The Gravel Rally Thread

[zebra]

Thanks for that Ian.

any tips and tricks are more than welcome

[FLN75S]

What Kumho's do you run?

I know a couple of people who can get tyres cheap...

The R800's usually in a medium compound.

Also Stage 2 is up.

[Kel]

Thanks for that Ian.

any tips and tricks are more than welcome

here's how not to do it- a compilation of our misses from the last round! (insert Benny Hill music here)

The fact that almost everyone had some adventures like this worked in our favour and we still managed the 2WD outright win for the round

[PHaT MR30]

What are the RWD peoples thoughts on steer/sand tyres on the front? Some swear by it others say you get nothing but trouble.

We ran them for a few years on a Levin Coupe (Ben Cullens old one). Had great turn in, but suffered a bit with a lighter sidewalls easily getting torn on rocks. Tried with a normal tyre with a cut and turn in was worse (didn't want to flick as easily) but grip levels were significantly higher.

[FLN75S]

I have never ran a steer tyre but I have not had issues with grip in the front.

I don't see a problem with running them apart from them being a bit easier to puncture it seems but the guys that run them do swear by them as being worth it, I might need to give them a go on the Silvia

[Duncan]

hmmm....seems Kel prefers it dirty.

lots of trophies up in the pool room now days....none of them mine lately...

[warps]

Well setup means $$$

Not as much as you think.

Any car will need decent suspension on gravel. FWD / RWD - makes no difference. LSD and CR box in a FWD will make a difference, but the same goes for RWD too. Contrary to the uneducated opinions, FWD's do go sideways, just in a different way to RWD.

A FWD is more sensitive to geometries than a RWD, so that's what I meant about well set up. Mine has Bilstein coilovers, stock engine, CR box and LSD (and the usual rally car bits that are essential for any gravel car). It's hardly a big dollar machine

Many of the excels out there have been built on a shoe string budget, and go very well.

Have a go with the Cordia at a khanacross and see how you go. I'd say the limiting factor will be whether you can cope with the FWd driving style (much more attack needed than RWD). You need big balls to drive them really fast (which is why mine is not really fast)

If you do get an R31, don't waste time with the RB20. RB30 will be plenty wuick enough in the gravel, yet remain PRC legal. There's a quick one running in QLD (which was for sale a few months ago)

Unlike tarmac, horsepower isn't the be all in gravel rallying. In fact, Ryan Smart is winning the ARC and he is still running the turbo restrictor, despite them no longer being compulsory in the ARC.

[Beer Baron]

32 GTR are no good on dirt/gravel. few reasons. too much weight up front for starters means big understeer on loose stuff. too much weight overall hurts them too. not enough suspension travel and not enough FWD action (very rwd biased ets in 32s) but that can be fixed to a degree. but basically they are too heavy and class eligibility with a 2.6TT is a problem too. you'd only even be eligible for outright in any comp if anything.

32 GTST or silvia is a much better proposition if you want nissan on dirt. there's a few good gravel silvias getting around both NA and turbs.

personally I think the cordia will be pretty crap. I'd buy something like an excel or hell I could sell/give you my dad's old daihatsu applause. it's a 1.6, injected, 5 speed and they are pretty light. would be a better start I reckon. you want something that's fairly light, with a punchy engine and 5 speed box, also preferably something you can get an LSD for at some point. you also want it to be reliable as can be. cordia is none of those things!

[zebra]

Rich - I'll pm you tonight re the appluse. That's for the advise

[zebra]

Thanks*

Stupid iPhones lol

[wahick]

So what's peoples reasonings behind running an S13 over an R32?

I have been in an R32 (both driven and navved) on the dirt and with only stock suspension it was a good thing...managed to equal a stage time with Dunkertons BDA on one stage and not too far behind on others.

[Marlin]

Rich - I'll pm you tonight re the appluse. That's for the advise

Ok, I too bit my tongue long enough. I'd rather a wart on my dick than race a Cordia.

Get the Applause son.... get the Applause!

[FLN75S]

So what's peoples reasonings behind running an S13 over an R32?

I have been in an R32 (both driven and navved) on the dirt and with only stock suspension it was a good thing...managed to equal a stage time with Dunkertons BDA on one stage and not too far behind on others.

Mine was the engine i preferred the lighter 4cylinder up front rather than the 6. Before i got the Silvia that was the 2 cars i was thinking of building. For me the S13 was the better option.

[Marlin]

^^^ Same reasons I was originally looking for an S13, and preferably a Silvia as they're a bit lighter and a bit stiffer too. (also easier to find panels).

I'd still love to hear a turbo RB in the scrub though

[zebra]

Pm sent beer man

[Dale FZ1]

If you do get an R31, don't waste time with the RB20. RB30 will be plenty wuick enough in the gravel, yet remain PRC legal. There's a quick one running in QLD (which was for sale a few months ago)

The R31 has plenty of speed, and was built very robust. Set some cracking times in last weekend's Rally Qld.

The Stanza that replaced it is a weapon though. Real secret on that one is the MCA suspension but SR20 and weight distribution helps it all come together.

[FLN75S]

Pm sent beer man

You get my PM?

[zebra]

You just reminded me to look at it on somethng other than a phone haha.

Looks good, plenty of scratches on it, So i was right to think one is definately needed

Thanks

[FLN75S]

Yep, the sump would not last long without it, when your commited to a corner and suddenly there is a big rock in the way most of the time you dont have room to go around it so you just got to go over it.

[Beer Baron]

Ok, I too bit my tongue long enough. I'd rather a wart on my dick than race a Cordia.

Get the Applause son.... get the Applause!

I hear that! yeah I reckon applause/charade/mirage/civic etc make a good dirt beginners car. cheap as hell, fairly light, FWD, injected, 5 speed manual (box in the applause is actually very nice) and did I mention they are cheap? my dad's applause is pretty close to being free with fuel in tank as a bonus! it's still rego'd too i think. lol. even better you don't need keys to start it any more since some fkwit stole it a while back. think of it as a head start on a remote ign cut-off.

with the holes in the rusted muffler it even has a nice rorty engine note. haha.

but the cordia would be a nugget. heavy, slow, asthmatic carby engine, weak everything and not to mention marlin will dis-own you if you drive it.

your idea of 32 GTST is a good one, but budget will skyrocket. even to do a basic one will still cost some decent coin simply because they are bigger, heavier, more powerful, rwd etc.

I still reckon for a first dirt car something cheap, Jap, FWD and not too old is the go. like 90s at the earliest. in japan there are plenty hot parts for daihatsu charades and applause etc, same goes for mirage's and civics etc.