It was purely by accident that I stumbled across this amazing phenomenon popularly known as load transfer.
I was about to do the usual morning Scandinavian flick around my favorite curve when the idiot in front slowed to like 15MPH for the bend – keeping in mind I usually take it at 50-60MPH. I didn’t wanna risk bumping him so I hit the brake right before I hit the apex and yo, soon as I twisted the steering wheel to take the turn, the rear wheels broke loose and I was more sideways than I’d ever been before! Dude, I was shook that the rear would break loose just from braking and I almost lost it, but I pulled thru fine.
Apparently, during deceleration or acceleration, the weight of the car shifts front to back. Yeah, you already knew this, I know. But I never thought I could use that concept to my advantage, though I was already doing it with The Flick, which is basically shifting the load right and left.
Certain conditions must first apply though:
- You have to be decelerating – by braking or downshifting
- You must be moving fast enough. Too slow and the wheels will keep sticking, too fast and catastrophic understeer, or too much oversteer, will result
- The car has to have sufficient front-end grip.
- Stiffer springs, stickier rubber, sway and strut bars and more pressure in the rear tires will all help
- Don’t be silly. Only do it on public roads if you’re confident in your technique. Or better yet, don’t do it on public roads at all.
Needless to say, I’ve been perfecting the technique every day since. A combo of the Scandinavian flick and Load Transfer will make you Superman – or is that Ironman? [Great movie. Go see it.] – behind the wheel. You’ll make your car do things you never thought it could.
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