Long Distance Rally Advice Wanted

[casnell 0]

Hi guys, i'm doing a rally through central Australia in September, and after advice on what you guys think I should beef up, what spares to take , any mods etc.

 

There will be servicing, I'll have a Pajero for service vehicle, but there could be 400 k's between services.

 

Roads will potentially be quite rough and certainly very dusty. It will be quite hot !

 

It's over 7000 k's of sand and rocks and I really want to finish !

 

Car is a 1.6 GTi, currently with BE3 with low/close 1,2,3,4 and high 5th, megasquirt running fuel/ignition, full cage, DMS suspension, quaiffe, ummm and more.

 

Thanks in advance, Chris

[Powers 13]

What spec is DMS suspension as I have never heard of it before?

What about stronger bottom arms with rose joints, rose jointed track ends and I would reinforce the strut tops if you havent already.

[Jrod 7]

The obvious sump/ tank guards.

 

Are you running the standard airbox?

[paulh 0]

Two cooling fans on the radiator

[Guest MattyC]

make sure the exhaust is very well strapped on!

 

i would recommend putting some washers and split pins through the bars that the exhaust mounting rubbers slide over.

just flatten the bar off with a grinder first makes it 10 times easier to drill.

 

head lights are another favourite for falling out when it gets rough.

[Guest MattyC]

might also be worth running the fuel and brake lines inside if its really rough?

 

also the 1.6 brakes are not the best for rallying, i learnt the hard way, the pads can jump out the top of the calipers mid stage!

[casnell 0]

might also be worth running the fuel and brake lines inside if its really rough?

 

also the 1.6 brakes are not the best for rallying, i learnt the hard way, the pads can jump out the top of the calipers mid stage!

lol, yeah I learnt that the hard way too! Lock wire helps...

 

I've got sump/tank guards, hadn't thought of strut top strengthening.

 

Hadn't thoght of headlights- they aren't very well held in are they?

 

Running a K+N filter.

 

Got 2 cooling fans, planning on the water/oil cooler as per the later models, any thoughts on air/oil cooler as well?

 

DMS is 60mm coilover fronts, external canister rears. As used by lots of top rally teams here. Possum Bourne used it, Chris Atkinson used it...

[paulh 0]

Are you running spot lights for night stages like your picture on the left.

If so might be worth buying a lamp pod to clear the front of your radiator.

Just a thought

[casnell 0]

Are you running spot lights for night stages like your picture on the left.

If so might be worth buying a lamp pod to clear the front of your radiator.

Just a thought

Good thought that,I'm running 2 big mofo HID spotlights as close to the headlights as possible, and 2 little HID's down in the usual driving light position, so I reckon that'll be ok.

 

2 stages run right through the night so I'm aiming for as much light as possible!

[welshpug 1,657]

might be better to ditch the K&N and use the original airbox as it keeps the filter away from dust etc, keeps the noise down too.

[casnell 0]

might be better to ditch the K&N and use the original airbox as it keeps the filter away from dust etc, keeps the noise down too.

Noise isn't a problem, we'll be wearing helmets/headsets.

 

The K+N is sort of where the normal intake is, battery in boot, do you still reckon that's a problem?

 

I was going to go the K+N cos it's easily cleaned? I've also used a really big one. Dust will certainly be a problem...

Edited February 6, 2008 by casnell

[casnell 0]

Anyone got thoughts on lower control arms???

[Jrod 7]

might be better to ditch the K&N and use the original airbox as it keeps the filter away from dust etc

 

 

This is what I was thinking but if you are planning to clean the k&n often you should be ok.

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

lol, yeah I learnt that the hard way too! Lock wire helps...

 

Lockwire the gearlinkage or splash out on GrpN/GrpA kit.

 

I've got sump/tank guards, hadn't thought of strut top strengthening.

 

Depends how rough we're talking. Standard strut tops won't stand up to any lengthy forest rallying over here in blighty so it's quite 'de rigeur' to plate the tops.

