension, alloys, AP Racing 4 spot brakes

What you want is launch at the spot where there is the most power. Hence the need for higher-stalls in autos. In a manual you'd ride the clutch and use it like traction control, ie if its gripping, bring it out more, if its spinning, stop bringing it out or even push it back in a bit.

[TheSneakiness]

In my ute, 2000rpm is sufficient enough to get me flying, that's where power really starts coming on, I figure a 2500rpm stallie would be plenty for me.

Auto : flatten it from a standing start , Stalling only seems to make me loose traction

Originally Posted by Stampy

Auto : flatten it from a standing start , Stalling only seems to make me loose traction

How are your reaction times??


Another thing you can do to help keep traction during a launch is lower your tyre pressures to around mid 20 pounds.

Most Jap turbos should be launched pretty high, laggy ones redline launch, to keep it on boost.

[SSBUB]

also interested in auto techniques for the quickest launch without too much wheel spin - havent been to the track before so it pays to do some homework. Do you even do burn outs running street tyres prioir to your run?

This is what i did in the EF: auto with stock converter:

In first gear, Left foot brake as hard as you can and bring in the accelerator until its about to break traction. Only start this about 8 secs before the launch or you can damage the torque converter.

When the last amber comes up let go of the brake but keep the accelerator where it is for a split second. If it spins a bit thats all good and well. If it spins crazy back off a bit.When you feel it getting traction start flattening the accelerator, at a rate that it won't start spinning again. Remember stock 4 speed autos take about 2 seconds to react to a shifter handle change.

[superpursuit83]

I was told and have been practicing the handbrake technique.

2500rpm, handbrake on, at first red let clutch grab and slightly squat the back down, on 2nd yellow handbrake off and go. (second yellow because of my reaction time).

Seems to work with next to no wheel spin. Lets see how I go on the track

John

[neb]

manual rev as high as you can go and let the clutch out as quick as you can without causing major wheelspin

[Casper]

auto. Stall to 1700-1900rpm, drop the foot off the brake, floor it at the same time.. watch it spike 3300rpm and hope to hell the tyres can hold on just enough that it doesnt turn into a smoke bath! :P

[Quadcams]

Originally Posted by SSBUB

also interested in auto techniques for the quickest launch without too much wheel spin - havent been to the track before so it pays to do some homework. Do you even do burn outs running street tyres prioir to your run?

Street tyres have a silcon base compound heat them up to much they go greasy also have found can depend on track conditions/prep, small burnout was sufficient for me.

Guys with manuals not a good idea riding your clutch when launching, if you have good tyres it wont last long at all. Riding the clutch creats massive (very quickly) heat in your clutch plate/disc/flywheel causing hotspots,glaseing of the plate and flywheel and frys you disc espessially if you have a organic disc which has a degree of slip already.

About launching manuals the key i found was dumping the clutch at the right revs and being aggressive with the throttle, this will vary due to different track conditions. Always found the best way to find your threshold with your tyres was launch with revs that you know wont spin your tyres then bring the revs up each run about 100rpm then you will get a good idea whats the best revs to launch at on that day most other days will be similar give or take a bit.
End of the day its easy to be told the right way but putting it in practice is a lot harder than you think. A good laund will take pratice sometimes alot.
Hope that helps!

[stiddy]

I do a nice big burnout before staging, always get in trouble.... lol
then once staged, clutch in, just off bite point...
holding revs at 4000rpm...
on the last amber light, (leave foot on accelerator exactly where it is)
slip clutch till just moving, the rpms drop to 3500 and I dump it..
still leaving foot on accelerator where it is.. the car usually drops the *** and jumps forward thats when I flatten the accelerator..
seems to work for me.. bit of wheelspin, bit of clutch slip and a 2.10 60ft lol

[Quadcams]

Originally Posted by superpursuit83

I was told and have been practicing the handbrake technique.

2500rpm, handbrake on, at first red let clutch grab and slightly squat the back down, on 2nd yellow handbrake off and go. (second yellow because of my reaction time).

Seems to work with next to no wheel spin. Lets see how I go on the track

John

With the sedans that is proberly a good idea as launching with the hand brake reduces some of the power snapping onto your driveline ( possible breakage) but watch out with the hand brake on and riding the clutch a bit mate she can heat up very fast trust me I know but done properly is quiet affective way to launch. use to do that technique with street tyres now just dump the clutch.

[stiddy]

the snapping in the driveline, and possible breakage is exactly the reason i slip the clutch for 500rpm to just get moving, (take the slack out of the driveline if you will)
before i dump it..
never really tried the handbrake thing though.. might give that a go next time i go for a drive.. see how it goes..

[superpursuit83]

Good advice here, must remember it all. But I will probably get to track and just forget everything and dump it :

[Falcon Coupe]

With a manual there's but one rule, RPM IS YOUR FRIEND ! anyone who saw me at Heathcote in March will testify to my living up to it

[Quadcams]

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

With a manual there's but one rule, RPM IS YOUR FRIEND ! anyone who saw me at Heathcote in March will testify to my living up to it

Or enemy!

