87 GTI:

- flex brake line separated from fitting. Lost brakes. (attributed to age)
- transmission failed (due to improper rebuild)
- VW transfer pump in the fuel tank separated from the fuel hose (known issue with VWs..at the time, not to me, but now it is)
- brake pad exploded and subsequent DNF (shoulda changed it sooner)

-Driver error.

-Catastrophic wheel failure on almost new Racelines (7 of 8 were cracked inside a season).

-Broken caliper mount (engineering issue...made it different next time).

-Gearbox failure due to detent spring preload and leverage ratio of seq. gearshift.

-Turned car into tricycle. Two years in a row. At the same rally. On the same corner. (Different wheel...)



More remarkable in my mind is the list of things that have happened that did NOT cause a DNF. Like a triple roll. Like a whole stage with the hood up at night. Like a dead alternator (borrowed a deep cycle battery from a competitor/friend and unplugged the brake lights and ran on one fuel pump and made it to the finish!). Like hitting a tree stump so hard it moved pushed the sill halfway to the tunnel, but the codriver hung in there...just had to crawl in and out thru my side. Like a 360 deg. spin down the road at speed on ice at Sno-drift...just dropped a gear and kept going.



I love rally.

---

Lurch
Eric Burmeister
The west coast...of Michigan

Hmmmmmm.....

First event.... 1991 In a horrible old RX-7. Flat tire and had no spare.

Next time out was in the Newly completed Volvo at the ORV Park. First stage. The transmission blew up. Scott and I drove to Seattle to get a replacement (2 1/2 hours one way) and stuck it in; only to realize that the diff had also expired. Another trip to Seattle (Ahhhhhh youth!!) and ran all day Sunday sans sleep.

Next time out was in Shelton. I had them fancy braided brake lines... Right front flexi brake line leaked slowly. Brakes went away. Young and dumb kept going sans brakes. Rear wheel dropped into the ditch. I overcorrected and tried out Dave Clark's rollcage for the first time.

Next DNF.... I ran it out of gas on stage. Dave, Scott and I were pissed. I felt really dumb.

Next DNF... Broken spindle.

Next DNF... Broken bolt at bottom of strut.

Next DNF... Another broken spindle.

(edit)DNF... A connecting rod failure makes for large holes top, sides and bottom of the block. Post-mortem inspection of the rest of them reveals that they are 1-2mm shorter then when installed. The turbo motor *may have been asking somewhat more of them then the engineers planned for.

Next DNF.... Wad it up royally when we get caught in Kendall Russel's dust. We come around a right into an area that is not shaded to find dust so thick that I cannot see the end of the hood.

Next DNF... Broken GP-a Ford Cossie 4X4 front suspension upright.

Next DNF... Overheating results in engine damage.

Next DNF... Wheel bearings in the front suspension are failing such that the brake rotor rubs against the caliper. Think of it as a 'steering brake' that applies itsself at 100mph. To the driver this is NOT amusing. We roll it up into a little ball from 120+ on that very long straight in Shelton.

There are more and these are not in exact order. Dave Clark perhaps you'd like to add some commentary?

Please note that all these DNF's happened up to spring 2003. The car and driver have behaved perfectly since bringing it back out for festivities in 2008.

Dave... Ray still asks about that 'certain service crew member.'

---

JohnLane

Overkill is consistently more fun



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2008 10:27AM by JohnLane.

JohnLane Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Next DNF.... I ran it out of gas on stage. Dave,
> Scott and I were pissed. I felt really dumb.

You're not giving full disclosure here. Might the reason it ran out of gas have something to do with it leaking out past the gas cap while upside down after flipping the car a mile into the first stage at the first instruction? Classic all time John quote: "Well, that didn't take long!"

>
> Next DNF... Broken spindle.

Yeah, but that didn't stop you from driving until you ripped the skidplate off and the car wouldn't move anymore, did it? You never did find that wheel, did you? I ssem to remember Kendall Russell driving over your triangle there, too. She really had it out for you for some reason.

>
> Next DNF... Broken bolt at bottom of strut.

That sucked, going the fast way on Brooklyn after setting a 7:05 the hard way. Ray was pissed. He's very competitive.

> Next DNF.... Wad it up royally when we get caught
> in Kendall Russel's dust. We come around a right
> into an area that is not shaded to find dust so
> thick that I cannot see the end of the hood.

Yeah, but it got you on TV! That's where Scott got the nickname Seymore Stumps...

>
> Next DNF... Overheating results in engine damage.

I remember a well ventilated block, in every direction.


>
> Next DNF... Wheel bearings in the front suspension
> are failing such that the brake rotor rubs against
> the caliper. Think of it as a 'steering brake'
> that applies itsself at 100mph. To the driver
> this is NOT amusing. We roll it up into a little
> ball from 120+ on that very long straight in
> Shelton.

I remember telling you after the first roll that you only get one new roof per shell. Apparently that wasn't acceptable o you. What are we on now, number three?


I remember an Oregon Trail where the lug nuts and hence the wheel came off. Ray was pissed again. It's OK, I subsequently had that service crew helper killed.

I also remember the rear wheel studs shearing off at the ORV park when I was driving it. Hey, you started it the previous year when you broke both the front axles at the same time on my Omni the previous year during a fun run!

9 events (weekends, really 18 events), one DNF
Many many dead lasts. (2nd one day, 2nd to last the next . . . )

oregon trail max-attack.
plug wire came off- kept driving, killing the coil on the first forest stage.

ask how I end up barely finishing?
Operation: Shit Show driving,

Ray will yell at you if you give up.
Tom, let me tell you. finishing kicks ass.
but going faster than you is going to kick a shit-ton more.

