How to launch the RS4?

[Krys-RS4]

How you lounch the RS4 from the stop position? I hate to admit but I have problems with that :)
I have driven manual trassmition most of my life,and MOST of the time it was a front wheel drive car where all you had to do is rev the engine,let go the clutch and worse scenario you burned some tires...
With the RS4 and the four wheel drive things seem very different to me when trying to launch...

[NY07RS4]

Practice :) There are a few different approaches. I've found that side stepping the clutch a bit, tiny bit of slippage, then full throttle has been yielding me the best results. It also helps keep drivetrain shock down a bit vs. revving and dropping at full throttle in one shot. I'm on a stock clutch so I haven't been overly aggressive yet. Once I go JHM Stage IV & LWFW I may have different thoughts on the topic.

[M-Hood]

Just make sure your RPM's are high enough to get some wheel spin with AWD. You can also increase your tire pressure to decrease the traction during the launch.

[Krys-RS4]

I've found that side stepping the clutch a bit, tiny bit of slippage, then full throttle has been yielding me the best results.

NY07RS4 thank you for your input! How do you mean "side stepping" the clutch?

[Krys-RS4]

Just make sure your RPM's are high enough to get some wheel spin with AWD. You can also increase your tire pressure to decrease the traction during the launch.

Thats my question! Isn't this bad for the car? :)
I am trying to learn the "healthiest way to do it" :)

[NY07RS4]

Well, I've heard a few different techniques described as side stepping. One has been, put the gas to the floor while left foot is holding the clutch pedal down and slide your foor to the side and let the clutch spring do the work. That's not what I do. I typically get the RPM's to where I want them (with the stock clutch I've been hovering around 3K) and I have the clutch pedal very close to the friction point. Once I'm ready to go I slide my foot to the side while lifting my left leg simutaneously to better control the release...all while progressivly increasing throttle to 100%. Hope that made sense.

[M-Hood]

Any time you launch the car it is going to bad for it since that puts way more stress on the driveline. Having some wheel spin is the best way to launch a AWD car, if you dont then you just end up causing the car to bog.


As for the clutch, you do not want to hold the clutch pedal at the floor and side step it. The best thing to do is to bring the pedal up to just under the friction point, almost to the point that the car wants to creep forward. Doing this helps when at the track since you want to creep the car in to stage it and then just push down slightly on the pedal to be just under the friction point. Then when you push the throttle down to launch all you have to do is release the clutch in 1 quick motion just by bending your knee.

[NY07RS4]

Any time you launch the car it is going to bad for it since that puts way more stress on the driveline. Having some wheel spin is the best way to launch a AWD car, if you dont then you just end up causing the car to bog.


As for the clutch, you do not want to hold the clutch pedal at the floor and side step it. The best thing to do is to bring the pedal up to just under the friction point, almost to the point that the car wants to creep forward. Doing this helps when at the track since you want to creep the car in to stage it and then just push down slightly on the pedal to be just under the friction point. Then when you push the throttle down to launch all you have to do is release the clutch in 1 quick motion just by bending your knee.

X2 on wheel spin.

Pretty much what I described and how I do it myself.

[sakimano]

Mike, have you found that technique works best on all motor cars that are both heavier and less powerful than your A4? That car had to weigh under 3400 lbs...while these weigh closer to 3900, and make only about 300whp.

p.s. for those who don't know, m-hood can launch an AWD audi...when I saw him post here I got my listening cap on

[M-Hood]

I launch every single AWD car I run exactly the same and every single one of them made less power and were heavier then my A4.
FWD/RWD cars are a whole different story. lol

[sakimano]

how about on stock clutch?

[rs4 tony]

8k drop.. i do it everyday......jokes..

[Krys-RS4]

As for the clutch, you do not want to hold the clutch pedal at the floor and side step it. The best thing to do is to bring the pedal up to just under the friction point, almost to the point that the car wants to creep forward. Doing this helps when at the track since you want to creep the car in to stage it and then just push down slightly on the pedal to be just under the friction point. Then when you push the throttle down to launch all you have to do is release the clutch in 1 quick motion just by bending your knee.

Thank you,it's great to have people like you guys who share the knowledge and experience.
Next time I have a chance for a safe straight line launch I will try this technique :)
P.S.
Hope I won't burn to much clutch while practicing heh!

[titanium08]

sounds about right, but I'm sure all of you have noticed that you can take the clutch all the way out without pressing the gas pedal it (on a flat surface of course), so the friction point is a bit confusing. I know some of the tune re-map the 1st gear, but I might be wrong.

[Krys-RS4]

I'm sure all of you have noticed that you can take the clutch all the way out without pressing the gas pedal it (on a flat surface of course), so the friction point is a bit confusing.

I think if you depress the clutch all the way down and let it go slowly (without gas) you can actually tell where EXACTLY the friction point is...at least that's how I always practice to check when/where the clutch engages therefore I don't find it confusing :)

[titanium08]

I think if you depress the clutch all the way down and let it go slowly (without gas) you can actually tell where EXACTLY the friction point is...at least that's how I always practice to check when/where the clutch engages therefore I don't find it confusing :)

good point, name another car that you could take the clutch out without gas???
You have to admit guys, if you use the car as a daily driver like I do, the gearbox can "wear you out" after a long day/drive, but totally worth it though!

