I've heard this 100 times before but was never really sure what it ment. I googled it but all i got were sites for 4x4's . While your at it explain any other diffrent kinds of breaking there are and what there used for. Drops som edumcation on me thxs.

 

Breaking while entering a turn. It's not recommended. "Slow in, fast out.. fast in, spin out."

 

ahh so its just gradually breaking into a turn and then accelerating through the apex?

 

Pretty much, but doesn't define when to accelerate. You can trail brake the entire way through the turn past the apex if you wanted, but it's generally just describing braking gradually less as you approach the apex. If you're still breaking *at* the apex, you've done it wrong.

To be safe, I don't try to trail brake at all, especially with rear wheel drive! That would cause the rear wheels to keep pushing the car while the front is trying to slow it, making a spin very likely.

Practice slowing before a turn, coasting to the apex then accelerating gradually after the apex for the safest way through. This allows you to trail brake if necessary and adjust your apex to pass someone around a turn. I tend to go to the outside of a turn and make a short apex while others blow past for a late apex, then cut to the inside while accelerating. They are likely to spin while trail braking to adjust to my passing them or lock up their brakes. While I'm slowing down, they see a chance to pass by and hold too much speed through the turn, and are braking hard while I begin to accelerate past. Great technique for karting!

 

I always understood it as gradually letting off the brakes as you gradually turned-in. That way you are effectively using a 100% traction all the way through the turn. Say you're coming at a turn and you just completely let off the brakes and you start to turn-in, you'll only maybe use a small portion of your traction at the initial turn-in. But with trailbreaking, if you're using 90% traction to brake, you're using 10% to turn. And gradually as you turn more, you'll use 20% to turn, 80% to brake, etc until you're completely off the brakes and using a 100% traction for turns and then you'll gradually go from using traction for turning to accelerating. It should help with initial turn-in to given you're putting some weight distribution up front. I could be wrong though. No racing expert.

 

But wouldnt that push from the rear help in a car that has understeering problems, granted i could see how if you do it too much the rear end could carry too much momentum and come around on making you counter steer to prevent yourself from spining causing loss of exit speed, but a little should be ok right?

 

Yes, and you are still braking while entering the turn. I think he was just asking for a general overview, and yes, when used correctly it can be very effective. However, it can easily mess up someone just learning.

 

Keep in mind there is no reset button on the track. Trail braking is good if you know what you are doing and how your car handles, but as a *general* rule, it's not the best method to learn. I prefer not to do trail braking myself as it limits options (by carrying too much speed into a turn) to react to unexpected changes such as loose gravel, other cars in the turn, etc. Safer to go in slowly and be patient.

 

Whoever told you that is a slow driver...or a pussy. Or both. Trail braking is necssary in many, many cases. At VIR I trail brake on T3, T4, T10, Oak Tree, Roller Coaster. Sometimes more. All the luck to you if you trailbrake through hogpen.

Rear wheel drive shouldnt have anything to do with trail braking or not. The object of trail braking is to rotate the car, so of course it will be more likely to spin, but thats when common sense and car control comes into play. The entire idea of trail braking has to do with being able to control your car on it's edge. FWD or RWD, or AWD for that matter all act the same. You can either do it or not.

You should already be accelerating before the apex. If you wait to clear the apex to get on the throttle you are too late.

Turning in late, 99% of the time is the safer, better, faster line. Turning in early creates all sorts of problems on the exit of a fast corner and shouldn't really be taught to beginners.

Actually someone that trailbrakes, turns in late, and gets instantly back on the gas will be so far ahead of you he wont be in your way.

It rotates the car for cars that do not normally rotate at corner entry. /end.

 

You are absolutely right. And yes, a little is ok. Even more is better! Loose is fast!