New to this

Some of the things I plan on upgrading need to be replaced anyway. My suspsension is extremely worn. For example my front passenger strut has leaked out all of the oil. I need to replace my front rotors as they are glazed, have a huge lip, and are not thick enough to be turned.

Another question is a lot of members are recomending me to manually shift my auto tranny. I've been taught that this is not a good thing on the tranny. Why are they saying to do this? It is a little funner to drive like that but it kills my gas milage.

I'm also curious if there is a single drive shaft option for my car instead of the two piece one that it has.

Thanks for any help

Also I'm changing my tire size. I was running 16'' steely's now I have volvo 5 point rims at 15".
I want to run 235/60 in front and 245/60 in rear. I know it will be slightly taller in rear, but how will this work for running RallyCross course?

Dave-

Aside from wear items, there's really no prep required for rallyx.

If you're replacing the shocks anyways, pick up the off-the-shelf Bilstein HDs for your car, run with stock springs.

Just replace the rotors with stock. NOBODY needs more front brakes for rallyx IMO.

Unless you have to, don't fuck around with the driveshaft - if you want to go dirt-cone-squishing, 'just do it'. If you want to spend money on your car, do that. Just remember which one of those is your priority. [I for one prefer any sort of racing to spending money on my car. But I seem to be in the minority there...]

Manually shift the auto-tranny while rallyxing - you'll probably shift once per run, no big deal.

Tires? Pick up some snows that fit on whatever rims you're not DD-ing. Tread pattern and compound will matter a hell of a lot more than what size you're using.

Edit: Also, listen to DaveK. Fun is important - while pavement-cone-squishers sometimes have the chance to win 4-6+ $$$$$ tires and get all SRS BZNS, for the most part rallyx is just for fun - becoming the world (scca) rallyx champion isn't going to bring you a whole lot of recognition or anything else, so just go enjoy yourself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2011 08:55AM by Aaron Luptak.

Keep in mind for rallyx the course gets rutted. Floating over the ruts because your tire's are too wide isn't going to help you at all. buy a used set of snows already mounted on rims for cheap fun.

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CaliMeatwagon
Also I'm changing my tire size. I was running 16'' steely's now I have volvo 5 point rims at 15".
I want to run 235/60 in front and 245/60 in rear. I know it will be slightly taller in rear, but how will this work for running RallyCross course?

In the dirt, extra wide tires = less traction. Go 195 or 205.

Nor cal 2011 !!
---------------------
March 5th-6th RallyCross School/Practice and rallycross(PC)
April 23rd-24th Primitive rally school/rallycross(Santa Rosa)
May 22nd Fernley, NV Reno region
May 28th-29th SCCA National Challenge(can you say contingency money)(PC)
July 16th-17th regional events(PC)
August 20th-21st Fernley, NV Reno region
September 17th-18th Jon's Invitational event and rallycross (PC)
November 12th-13th regional events(possibly count for 2012 season)(PC)

yep don't go too wide of a tire , though Prarie city has some really hard packed dirt, if you can stay on line, and avoid the loose stuff on the outsides you can use a wider, low tread , more summerish tire. but eventually you'll have a run behind the water truck, or after the grader and it will feel super low grip on you.

I'll be running an automatic at rallyx soon and as for shifting and gas mileage, for as small as the courses are, a few runs (prolly more runs where you are vs where I am) with a bit of shifting and bad gas mileage isn't going to make that much of a difference. Even if it's a big course and you get 8 runs, you probably still are only going to be putting on up to 8 miles of racing. (8 runs on a 1 mile course, ah I am a big dreamer)

Heck, I hardly shift in the manual I've been running, most of the time it's either stay in first, or once in 2nd stay in 2nd. At least at our courses up here there's not a lot of shifting.

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12xalt
I'll be running an automatic at rallyx soon and as for shifting and gas mileage, for as small as the courses are, a few runs (prolly more runs where you are vs where I am) with a bit of shifting and bad gas mileage isn't going to make that much of a difference. Even if it's a big course and you get 8 runs, you probably still are only going to be putting on up to 8 miles of racing. (8 runs on a 1 mile course, ah I am a big dreamer)

Heck, I hardly shift in the manual I've been running, most of the time it's either stay in first, or once in 2nd stay in 2nd. At least at our courses up here there's not a lot of shifting.

I rallycrossed my automatic awd 1.8 impreza last summer and it was still a lot of fun. A lot more than I thought it would be actually. It was nice to just "stomp and steer."

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Greg Donovan
I rallycrossed my automatic awd 1.8 impreza last summer and it was still a lot of fun. A lot more than I thought it would be actually. It was nice to just "stomp and steer."

We finally got one of the Colts moved around to the shop. I think we may leave it as an auto for now so Todd's girlfriend can drive it around as needed (her daughter has her car and medical conditions make it hard for her to drive a manual). Not sure yet if we'll be taking it up to the rallycrosses at the end of the month. I did run my brother's tahoe once and had a blast in it.






Hey John, did you say you had a head gasket for it? It's the 1976 auto 1.6. We've got gasket kits that were with the tons of stuff from Richard, but none of them say they'll work for the 1.6. *edit* Change of plans, got home and Todd had decided that he's going to just go ahead and do the whole change over from auto to manual and drop in a 2.6. The lack of power steering would be as hard on her as using the clutch and shifting so it'd be of no use to his g/f after all.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2011 10:46PM by 12xalt.

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alkun

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CaliMeatwagon
Also I'm changing my tire size. I was running 16'' steely's now I have volvo 5 point rims at 15".
I want to run 235/60 in front and 245/60 in rear. I know it will be slightly taller in rear, but how will this work for running RallyCross course?

In the dirt, extra wide tires = less traction. Go 195 or 205.

195/60 x 15 MAX
Better would be a bit skinnier but some height, square shoulders. if they aren't square, make 'em square.

The rest: don't worry, it is only first maybe second gear for just a second then back to first.

Low speeds mean softer springs and dampers is key for grip.
So stock springs and fresh anything for dampers.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Hey thanks for the advice.
I got some 16" steelys. Should I just run those with 195's?

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CaliMeatwagon
Hey thanks for the advice.
I got some 16" steelys. Should I just run those with 195's?

Steel wheel bend if you look at them and make a mean face...
15" so you can find some second hand real gravel tires from any of the NorCal Rallyanarchitas.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Steel wheels will survive OK. The 15" sizing is good advice.

Mark B.

Kinda of track but out of curiosity, are the 900 dual headlights a a compatible swap for my 700? As in mounting space/brackets. I could re wire them myselves if need be. All I would need is the wiring diagram for both cars headlamp circuit.

Oh and other than GOOGLE, is their a website that's has complete online Volvo manuals (wire diagrams, torque specs, etc.)?