Tarmac Rallying Perpetual Thread

[djr81]

In re 55 I was advised the SR and the SR2 were the dead same compound they just renamed it. Fark knows why they changed it.

http://www.bridgestone.com.au/tyres/motorsport/RE55s.aspx

To be honest the biggest difference I noticed was the SR2 were alot quieter. The old compound used to make a shed load of noise from 80km onwards.

Re your valving, its just a case of balancing the car. Snowy and I found a good industrial area car park after hours (dubbed "special place" ) is the ideal place for some practice. But what you are suggesting to me seems like its heading in the opposite direction of the stiff roll bar up front and soft at the rear. If you want the car to really rotate into turns, a softer front compression and stiffer rear should encourage the rear to come round. Just need to get a setup and go and try it. If its not right (too much over steer or understeer) just try heading in the opposite direction but maybe limit it to changes of one thing at one end at a time or you might get lost as to what is working. Rake on the car also makes a huge difference. Its kind of a lot to pull together at the last minute and expect it to be bang on. But at least the GTR guys here should be able to get you in the ball park.

It is actually pretty hard to get a GTR to oversteer. One problem you can come across is on cold tyres when the front, because they work so much harder than the rears, get warm & sticky first. You can get some transient oversteer. But it usually goes away fairly quickly. Probably not an issue with a the classic as you tend to have a reasonable amount on.

The rake thing is hard to impossible to get sorted out of the box. Be aware that the measurement usually used is from the centre of the wheel to the underside of the guard. The thing to keep in mind is the rear guard is lower than the front - even when the car is nose down. Neg camber can make a nonsense of any suggested measurements too.

Edited September 8, 2011 by djr81

[R34]

OK

I'll set the swaybars soft front/Hard rear

I might start with the shocks set to their softest setting to start off.

I am used to driving "around" handling problems as long as I don't get too much oversteer (i.e a spin)as that would cost a lot of time and ruin the total time

[Snowman]

Snowy and I found a good industrial area car park after hours (dubbed "special place"

Haha - that was such random good fun. And you can learn so much in just half an hour if you can find somewhere safe to practice your skids.

Chris and I also used to have some sessions in my work carpark on a Sunday leading up to Duttons.

All this is making me feel nostalgic. I kinda wish they still existed and we could go do another one. Your last car would have been EPIC Paris.

[Beer Baron]

yep, definitely don't start with hard front and soft rear shocks. GTRs behave like a RWD but a RWD with bugger all front grip (but great traction). so some of the usual set-up principles apply but not all.

definitely start with front bar to full soft and rear to full hard.

generally when doing damper set-up you would start with both ends on medium and work from there. always take your settings from full hard. ie if it has 16 clicks you want all adjusters clockwise to full hard then wind them back 8 clicks to get half. in a GTR though I would start with front on medium and rear harder than that as you want the rear end to be a bit lively as that's how you get the front to turn in a motokhana type event. so maybe front on 8 clicks and rear on 4 clicks (from full hard).

I agree with darkside on the project mu handbrake shoes. the GTR handbrakes are actually good with a set up upgraded shoes in them and lock up hard and repeatably. i too have found some hydraulic ones are hit and miss.

rake is important as it affects how the awd operates quite a bit. and yeah it'll need some adjustment but basically you want the front static ride height around 10mm higher than the rear.

as far as rear toe goes i've never tried as much toe in as 10mm each side. i've actually tried a little toe out but it was diabolical under brakes. every corner was spent backing it in trying not to spin! even a zero it still wants to wag it's tail under brakes (this is a 32 though, R33s are better) so I've found a mm or two of toe in was good to keep it stable under brakes.

anyway, you'll get there. it take a bit of time but you should have a good starting point from all the info the guys posted.

[R34]

Thanks again

Luckily I have in cabin adjustment for the Teins

[sav man]

All RE55's are out, the RE11S has replaced most places in the world bar Aus. My local Bridgestone dealer (who runs Dunlops on his race car) said the stocks in Aus of the RE55s are (finally) running out, and the RE11S should be coming soon.

Being Tarmac rally you run the cars pretty soft as a weather compremise.

