What is Trailbraking? | The Ultimate Sim Racing Tutorial

What separates quick sim drivers from really quick sim drivers? Braking. More specifically, trail braking.
In an effort to help you shave vital tenths from your lap times, watch as John talks you through the intricacies of trail braking, with an in-depth guide backed up by his real-life and sim racing experiences.
If Spoon puts you in a spin, or your Parabolica performance is decidedly diabolical, John’s expert advice will be sure to put you on the right (race) track.
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#Traxion #Trailbraking #Tutorial

[@TraxionGG]

What other techniques would you like us to create guides for?

[@Thibaut_Guerquin]

Could you make a video about the different type of corners/curbs and turns and how to approach them ? Thanks for the guide !

[@Tobus75]

Racing in traffic, especially in first few laps of a race when traffic is thick and following the racing line is next to impossible.

[@chrismatthews5655]

@@Tobus75 yepppp defo this. Attacking first few laps when bunched up wud be gd

[@jasonzbell]

I think the hardest/most time consuming part is learning to use Motec. I've yet to use it and I know there are some long, in-depth videos out there by Nils, Aris, etc., but I personally really enjoy the tutorial videos you put out. Easy to digest and replicate in the sim with lots of practice using the correct techniques. Cheers! JBell

[@wibblewabblewoo6249]

@@Tobus75 100%, this is my biggest weakness too

[@festa289]

Good video, but I feel it would have been more informative if you showed the steering and brake inputs to better show the technique

[@whyg400man6]

its acc very simple you turn just a little bit and you just pray to god you make it out of the corner

[@garyrowe58]

Tricky to fo that, the technique is different for every type of car and then how it is set up, and what the specific conditions are when you approach each bend.

[@garyrowe58]

Also, if you sim race, a great way to learn is to try forcing understeer or oversteer in a corner solely by how you use your brakes ... learn how to alter the cars turning behaviour by using extremes: learn how to create predictable amount of understeer and oversteer with the use of the brakes. start with terminal amounts, then dual it back to something useful. I think then it'll be obvious to you what works best for you.

[@jericosha2842]

One of the best videos on the topic and the editing was masterful. Thanks.

[@TraxionGG]

Thanks very much!

[@zzdupe7142]

i watched this video because i was told by a lot of people to try out trailbreaking once i get a little bit better, despite my fast lap time. I'm pretty sure ive been using trailbreaking without knowing it a lot 😭😭😭 still a helpful video though, and i learned about where to use it!! thank you for this

[@mesijevoprenejvozed7152]

Thank you for the video! Nicely explained. This will boost my performance for sure! :)

[@l337g0g0]

VERY VERY nice and informative educational video about braking and turning, great work here.

[@TraxionGG]

Thank you very much!

[@FreddyGaming]

Something that improved my time when I learnt about it is the back that the as you break into a corner try to push to the limit the grip with the braking and steering. If you steer too early it means you can go faster

[@MalyJirka]

Thank you so much! I consider myself kinda experienced driver, but those little details we can find in those videos are major! Keep up the excellent work!

[@TraxionGG]

Appreciate it!

[@initialdoge8528]

@@TraxionGG damn bro i tried trail braking with dead tires and now I am in the barrier

[@levi6859]

I haven’t seen one of your videos in a little bit but this is a very good video. I’m waiting for the update to start playing the game again but, I think I might give these tips a try in the meantime.

[@TraxionGG]

Welcome back! Glad you found it enjoyable

[@SlyNine]

I thought it was called spinning out of control when I try it.

[@DrMario-su6xj]

1:22 Bethesda needs to hire him for the ragdoll physics.

[@DanLMH]

Great info & explanation John!

[@TraxionGG]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ilsebalis2322]

1:03 that guy crashed XD

[@antoniorosati1064]

fr😂

[@Trickshot_26]

Thank you so much man i appreciate this video

[@TraxionGG]

Glad it helped!😊

[@tubzvermeulen]

Thanks for the video

[@TraxionGG]

Our pleasure!

[@miau31333]

Now it all makes sense

[@eeeeyuke]

That dig at 5:45 was so funny.

[@an_0rdinary_Gamer]

I love it how in the intro, someone's gets YEETED into the wall on spa

[@TraxionGG]

Well spotted!😂

[@EFguy162]

Is this similar to using the brakes to turn-in the front end of a Rally car on dirt? I learned this from a Colin McRae video and I am feeling like it translates almost directly. Well, without trees of course. Great video!!

[@danielstokker]

What seems to be left out is that with trailbraking you actually need to carry more speed into that corner for it to work propperly braking while steering into a corner isnt always trailbraking certainly when you fail at it your not trail braking your just fucking it up this also wont work on every corner and is specificly aimed at faster corners because the longer and wider the corner the more effect its gonne have on your times

[@garrystevens8793]

Excellent detailed explanation, thanks 🙏

[@TraxionGG]

Appreciate it, cheers!

[@LordGeyBoi]

Well I guess I have already been doing this since I started sim racing! Thank you for the great explanation on it though

[@littlerhino2006]

Do you recommend a particular platform to start with? As in driven axles and engine placement?

[@TraxionGG]

I would say rear wheel drive, front engine is a good place to start as they tend to noticeably benefit from the technique more often than other drivetrain and engine layouts. Good luck! 😊

[@theblaznee]

I drive the McLaren the most in ACC and I'm really struggling with this technique. Whenever I try it I go immediately in to an oversteer spin. Slow corners, fast corners and mediums. I just can't seem to "feel" the balance.

