FIX Top 4 Trail Braking MISTAKES [HOW TO]

They say braking is what separates good drivers from GREAT DRIVERS, and I tend to agree. Braking, and particularly TRAIL BRAKING, is one of the last milestones to round out your techniques. Since I'm being asked about it so much I'm going to share my TIPS with you so YOU TOO CAN BE GREAT!
Chapters:
00:00 All Fast Drivers Do THIS!
00:52 Why Trail Brake
02:16 Correct Trail Braking
02:56 4 Common Mistakes
05:06 How to Fix your Mistakes
07:31 How to Practice It
08:42 Ask Me Anything
If you want to drive faster and CUT YOUR LAPTIMES, look no further. On my channel I will share with you things I've learnt over the last 20 years which will help shave your lap times down to the LastTenth. Whether in real life or in a racing sim, I will guide you through driving technique, track guides, car setup, race craft, telemetry analysis, race strategy, and the technical knowledge behind all of that.
For help on DRIVER COACHING, TELEMETRY ANALYSIS, or CUSTOM CAR SETUPS simply contact me (details below) and we'll get your lap times down in no time!
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Car illustration by @artofsanfordkong

[@DEAJP10]

This channel is criminally under rated and under subscribed! I’m very grateful for the outstanding coaching. For years I’ve struggled with how to trail brake. Have NEVER seen it broken down so brilliantly like this. Thank you!!!!!

[@LastTenth]

Hey Rupert. Thanks for finding me and the kind comments!

[@GSD419]

Agree 100%

[@a.a.7348]

I work part time as an instructor and really appreciate your content. Theres something about explaining physics that allows like minded individuals to grasp the absolute basics and then extrapolate them onto a given situation on the track. I will definitely be using some of your points when working with drivers if you dont mind of corse. Please continue doing what you're doing and good luck!

[@LastTenth]

A large motivation for this channel is to help spread accurate and factual about vehicle dynamics, so feel free to share any of the concepts or the videos themselves!

[@Xillur]

Getting some of my best driving tips in this channel. Thank you, really appreciate it.

[@LastTenth]

No problem! And thank for supporting!

[@stevep927]

Been sim driving for 15 years . Best description I have ever heard

[@LastTenth]

Thanks Steve! That means a lot!

[@gantoisfrederic455]

Oh thzts some awesome tips to watch in the telemetry. I were realising earlier my entry speed were always slighty off puting me 1/1.5 tenths off per turn. Gonna practice more those point. Super usefull as always !

[@LastTenth]

I'm interested to hear which fix worked the best for you!

[@vincentmiller3358]

your videos are perfect for me, thankyou

[@LastTenth]

Thanks!!

[@ryhzedrt5uhytdujrtju]

Your tips help me a lot, thanks

[@LastTenth]

You're welcome!!

[@kevin_m]

I came to learn about trail braking, I stayed to hear the weight transfer sound effects 😊 Great vid!

[@LastTenth]

🎶zhoooooooooooo~

[@LastTenth]

my attempt at typing a sound effect...

[@kevin_m]

@@LastTenth 🤣 love it!

[@koheba1]

great tips

[@plaxeter]

Great Video

[@JoeRN2B]

Wow! I just discovered this channel today. I am amazed. Thank you!

[@LastTenth]

Thanks!!

[@juhakivekas2175]

A little comment. Trail braking requires a firm confidence and I would claim that trail braking is easier with stiff sidewalled (race/slick) tyre compared to a soft side wall road tyre - on tarmac. I leave a little reservations to gravel and snow - situations where you need to base everything on (aggressive) weight transfer. If you have wobbly tyre on tarmac it is very difficult to find the confidence. The tyre needs to repeat the same time after time and you need to be able to trust it.

[@LastTenth]

That's an interesting idea. My current sidewalls are really soft; softer than my last ones which were already soft. It was quite and adjustment for me.

[@juhakivekas2175]

@@LastTenth If we think about the axis of tyre types Volume->HP->UHP->UUHP->race slicks we have certain tendencies from left to right: - Dry grip increases - Life span shortens - Tyres can take more heat - Sidewalls get stiffer But there are still differencies. Michelin favors relatively soft sidewall (after all they patented the original X-Radial) while Bridgestone prefers torsionally very stiff tyre tube. The angle of sidewall plies are quite radial in Michelin while Bstone apparently uses more diagonal angles, like a leftover from cross-ply tyres. There are pros and cons in both. Stiff sidewall usually means short reaction time due to lateral stiffness, but also more noise, vibrations and hardness. Soft sidewall is more comfortable, reacts slower and gives a bit more room for the contact patch to comply with the road given you have got the steel belts correct. Michelin is the tyre that takes the longest to wear out. Note that vertical stiffness is not the same as lateral stiffness although they correlate most often. And another factor is the damping of the stiffness, especially lateral. Nobody likes a wobbly tyre. I have had PS2, PSS, S02A, Conti SC2 and Eagle F1 As6 in my 911. All excellent tyres, except the SC2 which was rubbish. Gripwise I can not tell which has had the most grip but I can tell that I loved those Bstone Potenza S02A for the superior feel, accuracy and predictability. The sidewalls were really stiff. They really pumped up my confidence. Coming from a winter snow country Ive learned trail braking naturally. Otherwise you tend to understeer to the snow bank and you will be punished by digging the car out from the bank.