 

Got 2 cooling fans, planning on the water/oil cooler as per the later models, any thoughts on air/oil cooler as well?

 

Yep, don't bother with the water/oil one - useless for me here in the UK so certainly won't stand up to an aussie summer I suspect!? Get yourself a decent 16row air<>oil. And a non-plastic rad.

 

Skid the exhaust.

Maybe a roof vent if you suspect it's going to get warm?

 

All the usual rally refinements, to be honest!

[casnell 0]

Lockwire the gearlinkage or splash out on GrpN/GrpA kit.

Depends how rough we're talking. Standard strut tops won't stand up to any lengthy forest rallying over here in blighty so it's quite 'de rigeur' to plate the tops.

Yep, don't bother with the water/oil one - useless for me here in the UK so certainly won't stand up to an aussie summer I suspect!? Get yourself a decent 16row air<>oil. And a non-plastic rad.

 

Skid the exhaust.

Maybe a roof vent if you suspect it's going to get warm?

 

All the usual rally refinements, to be honest!

Yeah, done most of the usual rally stuff, but it's specific stuff like lock-wiring the linkages(that was really good thanks!) and air/oil v water/oil that I want.

Tell me more about GpA/N linkages, I haven't seen those. I've already got the metal(brass?) bits in the quadrant bits in the linkages.

 

Exhaust is skidded, roof vent on!

[Batfink 201]

I think some rose jointed linkages would be a wise move. I would suggest you look at more underbody protection for that aswell.

Top strut reenforcing plates I would say are a must. I would also look at running steel wheels to cope with the rough terrain better.

 

Three areas would worry me.

The radiator

The Airfilter

The oil filter.

 

Personally I would ditch the K&N - run an uprated element in the standard casing and duct into a high pressure zone such as below the windscreen. This will stop too much ingress of sand. Remember a cotton airfilter works by catching dirt with the oil. Holes are larger and once the oil is ineffective your engine will be at risk.

 

The oilfilter and radiator are at risk of frontal impacts so I would look at how you can strengthen the area round the rad to protect it.

 

Is this currently a standard car???

[casnell 0]

I think some rose jointed linkages would be a wise move. I would suggest you look at more underbody protection for that aswell.

Top strut reenforcing plates I would say are a must. I would also look at running steel wheels to cope with the rough terrain better.

 

Three areas would worry me.

The radiator

The Airfilter

The oil filter.

 

Personally I would ditch the K&N - run an uprated element in the standard casing and duct into a high pressure zone such as below the windscreen. This will stop too much ingress of sand. Remember a cotton airfilter works by catching dirt with the oil. Holes are larger and once the oil is ineffective your engine will be at risk.

 

The oilfilter and radiator are at risk of frontal impacts so I would look at how you can strengthen the area round the rad to protect it.

 

Is this currently a standard car???

Currently a Rally Car, but I'm trying to second-guess reliability problems.

K+N is only on because standard casing rattled apart many gravel k's ago, maybe build an airbox ducted from somewhere? (suggestions???)

 

Which linkages would you rose joint?

 

Haven't got an oil cooler yet, any suggestions on a mounting point??? Maybe the water/oil cooler is good purely because I can move the oil filter out of the way a bit??? Maybe run both types??? The current sumpguard wraps around the bottom of the front apron to protect the filter as is, actually sticks out the front.

 

I've been thinking of the rad and was going to carry a spare in the car, any thoughts on how to protect it? I've had one rub through before on rough roads. I've got a bar running between the lights to help with frontal impacts (roos, bunnies etc.) maybe more bars???

 

Thanks guys, this is all good!

 

Cheers, Chris

 

PS got the rough itinerary today, look it up on Google earth, it's long and rough!

Sept 8,9,10 Alice Springs

Sept 11 Mount Isa

Sept 12 Normanton (6 hour rest break)

Sept 13 Cairns

Sept 14 Townsville

Sept 15 Longreach

Sept 16 Birdsville (Camp out)

Sept 17 Tibooburra (6 hour rest break)

Sept 18 Bourke

Sept 19 Goondiwindi

Sept 20 Gold Coast. We are trying to locate a property that can house everyone and host the Presentation function. This will be advised soon.