---

"I put the hurt on dirt" - adam crane
http://CraneRallyCrew.com
corolla gt-s "Patches"
Op: S.S.

- Broken front engine mount on the Golf - happened twice. Then I wised up and made something overkill.

- Snapped outer CV-joint stub-axle

- Gearbox locking in third gear position, but was in neutral - weird - happened in my Escort Mk II twice - got me a new box after that.

- Broken VR-sensor for the ECU. Was 2nd in class when it happened right after a stage. Got it working, drove another stage, then it died for good... boy was I mad...

- Snapped alternator/water pump belt - not carrying a spare - stupid...

Not causing DNF as such, but a lot of grief:

- Broken coolant hose - twice on the Golf. Once just costing time, second costing so much time that we got time barred. After that I changed every single hose.

- Crashed into a curb and bent the rear beam + a wheel. Continued though, and made a fair result.

- Bounced of a wall with the fender. Hit the only place on the wall with anything on it, so we actually had a drastic puncture. Also bent the A-arm.

- Smacked into a shed - car actually still drivable, radiator was not leaking, headlights working, etc. Looked like shit though, and had to replace a chassis rail afterwards.

---

Brgrds
Brian

"You're not giving full disclosure here. Might the reason it ran out of gas have something to do with it leaking out past the gas cap while upside down after flipping the car a mile into the first stage at the first instruction? Classic all time John quote: "Well, that didn't take long!"

Yet another coffee-on-keyboard moment there.

Lessee, oregon trail 06 when that tree stepped out in front of us on emerald forest, thus endeth the GTX. Got through doowop and wildwest in 07 without dnf-ing but we didn't go real well either. Then this year dnf day 2 doowops from lack of prep, lack of spares, and crack of RF lower control arm. DNF day 1 wildwest from lack of intercom, lack of common sense, a hard right when I thought he said left, an embankent, a barbwire fence, and 2 flats. Got to end of stage but that was about it. Hoping for less of this sort of thing next year, assuming finances will allow any rallying at all...

---

Jay Woodward
Snohomish, WA
'90 Mazdog Frankenprotege
Chronologically, 46...

My last event PFR 2007.

Transmission started leaking fluid from the rear seal during recce

Sourced and had new seal deliver from Vancouver to Merritt (270 KM)

Installed seal, drove around the block and started leaking again

Removed driveshft + prop shaft and saw the shaft had a flat spot (fuck)

Decided to drive anyways and TRY to ignore the strong driveline vibration

Filled the tailhousing with grease via needle (try to contain "some" fluid)

First the altenator strap snapped during the night stage (on the PFR video you'll notice me running without lights on the in town stage)

When I took the altenator out it had the rotor was loose

Sourced a new altenator that sort of fit for the next morning stage. The guys from Rocket Rally "rigged" it and made it work

Unbearable driveline vibration with transmission occasionally jumping out of gear

Frequent fluid fills and grease in the tail housing

3rd stage lost all gear except 2 nd.

Limped back to service in 2nd

4 bolts holding shifter in place ALL came undone

Bolted shifter back down, added grease, fluid

In transit to next stage, valve guide failure

Limped back to town with 3 cylinders and followed by a cloud of smoke

Rally = Never quit, right ?

1989 DooWops - I thought it was just too much work to turn the wheel to bother getting the car back on the road - we were going fine in the grass and thoguht we would end up back on the road where it turned back our way... Found a big hole in the grass that swallowed the whole car. Them car doors are heavy when they open up. RX2 my only rally in RWD

2000 somthing DooWops - Turbo in GTX gives up, lots of smoke and oil on the window. Press on only to have the oil catch fire on Brooklyn so we pull over at spectator area and use a beer given to us by a helpful spectator to put out fire. Big waste of beer if you ask me.

Mid 2000's Rip front wheel off and car no go any more Hub Fails (did not hit anything)

Repeat rip front wheel off ball Joint Fails (did not hit anything)

Repeat ripping wheel off and mostly remove one of the rear ones too. This time I hit something (and rolled the car earlier in the day)

Mid 2004 DooWops explode the dif output shaft

Mid 2000's Oregon alt field wire comes off car runs out of electrons and stops

Early 2000's Wild West - Ran out of rims broke 3 of the 6 I had, also broke motor mount, radiator fan and co -drive barfing so call it a day

2006 Wild West blow up pressure plate

2005 Doo Wops Blow up pressure plate and clutch

---

In the long run reality always wins.

Derek, your my hero! hahaha

---

Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned.

Dazed_Driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Derek, your my hero! hahaha
>
> Feisty Peacock?


Ditto!

---

Kirk Coughlin
Woodbury, MN and River Falls, WI

Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est.

The non DNF's are much the same:

In Canada jump a little far and hit rock wall on outside of turn after landing brake rim but make it to service, shorlty after the a arm bolt fails due to the trama but make it to next service, bolt a arm to the skid plate and finish 3rd Gp2. The wheel was flopping all about, handeling was less then ideal.

DooWops, brake drive shaft, make it to service, brake CV joint a few stages later, make it to service then we blew up the pressure plate as listed above.

DooWops bend rear beam - car unstable at any speed but still managed to set good times and get a good result.

Forgot about the time I blew up the trany at Oregon Tail in the GTX, car became FWD but then both CV's started to go, so gave up - DNF.

I ripped a rear wheel off the RX2 durring testing too. Also grenaded a GTX trany testing along with another turbo.


Rally is hard on cars.

Dave and John have done far worse then me.

---

In the long run reality always wins.