[@LastTenth]

@@juhakivekas2175 Hah! I know what you mean! Not only did I have to dig my car out of a bank, I once had to tow my car, with my other car, out of a snowed in ditch.

[@dailysneakers_]

I just bought ACC (I was not into GT3 racing, just rallying) and surprisingly my trail breaking it's correct? lmao, Dirt taught me well! Because if you make any input very quickly, like: release the break too fast or don't match the throttle with the steering wheel, on the gravel while breaking any of those can end you race right there. Road racing vs rally are different scales BUT you kinda get the experience to be smooth with the inputs.

[@LastTenth]

That's very interesting. It's been like 20 years since I've done any loose surface driving, I don't really remember how it was. What you describe is what I call input-syncing. I don't know if there's an actual name for it...

[@_rnlf]

How does this channel not even have 5k subs?

[@LastTenth]

I have yet to receive the blessing of the YT algo... 😅

[@arturkochan4649]

coz ppl dont like to study theory

[@jinnie9880]

Just subscribed also. Wow this content deserves 10x that sub count and more

[@LastTenth]

Thanks@@jinnie9880! All you gotta do is share it with 10x friends!😀

[@yankeegooner4112]

My issue is breaking too much at first, or not enough. I rarely seem to get it just right in the middle where I need to be.

[@LastTenth]

That sounds like an issue with threshold braking, which unfortunately is not covered in this video, but I have helped many drivers build that technique. It just takes practice.

[@jinnie9880]

Hi! Question if you don’t mind. You mentioned practicing on a flat track. Do you have a specific track in mind that corner by corner will need trail braking techniques?

[@LastTenth]

Don't mind at all, and yes, I have specific tracks that I recommend to drivers I coach depending on the exercises. Road America would be a good one to practice trail braking. As are the interior of many rovals - a lot of those corners are fairly long, which will require you to trail for longer and smoother. Also, with active reset, you don't need to practice it corner by corner.

[@cyrus05w]

Only at 4:00 so far although having a brother that does this on tarmac while I do the driving on the dirt please keep in mind that it's a different skill set. This information is handy although some of the mechanics that you would do to negotiate the turn as a tad bit different when you have less traction below the tires. I would add detail at the dimension of the quick release of the break but I'm going to watch the rest of the video. Just wanted to make a note this information is handy when you're driving on a tarmac track or road. Unless I'm inaccurate please keep in mind that went on dirt some of the skills used will be slightly different please take your time when learning on dirt same as you would on tarmac.

[@LastTenth]

I would agree. Maaaany moons ago I did a bit of 'loose surface' driving and rallying. It's inherently different from road racing, which is why you see them all drift instead. There are also different techniques that are used such as the Scandinavian flick etc. That said, the fundamentals are the same; braking causes load transfer, releasing brakes reverses the load transfer, and the speed you load or unload can change the balance of the car. But the way you use the fundamentals has to suit the circumstance - loose surfaces likely have much larger fluctuations in grip as you go through a corner, and through a race, which would require quicker and more frequent adjustments.

[@cyrus05w]

@@LastTenth thank you for that breakdown, I'm going to try to use it when I talk to my brother again. That part there about the longer ratio on the turn might help out more too. Thank you for the use of the rally car because sometimes I feel like that's what's happening when I hit that washboard lol. Please be well and thank you for your reply I like this.

[@LastTenth]

@@cyrus05w No problem. If you have questions (or you're looking for answers), feel free to join my discord. There's a Q&A section there. Would be nice to have some dirt drivers!

[@cyrus05w]

@@LastTenth You are welcome and thank you for the offer, I should look into this discord thing more I only use it to communicate with my son when he has time. If I figure out that application more I'll look into what it offers for the groups and I might find you there. On the note of dirt drivers though, I know in my area with a long tracks and the short tracks slowly fading away it's going to become more troublesome to find people who do it in areas that are okay to mess around on dirt versus the ones that just find a back rude and create the roots while having fun. Also though on the note of such okay places to mess around on thank you for including the video shown some of the dyno(if that's the correct word) pictures. Keeping in mind with left hand learning and right hand learning this definitely helps the right-handed people, and also for the visual aspect it helps the left-handed people. Analytical versus imagining.

