rec.autos.simulators

The European technique of cornering calls for having all your braking done
prior to the corner. In the turn, the gearbox is used for any additional
deceleration, for keeping the rear end where you want it, and for maintaining
RPM for exit. The American technique allows braking DURING the turn, along with
the downshifting, and this is trail braking.

When used correctly (i.e. the car is under control and it's not an emergency
procedure), trail braking is useful. But as you know, skittish cars easily get
sideways when braked under lateral G's.

So from what I can tell, trail braking is either an "oops" or a technique,
depending upon the driver.

Hope this helps, and that I haven't made a complete fool of myself with this
answer :)

Trey Behan

Trail Braking involves carrying some of your braking into the first third of
the corner. Instead of completing all of your braking in a straight line
(being fully OFF the brake pedal before you turn), you actually finish your
braking slightly after you begin the turn.

Remember to keep the friction "circle" in mind, knowing that you only have
so much grip available to do this. The circle would look like this:

        B

L                R

        A

With left and right being self explanitory, and B = braking, and A= accel.
Connect the letters with a line to form a circle and you have a "friction
circle." This meaning, if you want to use 100% of the brake, you can only do
this within the traction limits while going straight. Any time you are doing
two things at once (braking and turning, or accel and turning) you will need
to compromise one or the other (or both) to remain in control. For example,
let's say you were in a right-hand turn and want to apply the brakes. You
could only use 50% of your cornering power and 50% of your brake to remain
within traction limits. Now, this is a rough example, but you get the idea.

Trail braking involves turning while you are "trailing" OFF the brakes. By
keeping the brakes applied, you are keeping weight on the front wheels due
to weight transfer. This extra weight helps the front end bite more,
therefore you get the rear wheels to rotate slightly on entrance to the
corner, thereby helping turn-in. You then ease off the brakes before the
apex and the car is then in a neutral cornering state.

The benefit of trail braking is that you can brake a bit later, and get your
car to turn in well. When done properly, it is like steering into the corner
normally, but you are using something like 1/4 to 1/2 the turning lock that
you would normally use if NOT trail braking. The trail braking helps do some
of the steering for you.

Setup is a key here, for if it is very loose or has toe-out at the back, the
car will be very hard to control in trail braking. You generally want a
setup that is biased more toward understeer, and one that has its brake bias
relatively forward.

Experiment and see how you like it! :-)

--Dave

Views on this vary: some use trailbraking to mean braking while
turning into a corner, some mean applying brake and gas at the same
time. Personally, I think the first option is correct (at least the
GPL manual says so).

lifting...braking...accelerating.

I didn't realise they were nationalised :-) Wasn't Jim Clark the master
trail-braker?

--
Cheers!
Graeme Nash

http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk
ICQ# 11257824
________________________________________________________________________________
                        "Sorry, my eyes were on screensaver"

                                (Calvin & Hobbes)

Have a look at this page I put up a while ago:

http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/gpl/tb-fc.html

--
Cheers!
Graeme Nash

http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk
ICQ# 11257824
________________________________________________________________________________
                        "Sorry, my eyes were on screensaver"

                                (Calvin & Hobbes)

He certainly was - carried it to occasional extremes too, not only in F1 but
in saloon and sports cars. He would approach Paddock Bend at Brands Hatch
(and Druids) pointing at the apex and braking hard (anyone else would have
spun). Although his speed just past the apex was slightly slower than other
competitors (less road to work with), his very late braking gave him a huge
advantage. He was palpably faster than anyone else on the track given
similar machinery, and was an absolute joy to watch. To this day I have
never seen anyone more entertaining on 4 wheels - very smooth too - his
mechanics found less wear on his cars than his team mates.

Robert

Trail braking is hardly an American phenomenon. The European GPLers pretty
consistently clean our clocks, with just a few notable exceptions, and they
trail brake like mad. Don't think they picked it up by watching some
imported American dirt track video! Somebody remember to remind Schumacher
to only brake in a straight line. LOL.

Jack Rambo

www.RaceLive.com/GPaL

To the best of my knowledge, these procedures don't actually enjoy
government-sanctioned "nationalisation." :) But give Bernie Ecclestone a little
time....

Trey Behan