[Krys-RS4]

I think every car with manual transmission will do that! Even Skoda Felicia with 1.6L engine,which was my first car in Poland that I've learned how to drive with

[rs4 tony]

the viper does it

[Gareth_oau]

good point, name another car that you could take the clutch out without gas???

hehe, my recently disposed FPV GT-P could do that in second - I suppose 650NM helps...

[M-Hood]

how about on stock clutch?

Well it is either going to hold or it isn't. If it cant hold a hard launch then you are going to have to baby it which means not getting a good launch at and pretty much have to roll it out of the hole.

When I ran those 2 B8's that still had a stock clutch neither of them would hold a hard launch and would pretty much slip down the whole track. After they both did that a few times it just wasn't worth sitting in line for hr each time to make another pass. Plus just over half way thru the day a pro mod car crashed, this means that it was going to be another 2-3 hrs before we got to run again. Have been waiting for those 2 cars to get stronger clutch kits installed to run them again, 1 problem is not till lately has anyone actually offered a clutch for the B8 S4 and A4. It is not your normal type of clutch/flywheel thats for sure.

[Krys-RS4]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2_1t...e_gdata_player

On this video they launch the RS4 pretty hard (revving to about 5500RPM) with the stock clutch,moreover the car is supercharged which I think puts even more stress on the drivetrain...what you think M-Hood?

[sakimano]

that was an upgraded clutch, not stock. Might even be a JHM clutch + LW Flywheel? There was talk that the beta car (assuming that's it) had the JHM setup.

edit: that could be the car Keith ran 11.8 2 weeks ago. If so:

DXD Racing Clutch

[Krys-RS4]

Roger that Sakimano,you are well informed :)

[M-Hood]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2_1t...e_gdata_player

On this video they launch the RS4 pretty hard (revving to about 5500RPM) with the stock clutch,moreover the car is supercharged which I think puts even more stress on the drivetrain...what you think M-Hood?

If that is the RS4 with the SC that APR took to the track it does in fact has a upgraded/reworked South Bend clutch.

Vids of that car are posted on another AZ thread - http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...a-helmet/page2

[rs4 tony]

how does this guy do it so smoothly?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH__-...eature=related (skip to 1 min, 6 seconds)

[M-Hood]

how does this guy do it so smoothly?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BINFX...eature=related (skip to 1 min, 6 seconds)

Are you sure you linked the right video, that one is only 38 seconds long and is of a Toyota Celica running 11.9 with an anti-lag launch.

[rs4 tony]

this one. sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH__-...eature=related

[Krys-RS4]

this one. sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH__-...eature=related

That's exactly how I did it this morning while practicing what M-Hood advised,I find it very helpful to have the clutch just a bit below the friction point and then you don't even need to rev the engine so much-it goes like a rocket :) no wheel spin however-perhaps higher revs are neccesary and aggressive dump with clutch...

[sakimano]

this one. sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH__-...eature=related

those are boggy and slow launches guys...and he's also launching from a roll in most of them. You can hear everything bog down to 2000rpm, then pick back up. Those would be kinda slow. I think in his last one he slipped his clutch. Must have stunk of burnt clutch.

I'm thinking more like this:

[Krys-RS4]

those are boggy and slow launches guys...and he's also launching from a roll in most of them. You can hear everything bog down to 2000rpm, then pick back up. Those would be kinda slow. I think in his last one he slipped his clutch. Must have stunk of burnt clutch.

I'm thinking more like this:

HOLY SMOKES ! :)

[M-Hood]

Nice snow on the side there which means that road surface is pretty cold. lol

You do want to get the car moving like that though, just much harder to do on a warm surface and even harder on a prepped track surface.

[Krys-RS4]

Nice snow on the side there which means that road surface is pretty cold. lol

You do want to get the car moving like that though, just much harder to do on a warm surface and even harder on a prepped track surface.

You mean something like that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu-rV...e_gdata_player

[sakimano]

Nice snow on the side there which means that road surface is pretty cold. lol

You do want to get the car moving like that though, just much harder to do on a warm surface and even harder on a prepped track surface.

shhhhhh!

although it should be noted, this was on winter tires, which are designed for that temperature and are MUCH harder to spin

[Keith@APR]

Time for my .02

Holding the clutch on the floor or just below the engagement point is the same technique for me. There is just a longer travel. I think that's useful for rt but you can hold it to the floor and get the same effect by letting the clutch pedal ride your foot all the way out as fast as you can move your leg.

Sometimes I find that pushing it back in ever so slightly letting the driveline catch up when you reach the engagement point can help and is one of the techniques I try.

On the RS4, the best 60's Pre blower came at 6k rpm's and post blower was 4500 to 5000.

Lighting up all 4 and coming out of the hole above 5k made for the best times. The sooner I can get to second with no tire spin in first.

[sakimano]

Time for my .02

Holding the clutch on the floor or just below the engagement point is the same technique for me. There is just a longer travel. I think that's useful for rt but you can hold it to the floor and get the same effect by letting the clutch pedal ride your foot all the way out as fast as you can move your leg.

