DaveK

iTrader: (21)

What's up guys - been lurking around the forums lately, hunting for sponsors, and attempting to figure out what to do this year. Since I finally put some garage time in today, I figured it was about time to start a 2011 thread about what we've been up to.

We're still trying to decide on a schedule for 2011, so many options for rally cars these days: Global RallyCross, MaxAttack, Pikes Peak, CHCA, etc. and now we'll have two cars to choose from!

Here's what the Evo looks like currently. The car was last used as a backup car back in July at the X-games for another driver, I haven't driven it since - practically a crime, I know!



This is what it weighs with about a 1/4 tank of fuel. Notice the weight distribution - sucks, but what are you going to do, right?



Here's what I do know about 2011:

-The first Global RallyCross event is just 5 short weeks...at Irwindale Speedway in Southern California.
-The car needs a new engine - blew a headgasket on our stock backup motor at some point.
-The car needs a new turbo - blew a turbo at my last race back in July.
-The sweet Hargett Clamped IC setup has to go b/c if I get banged into there's no flex in the system.
-Proper RallyCross cars have radiators in the trunk and weight 3000 lbs with driver.
-The car needs new rear suspension - ran over a large rock and blew apart an Ohlins shock.
-The car needs to go on a 165 lbs diet (or I could lose some weight too).
-Dave will need some help.

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Weights of stuff:

30 lbs - 3/16" Aluminum skidplate
22 lbs - Ohlins TTX front rally shock
45 lbs - 15x7 Compomotive TH3 & 215-65-15 BFG Rally tire
44 lbs - 15x7 Compomotive TH3 & 205-65-15 Yokohama A036 Tarmac Intermediate
45 lbs - OEM 17x8 & 24-64-17 Michelin Tarmac tire
46 lbs - Enkei NT03 & 275-40-17 Kumho W700
34 lbs - Gutted OEM rear door with glass
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Thanks for reading!

Dave

06MREvo

iTrader: (90)

I'm gonna keep my eye on this thread...looking forward to updates...good luck during 2011!

apex electric

Would you have to change suspension set up with Pikes Peak getting more pavement this year?I just received the April Grass Roots Motorsports with a big article about chasing the Pikes Peak record. They stated by 2012 it will be totally paved and turbocharged open wheel formula type cars will dominate the mountain. To bad Mitsubishi doesn't try to take the record with a prototype mid engine AWD "Monster" machine.

Robevo RS

iTrader: (16)

i dont know Dave , but im thinking a same thing. Im waiting for the reply to my MT Washington entry.
Then i probabaly do 2-3 rally events and also some hill climbs this year.
And im still around 3400 lbs without anyone in the car... Need to be changed with many other things for next year. I think my first offical rally year as i like it, will be 2012 though.
But i got retuned seems perfect and i dont have ABS anymore so 3 weeks from now i will test the brakes and engine at NJMP. And see how i will proceed from there.

I hope i can do some RA events like NEFR

good luck with this year Dave , too bad you cant come to MT Washington.

Rob

hammerevo

iTrader: (1)

I am definitely following Dave this season. Looks like you have a lot to get done to get out there! I also hope to see you out at a NASA event this year!

DaveK

iTrader: (21)

To have the fastest setup for 2011, I do beleive that tarmac suspension is the way to go, which is problematic for my privateer effort. I've got great rally suspension under the car, but its hard to justify dropping another $5-8k on suspension for just one race a year, nevermind that I don't have that kind of cash to throw at the car anymore.

There's one team that's going to be chasing the overall record in a Mitsu this year, but the car was previously a Pikes Peak Open / Time Attack style car.


I'm still bummed about the date conflict. Downside of potentially chasing the Global RallyCross series is the 3rd event happens 2 days before PPIHC, so not 100% sure we'll ever be able to run the Evo there this year.


Lots still up in the air, but most of the event's that are on my watch list happen between March and July, so with some luck (and leftover budget), maybe I'll be able to make it out to a TT event or two.

Dave

Robevo RS

iTrader: (16)

Dave usually rally guys has only one suspension set up which is gravel. And that you can make what ever you want with springs etc.
With Ohlins Reiger Proflex AST you can make them work on anything, which they do. Maybe not too much in snow though depends on the travel really.

Im not a suspension expert but all mu experience , we never had other then one style set up which was a rally gravel. I think raise the pressure in the canisters and change the springs, the steps one. If i recall it right, but RKT /Greg could tell you more if he wants it ... LOL
Im just and end user .

DaveK

iTrader: (21)

I spoke with the guys at Ohlins USA and while you're correct that the rally damper can be used in all sorts of conditions, but to have an optimal setup, there are differences. Ohlins offers 3 different rally setups:

1) Gravel Rally - this is what I have. 300# springs front & rear
2) Abrasive Tarmac - different valving and 400# f and 425# rear (I think)
3) Tarmac Rally - different valving, lowered ride height and 475# f and 550# rear (I think)

IMO, PP is very smooth so there's no reason to have the kind of travel a rally damper offers. Rally dampers are heavier than their roadrace counterparts so that's another strike against the rally stuff.

Keep in mind this is all if you're going for an "optimal" setup. I don't think I've ever gone to that race with anything close to optimal in my eyes...budgets have always dictated that we have a compromise setup. We've basically run my car in dirt hillclimb trim with no skid plate, a big splitter and a big wing.

