Launching Techniques?

[lowandslow]

How do you guys launch when you race? Is some wheel spin OK? I think if i can learn to launch well in my civic EX...it would help a great deal when i swap in the b18c1 over the summer. Thanks.

-Rod

[Kim307]

Just practice!

[Thevettekiller]

Air down ET Drags to 13 psi.... Warm them up really good in the box

Pull up and stage
Rev engine till shiftlite comes on (about 5800rpms)
Dump clutch and hold the f*ck on....

[ghoust]

2 1/2 to 3k rpm launch =)

[Matt]

I agree....it's not something that somebody can really teach you. There is too much going on. it's mostly feel.

more clutch / more gas
less clutch / less gas

I mostly go by feel...it took me a while to get it down but the practice was definitly worth it.

[CoNFuSioUs2002]

A little bit of chirping from the tires is okay. I don't really know too much about launching an fwd.

[aSiaNdoboI]

when i first started out driving
i was out with my dad praticeing stick shift on a 1988 prelude
and we pulled up to a hill(havent done much on hill yet)
i burn out the first time and second time too
by the third i was pissed (my dad was nagging at me)
so i drop the clutch and floored it
i flew but not as fast as you think casue it was a lude 1988

[dp]

you just gotta practice with your car and the tires you rollin on. depends on the cars torque and power etc.
say you are in a GSR integra...
the wheels will spin a lot especially if you are rollin on stock tires.
so... you would first warm up your tires by doing a quick lil burnout before the race.
then...you would bring the rpm's to about 3000 and then
when its time to burn rubber... drop the clutch and put the pedal to the metal.
the wheels in this car will provably spin long enough for you to bounce the rev limiter...then while you are bouncing the rev limiter you feel when the car starts to get traction and that is when you shift to 2nd. (grip the shift knob and force it into second fast and hard) similar to sex :)~ feels almost as good too. (if your in a fast car!!!)

[Monte_kev]

No little spin is still not good. If your spining that means your not moving. The others have it right practice makes perfect, here try this:

Line up
bring it to 2-2.5 (depending on where your brakes will hold it)
When the flag drops just let off the brake, one the car has begun to roll then slam on the gas.

This works, but it takes some getting used to and it is a proven thing i read it in Hot Rod Mag.

of course if you have too much horsepower for the suspension to handle you will spin no matter what.

just try it
-Kevin-
87 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe
Demo. with respect for the Import scene.

[NaVamous]

Try between 2000 and 2500. The way I've figured it I launched at about 2k and I got a lil wheel spin...take off was decent....

[SiN-6]

Dont really know
launching an AWD is pretty easy with all the goodies equipped..
Cutching is the most important thing to pratice tho

[lowandslow]

Thanks for the input guys. I've been practicing in the de anza parking lots after night class. I'm launching around 3.5-4K. I'm sure with some better tires...i could do better. Thanks.

-Rod

[k.]

2k range is a lil low..i launch mine in the 3k range.

~k.

[SE-Rage]

I have no first hand experience, but I would think you would want to launch a VTEC engine from a higher RPM than a car with more torque and power that doesn't need VTEC (haha, just a little poke). You definitely don't want to drop the clutch, you want to launch with no bog but you don't want to spin the tires at all. I've heard that a lot of people with higher powered vehicles shift from 1st to 2nd without letting go of the clutch (of course I don't have that problem). You want the clutch to take the punishment, and you definitely want to use the clutch to keep the car in that delicate balance in between bogging and spinning because both are clearly undesirable.

If you're really anal, you can decrease your front wheel tire pressure for more grip and increase the rear tire pressure for less rolling resistance (on a FWD of course).

[SiN-6]

most ppl driving a VTEC that i know launch around at 6000 rpm.
i have no idea how to launch a FWD tho

[coos]

Just rev the bitch up to like 5000 a drop it. Oh wait that's my car, never mind.

[blizzard]

My friend's teg starts redline at 10,000 rpm, and I can never tell what he launches at. On a couple of organized street races, he sits there with his feet off the pedels, car in neutral, and the counter counts down. At ...3-2- and at 1, in a smooth motion he slams his car into first and hits the gas as hard as he can and clutch releases right when the arms go down. His car screams insanely, and chirps all the way to 10,000rpm in 2nd gear.

His car is unbeatable. He rarely does races, he usually plays in the mountains with his teg with his LSD, and drifts around corners until 3am in the morning. He thinks drags are for people who have no skill except driving straight.

Anywayz, go find him in LA. You'll find a '96 integra that looks really beat up and sounds really quiet. An asian guy, age 21 driving with short hair. Oh and don't race him if he has is girl in the car, he won't race.

Goodluck.

[k.]

i've never had to launch at vtec range (5k)...

~k.

[dp]

launch at 10,000,000. hahahaa j.k.

[TeamStylesRacingMini]

when i launch i rev about 2-3500 rpms and then let up the clutch slow then drop it whil adding more gas. i haven't had wheel spin before and remain undefeated. i will race any car within reason.

[Chris]

uhm, doing a burnout on a radial tire is pointless. You wont "heat them up".

[neonflyer99]

i launch my neon at 2500 w/ little wheel spin, but thats a neon to w/ out all that vtech stuff and whatever everyone else calls their stuff!

[mr.integra]

rod, im me

[lowandslow]

jerry, what's ur aim? Was it mrjerry003? or hit me up at "wudupDOHC"

-Rod

[mr.integra]

yap, hit me up

[tom3]

a little wheel spin can be good as it brings you up to a higher rpm faster

[stormy652]

I launch at a fairly low rpm in my L98 Vette. Anything over 3000rpm and I spin like crazy. Slid out sideways one time! Not fun.

[Dv5GreddyCivic]

Depends on how good your clutch is, Right now I just installed my ACT extreme Pressure plate with Nippon Disc, and even the slightest let up on the clutch durin launch will burn the tires,

MY TECHNIQUE : So what i do, Is chill at 1500 till the flagger drops, then throw all the gas into it, ride the clutch till the car has complete grip (you gotta feeeeeeeeeel this) then let go the clutch, wait till you hit a little before red.

Upshift too second (dont mash the stick into the hole, you need too ease it gently in there, otherwise GRIINNNND) (Thats how I lost too a fuckin gay ass green Civic) Once you got the second in, just mash your pedal all the way....hopefully with enough HP and torque you will take the early win, or the late catch up win....either way...

[SE-Rage]

Originally posted by stormy652
I launch at a fairly low rpm in my L98 Vette. Anything over 3000rpm and I spin like crazy. Slid out sideways one time! Not fun.

Yeah, but I think you have something us 4 cylinder guys don't have. Shit, what the hell was that thing called? T-t-torque?

[RS/377]

rev to 6500 rpm, side step the clutch whe nits time to go.
AWD is a wonderful thing.

[stormy652]

Yeah, but I think you have something us 4 cylinder guys don't have. Shit, what the hell was that thing called? T-t-torque?

LMAO! Yeah I guess I do. 345@3200rpm. :D