[@chrismatthews5655]

@jesper rathsach I am/was the same. Its the car I chose in second half of career mode. I'm jus in practice mode allllll the time. And I turn on the consistency scoring jus so it shows how quick ur actually taking sections.. there are a few tracks I think am smashin but it shows I'm "slow" so I kno I can push more. Or at the other end. It can say "too aggressive" so I kno I can cool down abit and not be so hard. Don't wanna sound an arse but the corners ur pushing on u may actually be pushing the car over the limit for that corner, if that makes sense. I have found tht with quite a few corners to says too aggressive or out of control, but from me driving its controlled over steer

[@TraxionGG]

I would either try adjusting the brake bias towards the front (increasing the number), or lowering the rear ride height and/or raising the front. Give that a go and see if it helps 😊

[@chrismatthews5655]

@@TraxionGG OR THAT lol.. listen to the pro lol.

[@theblaznee]

@@TraxionGG I will try it out. I'm running the coach dave academy setups, and maybe they are a bit too aggressive for my style. I just don't quite get the theory behind what's happening since I spin out so bad on even very slow corners. Am I breaking too hard and generating too much grip together with too much steering lock?

[@TraxionGG]

Quite possibly! The McLaren is mid engined and finely balanced, so is sensitive to snap oversteer. It might be that by loading up the fronts too much, you are leaving the back of the car with less grip as you turn in. It’s always a tricky car to master, and is actually one that does suit a bit of coasting into the corners at times, even if that sounds a bit contradictory after watching this video! It’s like I said though, everything is dependent on car choice and setup, so some cars will suit certain things more than others.

[@JuanAdam12]

Non-racer here: is trail braking done with one foot on the brake and one foot on the accelerator, simultaneously? (I thought that’s what the camera showed.)

[@TraxionGG]

It can be done either way. Sometimes you need a little bit of throttle at the right moment to stabilise the rear end of the car, but most of the time you won’t do. All depends on how the car you are driving behaves (and the specific corner). Experiment with both options if you are unsure! Hope this helps and good luck😊

[@JuanAdam12]

@@TraxionGG thank you for that info. I can’t imagine how long it would take to develop the left leg driving muscle to go light on the brake when it’s used to going heavy on the clutch pedal.

[@raulio81]

I tried this on keyboard and it's not working. Whyyyyyyyyy?

[@crunchieRL]

Would a GT3 /4 car be a good one to practice this technique then?

[@TraxionGG]

Yes absolutely, should work well in certain corners 😊

[@brawler5760]

How can I do this easily on controller for more mainstream games like Gran Turismo and Forza?

[@TraxionGG]

That’s a tricky one, will be all about fine adjustments on the brake trigger. Not easy with a regular controller, might be worth getting some sort of pro controller!

[@ewenblack4174]

👍🏾

[@NSGAE]

what is a good track in AC ( not ACC) to practice trail breaking?

[@TraxionGG]

Brands Hatch is pretty good! Quite a few corners with big trailbraking sections, especially on the GP layout. Silverstone has quite a few as well.

[@NSGAE]

@@TraxionGG thanks

[@rotua98]

1:37 whats car is that ? i know its BMW, looks like M4, but why its have the past DTM aero body ?

[@TraxionGG]

This is the rFactor2 BMW M4 Class 1. Essentially, it's what the BMW DTM car would have been in 2021, if they hadn't switched to GT3 based regulations. It's personally my favourite car available on rF2!

[@rotua98]

@@TraxionGG yeah shame that GT3, that DTM aero give a distinct look and functionality, beauty also so is that mod or paid in-game item ? im yet to have rf2, still waiting for discount sale

[@chrismatthews5655]

I was doing this on my sim rig without even knowing it lol. My mate asked me" when did I learn trail braking" I was like "wtaf is tht" lol

[@thesecondchillguy5697]

Same tbh. Very crucial stuff when in a WTCC car.

[@stevemichael9576]

Haha… I’ve also been doing it without realising. Very hard to get right consistently. Also success rate tends to be dependent on car choice and driving style. I’m going to try and do it consciously now

[@Scragg-]

When I do this I lift my foot and point my toes like a ballerina or ice skater… kinda weird to say that but that’s literally what it feels like. And it works for me so I guess it’s fine

[@peterwood2633]

So you are off the throttle when trail braking?

[@TraxionGG]

Yes, although occasionally a tiny bit of throttle can help stabilise the rear end of a front wheel drive car heading into a corner (depending on the sim etc), and sometimes a blip of the throttle on downshifts can also help things in the braking zone. There are plenty of variables so its very much a case of trial and error :)

[@demiquadfpv3333]

Food explanation of the theory and grip budget. Would have liked to have seen some side by side corners like hungero t2, maybe with telemetry, comparing with and without trail, just so we know what improvement to aim for.

[@f1ibraaa5]

For some reason j find train braking way easier on F1 than i do on ACC. The abs throws me off

[@marsiosos]

Great video!! What game did you use for the part around 1:45?

[@TraxionGG]

Thanks! This was Assetto Corsa Competizione, the Alpine GT4 at Donington.

[@marsiosos]

@@TraxionGG thanks a lot :) especially those parts looked insanely detailed

[@las10plagas]

3:40 these fcking cars!! they are the reason why my VR AC career is stalling atm. no fun to drive, at all... at least for me.

[@flyingsplice]

trying to learn efficient trailbraking with a g29 😐

[@marquezpradoluisjavier7754]

😸✌🏻

[@MrProthall]

So left-foot braking. Gotcha. Less than in Rally, but more than none. Lots of words for a simple concept.

[@OScube]

No one is gonna mention the life threatening stunt?

[@TraxionGG]

I appreciate you looking out for me. Didn't even use a stunt double either!

[@youriberger7961]

shame you don't even talk about slip angles because that's what it's all about

[@slash0t5]

Skip past the first 3 min. You don't need 180 seconds to explain wtf trail braking is. FFS.