Sometimes I find that pushing it back in ever so slightly letting the driveline catch up when you reach the engagement point can help and is one of the techniques I try.

On the RS4, the best 60's Pre blower came at 6k rpm's and post blower was 4500 to 5000.

Lighting up all 4 and coming out of the hole above 5k made for the best times. The sooner I can get to second with no tire spin in first.

good input

It should be noted, you're referring to an RS4 with a 'racing clutch' and 500+hp at your foot. Unfortunately for most (posting in this thread) that won't work. Well it will work for selling some JHM clutches after these guys torch their stockers!

For stock RS4 guys, try holding RPMs at 3500...and get off the clutch and on the gas in one swift motion. Or, you can just let the clutch out ever so slowly until you feel the car start to move, then replace the clutch with accel and rip through first. Less fanfare, but very effective.

OR - get a JHM tune and get JHM Launch Assist in your tune

[cabracco85]

This is what i do when i launch my car ( b6 s4). Note tht with the rs4 it will be slightly different.

I will hold the clutch to the floor and get the rpms to where i want them. Which for my car is right at 3k depending on temp outside. If it is colder i can drop it a little lower rpm and if its hotter a little higher in the rpm. id say it varies with in 300 rpm either way. I will hold the rpms and when i ready to launch i will drop the clutch lifting my foot straight up, no side stepping. And at the same time the gas goes down in one smooth motion. If done properlly the rpms wont drop and youll take off hard. It does take alot of practice to do this right though. I try to get very little wheel spin. Ive done this launch technique on my car with the stock clutch for loads of launches with being able to pull 1.7 60fts on the stock setup. Now i have the jhm stage 4 and can cut 1.6 60fts on the gun.

SO i would say go out and practice leaving in the lower rpm range until you find the sweet spot. I would think for the rs4 around 4200 would be ideal maybe slightly more. But i would say no more then 4500 unless you want to replace your clutch.


Also since your in the chicagoland area if you ever want to hit up the dragstrip just let me know. There is a few to choose from that are close enough to go to.

[M-Hood]

good input

It should be noted, you're referring to an RS4 with a 'racing clutch' and 500+hp at your foot. Unfortunately for most (posting in this thread) that won't work. Well it will work for selling some JHM clutches after these guys torch their stockers!

For stock RS4 guys, try holding RPMs at 3500...and get off the clutch and on the gas in one swift motion. Or, you can just let the clutch out ever so slowly until you feel the car start to move, then replace the clutch with accel and rip through first. Less fanfare, but very effective.

OR - get a JHM tune and get JHM Launch Assist in your tune

What is the point of the launch control if all it is going to do is cause the car to bog from 5500 all the way back down to 3k?
That sounds more like bog control then actual launch control. lol
When launching correctly the rpms shouldn't drop at all or very little.

Only thing launch control is good for is cutting better lights at the drag strip and is really only needed when running a pro light.
If you cant cut a .0XX time on a sportsman light without launch control your reaction time is super slooooow.

[Krys-RS4]

Also since your in the chicagoland area if you ever want to hit up the dragstrip just let me know. There is a few to choose from that are close enough to go to.

Yes! But do you mean to "watch" or to drive myself :)

[cabracco85]

Yes! But do you mean to "watch" or to drive myself :)

I will be in my car of course, lol. And i can give you some feedback on how your doing.

[sakimano]

What is the point of the launch control if all it is going to do is cause the car to bog from 5500 all the way back down to 3k?
That sounds more like bog control then actual launch control. lol
When launching correctly the rpms shouldn't drop at all or very little.

Only thing launch control is good for is cutting better lights at the drag strip and is really only needed when running a pro light.
If you cant cut a .0XX time on a sportsman light without launch control your reaction time is super slooooow.

Well Mike I think you should get to understand the product a bit better before making jokes.

It doesn't launch off 5500 rpm, it holds RPMs there, then engages down near 3 and modulates throttle. Think of it as holding rpms near 3k rpm like cabracco85 mentioned above and launching in a controlled fashion.

It's a very effective way for always getting a decent launch out of the car. Granted an experienced AWD dragstrip driver like cabracco85 will find the launch assist unnecessary, however don't forget the audience in this thread...a bunch of people interested in learning how to effectively launch their car repeatedly. If your tune will do it for you, that's a bonus.

When I ran those 2 B8's that still had a stock clutch neither of them would hold a hard launch and would pretty much slip down the whole track.

that's what I've been trying to tell you and saying 'on stock clutch?' because your method, while fantastic to watch and effective on an upgraded clutch, will leave a stinking smoky mess on the track with most stock clutches.

In other words launching aggressively = doing it wrong. Those b8s with headers tune exhaust and being catless are making maybe 360-370 whp, and maybe 340 wtq - the stock clutch can EASILY handle that power. You just need to launch properly (like cabracco85's method which has produced countless 1.7 60' on stock clutch and similar power)


p.s. it's funny to hear that you DID take the B8 down the track. All the other claims were that the car never made it because of weather etc. I guess the numbers sucked, thus were buried.