How to Drift with a Four-Wheel Drive Car?

[OCorey]

When the rear wheels lose most of their grip while the front wheels maintain traction, as long as there is a certain amount of lateral force on the front wheels, the car will fishtail, resulting in a drift. Pull the handbrake while driving straight and then steer, pull the handbrake during a turn, or slam on the brakes while driving straight and then steer, or slam on the brakes during a turn.

[SanAmir]

I've been playing with four-wheel-drive drifting on the track for about three or four years now, and this type of car really emphasizes throttle control. First, find an open area like an abandoned parking lot or a professional track to practice, and it's best to sprinkle some water on the ground to reduce grip. Before driving, make sure to turn off the ESP, otherwise the system will cut power. When entering a turn, maintain a certain speed, quickly turn the steering wheel a quarter of a circle while stomping on the throttle, and you'll feel the rear wheels start to slide. The key point is to immediately counter-steer to control the direction of the car's nose, while your right foot needs to delicately adjust the throttle depth like pressing a piano pedal—too heavy and you'll spin in place, too light and you won't get the drift going. Four-wheel-drive cars are more stable than rear-wheel-drive but harder to initiate a drift, so it takes hundreds of practices to find that subtle balance. Always wear protective gear and a helmet—don't skimp on safety. My advice is to start with cheap tires to save some budget.

[VonIsabel]

As a tuning enthusiast, I've found that drifting a 4WD vehicle is 70% setup and 30% skill. The chassis is the most critical part - stiffening the suspension reduces body roll, and rear springs should be about 15% stiffer than the front for easier initiation. The differential must be upgraded to a high lock-rate LSD, as the stock open differential simply can't lock the power properly. Use cheap RWD tires at the rear for weaker grip and easier slides, while opting for semi-slicks at the front to improve steering precision. For power, I recommend ECU tuning to advance the turbo spool point by 500 RPM - instant burst power is especially important. Don't forget to upgrade the handbrake cables to steel ones to prevent snapping. Practice preferably on gravel roads or wet asphalt, as these surfaces with lower friction coefficients make success easier. After these mods, you'll find drifting much easier - just a gentle throttle input will kick the rear out.

[VanKayden]

When I first learned AWD drifting last year, I took many detours. Here's some practical advice for beginners. Start practicing with common AWD cars like Subaru or Audi - no need for excessive horsepower, 200hp is sufficient. Find an open square or professional track, never attempt it on public roads. The practice process should be divided into three steps: First, accelerate straight to 40mph then suddenly turn the wheel 90 degrees to feel the rear swing; Second, quickly turn the wheel while applying throttle at the curve entrance to make the car slide sideways for two meters; Finally, maintain drift angle by controlling throttle during complete cornering. Always steer slightly more toward the car's nose direction, and keep throttle around 50%. I practiced two hours daily for the first two months - now I can link three consecutive drifts. Never skimp on protective gear like knee pads and helmets - repair costs far exceed equipment expenses.

[MacEliza]

Last week at a track day, I saw a heavily modified Mitsubishi drifting perfect smoke rings and picked up some techniques from the owner. There are two mainstream methods for AWD drifting: handbrake-assisted drifting is suitable for slow corners—pull the handbrake to lock the rear wheels before entering the turn, then immediately apply throttle, release the handbrake, and counter-steer when the car starts to slide; power-over drifting works better for high-speed corners—maintain 70% throttle into the turn, then suddenly go full throttle to break traction. Key point: always keep the front wheels pointed in the direction you want to go. For daily practice, check tire pressure—rear tires 0.2Bar below standard pressure make initiating drifts easier. Ideal ground temperature is between 15-25°C; rubber hardens in cold weather making drifting nearly impossible. Always bring spare brake pads—continuous drifting wears brakes heavily; I've seen someone's brakes smoke after just two laps.