This is why we need Rally-Xs here....

[JC]

yee haw

[sperry]

TURN LEFT! TURN LEFT! TURN LEFT! TURN LEFT!

Actually, after talking to the Oregon Rally folks that run a lot of Rally-X, roll-overs aren't all that rare at events. That's why having a dedicated little beater hatchback w/ a cage is the only way to go for that type of racing.

[cody]

Do you guys ever Rally in the desert or anything? I mean, isn't there a big flat "playa" (to use the Burning Man term) where you can set up some cones and have some fun? Please don't flame me.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by cody

Do you guys ever Rally in the desert or anything? I mean, isn't there a big flat "playa" (to use the Burning Man term) where you can set up some cones and have some fun? Please don't flame me.

A couple of guys went out and did that a few years ago. I think the amount of cleaning time alone to get the sand out of everything is enough to keep people from doing it again, nevermind the safety issues!

Usually to run a Rally-X, the 1st thing you need is a water truck, to control dust. Especially in NV.

[Dean]

The latest thought for up here was something down on a hunk of pasture in Minden Gardnerville after the last hay of the season is baled.

Nobody has done anything about it though.

[cody]

Okay, thanks for the reality check...again.

[M3n2c3]

sigh. . . I want to rally-x. . .

[sperry]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

sigh. . . I want to rally-x. . .

It certainly looks like a ton of fun, but it's about eleventy-billion times harder on your car than autocross, and the chances of a major incident (roll-over) is much higher. My race car would be *destroyed* by off roading it at any sort of speed due to the tarmac suspension.

I'd love to take an old AWD GL hatch, strip it to nothing, weld in a roll bar and some good seats. Ditch everything but the motor, tranny and a straight-pipe. Add some used stock WRX suspension. And tear the Earf a new one w/ my 100hp of fury!

[cody]

If I was to Rally, would you say I should put my AGX's on the softest setting? Also, would it be a bad idea to run my stock rims with the 225 width Proxes 4's that are mounted on them?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by cody

If I was to Rally, would you say I should put my AGX's on the softest setting? Also, would it be a bad idea to run my stock rims with the 225 width Proxes 4's that are mounted on them?

First I have to admit, I'm a rally n00b.

From what I understand, it's not how soft your suspension is, it's how much travel it's got that's important. That means you'll need long stroke, and enough ride height. If the softest setting on the AGX's will allow 'em to bottom out, then it's too soft. I chased a beat-ass volvo through the twisties at Rim of the World between stages a few years back, and I was astounded to see how flat that car cornered, considering it was an "off-road" vehicle.

Stock rims are probably better for rally, since you'll be able to have more sidewall on the tires. Lots of people will use snow tires for rally-x since they're the best non-rally specific tire for the job. High profile is your friend! I'm not sure how the 225 proxies factor into that theory though.

Where's JC when you need his opinion!?

[Kevin M]

If you rallycross, put your stock stuff back on, except for the struts. You would want to play around with the settings. The prozes 4s would suck at grapping on teh gravel. Snow tires are best if you don't buy actual rally tires.

Edit: What Scott said.

[cody]

Good points guys. My Eibach springs lower the car very little (< 1" I think), but I think the stockers would be best, you're right.

OT: How bad are Proxes 4's in the snow? They're my winter tires.

[M3n2c3]

Originally Posted by sperry

First I have to admit, I'm a rally n00b.

From what I understand, it's not how soft your suspension is, it's how much travel it's got that's important. That means you'll need long stroke, and enough ride height. If the softest setting on the AGX's will allow 'em to bottom out, then it's too soft. I chased a beat-ass volvo through the twisties at Rim of the World between stages a few years back, and I was astounded to see how flat that car cornered, considering it was an "off-road" vehicle.

Stock rims are probably better for rally, since you'll be able to have more sidewall on the tires. Lots of people will use snow tires for rally-x since they're the best non-rally specific tire for the job. High profile is your friend! I'm not sure how the 225 proxies factor into that theory though.

Where's JC when you need his opinion!?

Too true, although I've heard that snow tires can be a bad idea due to softer sidewall. Never experienced it, though.

If you look at professional rally cars, it's fairly easy to tell that their suspension sits high enough to give them good travel. As far as wheels go, you want 15" with rally tires for durability and handling. The problem for many of us, unfortunately, is that we have no way of carting our cars to the rally-x track, and rally tires are not street-legal.

SCCA does stock rally-x events that pretty much limit you to the car's original setup and street tires, so it's possible to do simple rallying on stock suspension (which is usually fairly high) and 16" wheels.

Don't forget, though, that by definition, rally racing is simply based on time score from point-to-point (or time score on a closed circuit in the case of rallycross), and does not necessarily involve off-roading. There's plenty of tarmac rallying and auto-x to be had. . .

It certainly looks like a ton of fun, but it's about eleventy-billion times harder on your car than autocross, and the chances of a major incident (roll-over) is much higher. My race car would be *destroyed* by off roading it at any sort of speed due to the tarmac suspension.

I know, that's where the sigh comes from. I obviously don't have the funds to really drive my car the way I want to, and it's a drag. I've only had my RS for a couple of months, and I'm still trying to decide if I want to orient my mods towards tarmac or off-road. Off-road rally is my ideal motorsport, but it's probably too expensive to maintain.

[Kevin M]

Snow tires at 45-50 psi cold have stiff enough sidewalls. And trust me on this... don't rally your RS. Don't rally any car you actually care about, and damn sure don't use one that's not paid for! I used to plan on running my RS in CRS at some point, until I realized that I would spend $10-15k in prep, in order to destroy my car in less than a season. Get a beater. Better yet, get a beater that's already prepped. I guarantee you can find a used rally car in close to race-ready condition for $5-7k. Every year.

[M3n2c3]

Sound advice. . . you're probably right. I can do some autocross with the RS and when I've got funds, pick up a rally-specific car.

I just love the dynamics of rally over anything else. . .

[Kevin M]

Me too. I'd love to pick up a beater late-'80s Suby and spend a little on it so it will withstand some rally-x. Might have done it this year, except every single rally-x at Thunder Hill coincided with a Solo 2 event here.