[turbo00007]

I do it like this :eclipsee_

[Thunder]

I LOVE my launch technique!

Rev to 7000rpm and drop the clutch! Car rockets off without any wheelspin! Oh i am talking about my everyday car, Honda HRV 4W4! :

I have lost count of how many times guys (and girls) in V8's are silly enough to "want a run" in raining weather. Hah, the looks on their faces when they are stuck spinning (or worse when they loose it sideways) and my little 1.6litre has taken off without a hint of spin. :nutsycuck

[Walkinshaw]

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

With a manual there's but one rule, RPM IS YOUR FRIEND ! anyone who saw me at Heathcote in March will testify to my living up to it

I think your front runners having 450mm of air between themselves and the ground said it all.

As for the V8 supercar launch, they have 11" slicks, and weigh in at 1350kg. They don't dump the clutch from 7500rpm, however they slip it out untill such point where wheel slip is possable. Launching with SLIGHT wheelspin is the quickest way to get off.

[Quadcams]

Originally Posted by Walkinshaw

I think your front runners having 450mm of air between themselves and the ground said it all.

As for the V8 supercar launch, they have 11" slicks, and weigh in at 1350kg. They don't dump the clutch from 7500rpm, however they slip it out untill such point where wheel slip is possable. Launching with SLIGHT wheelspin is the quickest way to get off.

Those supercars would not be easy to get off the line with the power they have and the in or out clutch's they run.
Rember Ambrose at Indy to much slip fryed the clutch straight away.

[Ghiadude]

right foot on floor engine at rev cut 7900rpm...pop clutch..4 wheels should only spin till you start moving....
repeat only twice on third go pullover and get cardboard box out of boot to collect tx3 gearbox parts off the ground..

[Biggoggs]

I LOVE my launch technique!
Rev to 7000rpm and drop the clutch! Car rockets off without any wheelspin! Oh i am talking about my everyday car, Honda HRV 4W4!

Specs say the 1.6L 4-cylinder HR-V gets to 100 in... 11.1 seconds. With a whopping great 77kw, you're unlikely to ever get wheelspin in the first place :P


As far as clutch slip goes, the more power over grip you have, the less you need to slip the clutch. For a low-power car, if you actually want to go fast, you have to bring it to redline and slip the clutch, using the flywheel inertia and clutch friction to get you to speed.

If you've got a car that spins the wheels in first without clutch (either by low grip or high power, thus `power over grip'), you need very little slip, keeping the tyres on the edge of traction by clutch slip at low revs (eg 1,500?), then staying at the edge of traction by throttle position.

For an awd turbo (high power, high traction) car, I've seen Japanese GT(?) racers rev the car near redline to keep the turbo spinning (more exhaust revving ~2k around redline, than sitting on it), then slipping the clutch as much as they're brave enough to do (AWD drivetrains tend to wear out rather quickly).

[gozza]

ive only got an auto 4spd eb
left foot on the brake as hard as possible with out snapping cables
right foot on accel till she brakes traction then let go with the left and boot it with the right

[Thunder]

Originally Posted by Biggoggs

Specs say the 1.6L 4-cylinder HR-V gets to 100 in... 11.1 seconds. With a whopping great 77kw, you're unlikely to ever get wheelspin in the first place :P......................

Actually, Mines got VTec hand ported heads, custom extractors, custom exhaust, altered efi system, new cam. Good for 100kw (still crap! :hihi: )
My point was its about the DRIVER and not the car. Im sure we all have seen (if not done ourselves) big launches in poor conditions (like rain) and embarrassed ourselves.

Everyone's launch techniques should be different. I was simply making a point with "lights to lights hero's"

Oh and i would not take a V8 at the lights durring summer :

[SSBUB]

anyone ever continuesly break the lights too quickly? sounds like getting off the tree you need to move your butt at the last amber, but anyone have probs with this? Or is it done where it only registers your movements breaking the line? sorry just new to all this and its something i need to know before i go one day

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by SSBUB

anyone ever continuesly break the lights too quickly? sounds like getting off the tree you need to move your butt at the last amber, but anyone have probs with this? Or is it done where it only registers your movements breaking the line? sorry just new to all this and its something i need to know before i go one day

I have never broken out, it doesn't effect the run to go late anyway, you can get a bad reaction time, but your time doesn't start untill your car breaks the beam.

[Quadcams]

Originally Posted by SSBUB

anyone ever continuesly break the lights too quickly? sounds like getting off the tree you need to move your butt at the last amber, but anyone have probs with this? Or is it done where it only registers your movements breaking the line? sorry just new to all this and its something i need to know before i go one day

Mate I have staged late and the starter has set the lights within a couple of seconds of me staging I wont go till my revs are where I want them be it 1/2 a second or 5 seconds, dont change your ET.

[Ryan]

Well I havent dragged my VL yet.

But I done a decent launch a few months ago I just let the clutch out slightly and revved it too about 2000rpm and just let the clutch out and slowly stepped on the accelerator.

[SSBUB]

so if your not interested in beating your opponant, you can pretty much take your time?