TD in DC

I try to keep my hands as fixed as possible. No matter what, I try to keep my outside hand fixed (right hand for left-hand turns and left hand for right-hand turns), and I will slide my inside hand up if necessary to prevent my hands from getting crossed. I could then reposition my outside hand if necessary, but it is never necessary, although repositioning does help me pull the wheel if necessary (my car does not have power steering).

The reason why I keep at least one hand fixed is that I do not want to lose track of where I am on the wheel, and it helps me keep my hands settled.

I also like keeping the outside hand fixed, because I think it makes it much, much easier for me to open the wheel rapidly if necessary, because I am then pulling the wheel, which is easier than pushing the wheel.

Here is a video showing me driving like this. This is at shenandoah circuit, which is a lot of work in my car. I think at this point I would need less steering input because I have started trailbraking more since this video was shot, but for the steering point I am making, this provides a good example http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...%22td+in+dc%22

Someone suggested to me that I should rethink this technique because caster can open the wheel faster than I will be able to do so. This seems risky to me because most of the time when I need to correct I need to open the wheel well beyond center. If I let the wheel slip through my hands, I would then need to grab it and open the wheel further. I prefer to have my hands on the wheel at all times even if I am opening very rapidly.

Am I underestimating the value of relying on caster to open the wheel for me (i.e., letting the wheel slip on its own without me grabbing it)?

Veloce Raptor

Todd, I come down in the middle between both positions. On sharp, slow corners, if I have clear track, I loosen my grip a bunch and allow the car to straighten. I find it straightens much faster (from high steering angles) than I can manually. I do not let go, I just loosen my grip and allow the wheel to semi-slide in my hands. In faster corners, and/or those with less steering angle, and/or in traffic, I never lighten my grip, for obvious reasons.

Castor is yoru friend, if used properly & judiciously.

Sean F

Geo

I don't ever recall seeing a professional racer let the steering wheel slide through their hands.

Veloce Raptor

Watch the in-car stuff more closely, in very tight slow corners....

TD in DC

Another factor to consider is that, AFAIK, experienced drivers tend to drive more with the back of the car (e.g., by using trailbraking) than the front of the car (i.e., steering inputs), so they rarely have to deal with large steering inputs. Indeed, most of those guys are opening the wheel by, or before, the apex. That is not possible for someone who is driving at a more leisurely pace or who is driving the front of the car.

Veloce Raptor

There is a sequence of corners at a track near Ft. Worth (Motorsport Ranch) that is called Rattlesnake. I am MUCH faster thru that complex if I allow castor to straighten the car after the first right hander going up the hill & then after the ensuing left hander atop the hill. There are very tight, 2nd gear (in my car) corners, and my car will straighten very quickly there if I relax my grip.

Professor Helmüt Tester

If you're going to "let go" of the steering wheel, you might as well close your eyes, too...and maybe hum a few bars of "Rule Britannia" or, if you're sitting in a Porker, the start of "Deuchland Uber Alles" (because you probably can't get beyond the first two bars). Just like those two "empires", it's likely to end in a resounding "thump".

Consider castor to simply be power steering that only works in one direction...and allow it to help you unwind the wheel. Don't let it do all the work...you need to participate.

Personally, I find excessive castor to be an evil thing. Yes...I know...there is an advantage to chassis geometry 'cuz it increases loading on the inside front tire during cornering. BUT...it also makes the chassis lazy and sleepy and slow to respond. I always err to the side of "just barely enough castor to keep me from walling the car if I sneeze on-course".

And there you have it: my "castor rant" for the day.

Veloce Raptor

I do not believe anyone is advocating "letting go" of the wheel. Duh.

spazegun2213

TD, another thing to consider about 100% race cars, is most times, their steering rack has a really quick ratio. If thats so, only a small amount of steering is needed. Also, how big is your steering wheel (in mm)? Being a tall guy I need a really small steering wheel (so my knees dont hit my hands on the wheel). I have a 330mm sparco right now, and that is as big as I'd go on the 944. A smaller wheel seems to allow me more freedom when it comes to inputs. The range of motion i need is really small to make a large input on that wheel, so smaller inputs can be had quicker. But then again thats my preference.

Sean F

TD - the one thing I noticed in your video is that by keeping your outside hand fixed you end up in a bit of an awkward looking position and it looks like you're really tensed up - in particular in the outside arm. I've had a pro coach and heard from others with pro coaches (like Hurley H) who subscribe to shuffle steering in some if not all corners because it allows you to be more relaxed with the wheel and feel the inputs better. Some of these guys will literally drive with just their fingertips. I realize that this is a hotly debated topic, but it seemed really striking to me in your video how tense your outside arm looks on some of those corners.

TD in DC

It doesn't feel awkward to me. In fact, after trying various techniques, this feels the best.

I also do not feel that my arm is tense at all. BUT, I do NOT have power steering and Shenandoah Circuit is like a glorified go kart track, so this is about as an extreme example as you can get. It is work to get around this track, but it would be the same amount of physical work even if I shuffle steered.

I never have to use that much steering input at other tracks. Also, since that video was taken, I have started driving a lot more with the rear of the car, which also reduces the need for steering input.

TD in DC

My car has a power rack that has been converted to manual, so it is not exactly quick. I am afraid that, without power steering, using a smaller wheel would make it even more work than it already is, but I understand what you are saying. I prefer to start driving the rear of the car more, which will reduce the amount of steering input I need to use in the first place.

spazegun2213

hehe, no problem. My new car has no PS, so its a tab interesting to say the least, but I love my smaller wheel.

Although i agree with the right style of driving inputs should only get smaller.

M758

I was thinking the same thing. When I first strarted track driving I was carefull to avoid shufflesteering and also tried to make "one input" to the wheel in a corner. While I think it served me well now I never seem to do that. Clearly making multiple inputs is requried when on the limit to "adjust" the car to grip available, but am surprise how much shuffle steer I really do these days.

It has everything to do with comfort. I am more relaxed if don't let my arms get all twisted up and it also seems to make it easier to correct the car with my hands closer toward 10 & 2 than twisted like pretzel. Some of this may also have to do with my manual steering rack. This means more force and also a bit more turn needed so keeping my arms in a position where I can apply more force in more controlled fashion is important.

As for letting the car wheel unwind... Well I never seem do it as I always seem to managing the car in some way and no grip on the wheel means no control. However I rarely ever force fully unwind the wheel except for rapid corrections.