[@LastTenth]

@@cyrus05w It's a great app for communicating in a community; you should look into it some more.

[@georgepattinson9251]

I use the 991 PORSCHE and it steps out at the same corner on Spa nearly every time

[@windclound]

May I ask some question and hope not too silly:) Was trail brake equal to late brake? If I didn't late brake, usually i will decelerate cars too much. I try to give less brake pressure on pedal but it lead to less weight transfer and understeer (even not 100% as quick as I push the car)

[@LastTenth]

Hey not silly at all. They are not the same thing, but trail braking *can* allow later braking. What you're describing is the challenge drivers face; to be able to manage speed, overall grip, balance, and line, all at the same time, using two pedals and wheel.

[@windclound]

@@LastTenthThanks! your channel inspires me a lot

[@LastTenth]

@@windcloundThat's a very, very kind thing to say

[@aquaxbat]

What are the best free tracks on iracing to practice these techniques?

[@LastTenth]

I don't remember which are the free ones, but Road America and Rovals are good choices for that.

[@JoeRN2B]

Is it possible (or fast) to trail brake in a go kart with only back brakes?

[@LastTenth]

That's a good question. I did some karting but not a lot to be a KOL, but this is how I would think about it. The key is speed management, if you need to decelerate into a corner more than by lifting alone, then use the brakes. The brakes are just a tool. Because there are only rear brakes, there is a higher tendency to reduce the kart's overall grip when you use it. This will require you to further reduce speed, which may be difficult, or not reduce the radius as quickly as you'd like. At the same time, there's no rear diff so the kart will be unwilling to rotate until one or both rear tires semi lock. That's going to play into you much brake you use into the corner as well. It's all a balancing act.

[@aarrodri]

Love the content. Thanks. Recommend to shorten your channel intro video.

[@LastTenth]

Hey thanks for the watching and the support. What would you say is a good intro length?

[@jtmalet]

My biggest problem is spinning in to a corner. It seems as i slowly ease off the brake the car starts to spin. Which doesn't make sense as the rear should have more grip the less i brake... Any tips as to why so i can fix it?

[@LastTenth]

The rear will have more grip with less brake, but it doesn't mean it has more grip for turning. Can't say for sure what's making you spin without seeing it or the data, but if you overwhelm the fronts with braking, and start releasing the brake in a turn, your fronts' ability to turn will start improving which can cause a spin. Try to not 'overbrake' the car. There are setup considerations as well.

[@jtmalet]

@LastTenth I've started to figure it out. It was both a setup and over braking/ driving issue. Pushing the car too hard in to corners. I've always driven by feel so going to a sim with virtually no feel has been a learning curve lol.

[@LastTenth]

@@jtmalet in a sim you're going to have to learn new skills to get feedback from the car. These techniques are a large part of my coaching and they're not exclusive to sim - real world drivers also use them. IMO, these techniques are far superior to 'feel' (g-forces) which is why when implemented in real world driving, a driver can improve tremendously!

[@aluisious]

The link to "Novice Tips" doesn't work.

[@LastTenth]

Thanks for letting me know. My computer is taken apart so I’ll fix that when it’s reassembled. In the meantime, try this: 3 Things You're Doing WRONG in SimRacing and Track Driving [TIPS for NOVICE] kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2HFpoWOpM92lc0

[@gort8203]

You said: "I don't know any fast driver who doesn't trail brake so it's a technique you must learn if you want to be fast." It seems you don't know Martin Brundle. Or perhaps Formula One cars have a magical exception to trail braking, because when he is commenting on driver's lap during a Grand Prix weekend he is constantly stating that the driver must complete braking in a straight line before turning in to the corner. You don't have to explain trail braking to me, but if you have some insight into why Martin Brundle says that I would be grateful.

[@LastTenth]

Admittedly I don't follow motorsports too much (I'm weird like that, I don't watch much sports, even ones I played). Do you have any links to what you're referring to? I tried to search for some to get some context but wasn't able to find anything indicating that he said F1 drivers don't trail brake. I did find a video of Hamilton where you see him trail braking though. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6O3fZuigqehprc

[@gort8203]

@@LastTenth Sorry, I don't have links to anything, I just watch F1 races. And every race weekend Martin Brundle talks about completing braking in straight line, which gets my attention because it contradicts the long-accepted technique of trail braking and use of the full potential of the tire "friction circle". I too have noticed F1 drivers trail braking, and if they weren't they wouldn't occasionally lock an inside front when turning in, would they. Obviously you can brake harder in a straight line, and not all corners need as much trail brake as others, but he says it as though it is an absolute. A mystery.

[@LastTenth]

@@gort8203 No worries. It would be cool to see it in context. Thanks for bringing it up!

[@arturkochan4649]

are u canadian?

[@LastTenth]

Yeap!