[Darkside]

I heard the RE11S are a bit fail and that was the main reason they hadnt been rushed out. Bridgestones latest and greatest was already going to be behind the other offerings. cant remeber who it was i was chatting to, but was someone who had back to backed a set they got from Japan.

[Snowman]

Yeah the Vic dealer tested them AGES ago down at PI on a mustang of all things and said they were a bit fail.

But you never really know until you try things yourself I find. I mean Dunlop DZ03 M's I though were fail as well but other people love them.

[Beer Baron]

Thanks again

Luckily I have in cabin adjustment for the Teins

EDFC is fantastic for setting up shocks on a circuit as you can try multiple settings in one session and eliminate lots of variables. without it you usually can only test one change per session. by the time you go out again (typically an hour or more), track has changes, pressures have changed, your memory is fading etc and it can be hard to know if you're going backwards or foward. with EDFC you can change it each lap if you want. and immediately critique the changes.

[Duncan]

EDFC is fantastic for setting up shocks on a circuit as you can try multiple settings in one session and eliminate lots of variables. without it you usually can only test one change per session. by the time you go out again (typically an hour or more), track has changes, pressures have changed, your memory is fading etc and it can be hard to know if you're going backwards or foward. with EDFC you can change it each lap if you want. and immediately critique the changes.

they are also illegal in CAMS circuit racing (not 100% sure about CAMS rally)....no in cabin suspension adjustment is allowed (except sway bars in some categories like supercars)

[Beer Baron]

bummer. still i've only ever used them for setting up the car. once sorted I'd never be touching them during a hot lap (or race). they are really just a set-up tool. I doubt anyone would be fiddling with the thing mid race!

[R34]

No way I would be adjusting things on the run.

Have it inside the console bin so I'd have to take my eyes off the road to change settings

[djr81]

No way I would be adjusting things on the run.

Have it inside the console bin so I'd have to take my eyes off the road to change settings

Dude what is your navigator doing?

Right six over crest, extreme caution, do not cut, falls away on exit into change the fkn damper setting into left six etc etc.

Edited September 8, 2011 by djr81

[R34]

If I get a less than ideal characteristic one one corner I'd rather it be same for the next corner so I know what to expect and compensate for it.

Telling the navigator to make changes would just take away my concentration.

It's not all about technology is it? Surely that's where driver skill comes into account

[Marlin]

How many Australian Tarmac Rally Series are there ?

we have the CAMS backed Octagon series, the CAMS backed ARCOM series, Mountain Motorsport series backed by AASA, Rally Tasmania i have heard they have some Americans involve so it is the World Series and the bloke at the newsagents down the road wants to promote an event that runs between the 2 roundabouts out the front of his shop and call it the miss universe......... or was he talking about something else.

Come on guys as a competitor, just one Australian Championship please ! or it means nothing.

Was this question prompted by the latest Unique Cars mag? Reading the story on that lady racer Porsche and how her and hubby won the "Australian Tarmac Championship", aka, The Dutton Rally/Pissup. I've "competed" in that, a bigger misnomer would be hard to find! haha

[Snowman]

I remember catching that 11tyHP Porka in the rain at Barbagallo @ Dutton W.A. 2007 and passing him in Blaises old EMO.

Was very satisfying at the time! Because DAMN did that car have some grunt!

[Marlin]

Oodles of grunt, and plenty of carbon too. The thing was/is a weapon.

I still couldn't help but think it could be driven MUCH quicker though.....

[t01-100]

How many Australian Tarmac Rally Series are there ?

we have the CAMS backed Octagon series, the CAMS backed ARCOM series, Mountain Motorsport series backed by AASA, Rally Tasmania i have heard they have some Americans involve so it is the World Series and the bloke at the newsagents down the road wants to promote an event that runs between the 2 roundabouts out the front of his shop and call it the miss universe......... or was he talking about something else.

Come on guys as a competitor, just one Australian Championship please ! or it means nothing.

There is only one CAMS Australian Targa Championship

PS. Still got the FD? Whip me through those pics if you do mate.

[t01-100]

PPS. Supaloc Classic Targa Adelaide starts on Wednesday, will be tricky to see the battle between Weeksie and Quinny in some older but still fast equipment!

http://www.classictargaadelaide.com.au/

[Leif]

Targa Tasmania coverage on 7mate at 3:30pm this arvo.