Dave

Robevo RS

iTrader: (16)

Yep, and that is why i would pick the Gravel.
That suspension is good for anything, lets face it , none of the tarmac are even close to the ideal tarmac race condition out of the circuit race arena.
SO to spend that much money i would get something is good for everywhere. SO as many many times proven, the Gravel set up is just as good every where with a right springs and pressure. Well that is what you have to play with a car weight you have - driving style - rubber - surface and power in play
I always think the right suspension set up is more important then power , and the same time is much harder to tweak and nail it down perfect. The suspension guy is much more important then ANY engine TUNER....
The weight difference is i think negligible versus the advantage's . Not to mention the reliability in any circumstances. AS you said you want to buy it once...

This is what happens with road race tarmac suspension in tarmac rally , which is build for circuit racing in mind. I had a same idea as you did, after i left my country. How hard the public road can be , right? /well i forgot the jumps.../



Of course my opinion only. Also i never been in PP so i cant comment on that. But any off or mishap, which one you would rather have?
Im staying with my opinion and my experience, serious race out side of perfect condition and surface : Gravel set up.

Rob

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

Ahhh, bout time I'd agree on the dampers, go with tarmac or gravel and play with the springs/driving style and get the most out of it then decide if a 2nd setup is needed. On the IC clamps, that's a bummer but makes sense. So no flex wise did they get crushed but not pop off?

DaveK

iTrader: (21)

See, that's the weird thing about Pikes Peak. All the pavement on the upper sections is less than 5 years old, so its smoother than most race tracks. There are zero places to catch air...unless you leave the road. Within 5 years I suspect it'll be all frost heaved and broken, sothe next 2-3 years is when the records will really fall. I think it'll get harder again as the road starts to deteriorate.

Other thing to keep in mind about rally setups is that rally cars really don't get much of a chance to mess with aero stuff. My car should be making quite a bit of downforce at higher speeds, so I'm sure that throws another wrinkle into things. I'd love to get more time for testing, but between my day job and trying to prep the cars, finding track time is tough.


Didn't have a lick of problems with the Hargett stuff. The GRC series has 4-6 cars line up at once, so its going to be very common for bumping to happen. With the IC really hanging out over the front end, it's only a matter of time before it got bumped. They're also planning on having big gap jumps and I'm remembering what ACPs front end looked like after overshooting the jump by just a couple MPH, whole IC setup was pushed back.

So, all in all, I'd say the decision to switch back to silicone couplers is more of a "looking ahead" decision more than anything else. Honestly I'd love to keep them, but they just don't offer enough movement. They have 3 degrees of flex per joint, so 12 maximum if you use double jointed couplers at each end. The problem is there's not much room for compression in the fittings.

If anyone's looking for a sick setup (IC, Radiator, AN-16 piping, oil cooler, TB), let me know!

Dave

JeffDOZ

Given the larger section sof tarmac Dave, all you'd need to do is spec the springs you want and throw them on your gravel struts. The valving can handle it as it is quite smooth at PP and not that much suspension travel.

Remember we used our Tarmac setup on our evo in 2010 and I think it went fine. But, we also tested it for two days here in Australia dialing the bump/rebound in (day 1) then dialing in toe (day 2), then went to our big hillclimb here (10miles) and won, packed the car up and shipped it off to the US and used that very same spec for PP.

Now it's 80% paved, a full tarmac spec is appropriate, in my eyes. as we have talked about, our fundings are similiar for events, so smartness overides expenditure, and per the previous statement, Id rather use suspension setup for more power than a tuner tuning the engine within a hairsbreath of explosion. I do often preach there's HP in suspension.

I think you'll be fine with a spring change - and NO dont use KING - eibach or Swift are the best options in my view.

Come 2012 PP please disregard all my advice - I'll need it.
JD

DaveK

iTrader: (21)

Pulled a few parts off the car this afternoon. Since I've still got the scales I thought I'd put it to use.

30 lbs - 3/16" Aluminum skidplate
22 lbs - Ohlins TTX front rally shock
45 lbs - 15x7 Compomotive TH3 & 215-65-15 BFG Rally tire
44 lbs - 15x7 Compomotive TH3 & 205-65-15 Yokohama A036 Tarmac Intermediate
45 lbs - OEM 17x8 & 24-64-17 Michelin Tarmac tire
46 lbs - Enkei NT03 & 275-40-17 Kumho W700
34 lbs - Gutted OEM rear door with glass

Thinking I could likely build a good kevlar/aluminum skidplate for a bit less weight than than the aluminum one. Not something I'd trust for offroad use mind you, but with rallycross being in closed arenas and/or race tracks, big pointy sharp rocks aren't something I should have to worry about.

Dave

DaveK

iTrader: (21)

I'm hesitant to send my shocks out to be re-valved as tarmac spec (shorter bodies & stiffer), because then they'll be worthless for gravel hillclimbs if I want to run one of those later in the season. Last year I did swap to the stiffer abrasive tarmac setup, but even with the springs dialed all the way down, the car still looked like a monster truck.

In a dream world the best bet would be for Ohlins, JRZ, AST, etc. to step up to the plate and help us go for some high altitude records. I suppose there's always that powerball thing too.

Dave

casper980

iTrader: (6)

Subscribed, waiting, watching, drooling...Extremely Jealous.