[welshpug 1,657]

I just added all the destinations to google earth,

 

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=e...mp;z=5&om=0

[gti_al 1]

PS got the rough itinerary today, look it up on Google earth, it's long and rough!

Sept 8,9,10 Alice Springs

Sept 11 Mount Isa

Sept 12 Normanton (6 hour rest break)

Sept 13 Cairns

Sept 14 Townsville

Sept 15 Longreach

Sept 16 Birdsville (Camp out)

Sept 17 Tibooburra (6 hour rest break)

Sept 18 Bourke

Sept 19 Goondiwindi

 

Looked into this and i don't think the dates will work unfortunately. Will it be run every year when the WRC starts?

 

I think the roo problem could be a big one too - i reckon spare lights/rad/fans etc could be a good move. It would really suck to take out a roo early on and wreck the whole event

[casnell 0]

Looked into this and i don't think the dates will work unfortunately. Will it be run every year when the WRC starts?

 

I think the roo problem could be a big one too - i reckon spare lights/rad/fans etc could be a good move. It would really suck to take out a roo early on and wreck the whole event

Don't know if it'll run again. That was the original plan, to tie in with the WRC, but they've had so many headaches organising it that it may be the last of these long-distance events. Then again, maybe they could use the same route again?

[Rippthrough 98]

If it's fairly dusty I'd be tempted to ditch the K&N and take several paper filters, not only will they filter better but you can just whack a new filter in when clogged and get on with it, I'd either run on some heavy duty compomotives or take steels and a big hammer to reshape them.

 

Depending how bumpy it is it might be an idea to try to get some cooling air to the dampers, they'll get very hot over that sort of distance unless it's public track type work.

[casnell 0]

If it's fairly dusty I'd be tempted to ditch the K&N and take several paper filters, not only will they filter better but you can just whack a new filter in when clogged and get on with it, I'd either run on some heavy duty compomotives or take steels and a big hammer to reshape them.

 

Depending how bumpy it is it might be an idea to try to get some cooling air to the dampers, they'll get very hot over that sort of distance unless it's public track type work.

lol, talking to the tyre guy yesterday and we decided to go compomotives!

 

The front dampers are 60mm, the rears have external canisters, but that's a good idea, the rears esp are tucked right out of the airflow with the underbody protection on.

 

I'll put a pic up of the intake system and see what you guys reckon of the current setup. I 've ditched the AFM so running the standard intake would take some fiddling.

[petert 586]

Rose joint all the gear linkage joints like I did for Phil. That includes the gear lever as well. Remove all the ball joints and replace with M6 socket headed shoulder bolts. These have a ground shaft to mate with the rose joint.

[casnell 0]

Rose joint all the gear linkage joints like I did for Phil. That includes the gear lever as well. Remove all the ball joints and replace with M6 socket headed shoulder bolts. These have a ground shaft to mate with the rose joint.

Thanks Peter, that looks good. If it makes the sort of improvement replacing the pivots did it'll change like a modern car!

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

On the subject of water<>oil and air<>oil coolers, running both isn't really feasible as they both use a sandwich plate behind the oil filter. You could plumb them off a single sandwich plate sequentially but I honestly never had anything useful to say about the water<>oil on a competition car. Ok - one good point - it helps get the oil up to temparature - but in a competition car it never cooled the oil enough. I would go with a good old mocal-style cooler up front behind the bumper and in front of the water radiator. Try and tuck it up a little so it doesn't get hit with flying stones/rocks from cars in front, if that's an issue with your style of motorsport (not sure)?

 

The Grp.N gear linkage was basically uprated bar ends with a little catch wire to apparently help them stay on. I've ran them for several years now and never had the need to go to Grp.A. Grp.A, as petert has shown, is full rose jointed kit but does mean a modification to your linkage underneath the gear stick, and also the one arm on your gearbox.