amateur car racing different classes are gaining momentum. Today, on a variety of tracks, you can see both professional prepared cars and just cars in desired class With standard equipment. It is the drivers in latest cars dedicated to the information in this article. The fact is that it is dangerous to operate a car in this mode. The rally may not be the most enjoyable and simple action for transport. You can crash your car and injure yourself. Often the car rolls over. At the same time, nothing happens to prepared rally vehicles; after a coup, they can continue to move on. And here civilian car, who arrived from the asphalt road to the rally, is simply doomed to complete destruction. Yes, and repairing a prepared machine is easier and cheaper.
Most popular cars for rallying in our time - the old VAZ 2109 and 2108. These are excellent front-wheel drive cars that become just an excellent base for the formation of a very high-quality and reliable car for racing. Of course, almost everything will have to be redone, but the design is already ready for the installation of normal sports parts. However, hatchbacks and sedans of other classes, brands and years of production are often used. You can turn into rally car almost any car, and the original transport will only answer the question in which class you will drive a car. There are amateur races, and there are professional ones, and the admission of cars to each stage is individual. So the preparation of the machine often takes place according to certain requirements. Today we will talk about general processes.
Strengthening the body - a measure of safety and caution
To use the car long enough and successfully, you have to turn it exclusively into a racing machine. To do this, first remove all glass, including the windshield. To avoid any problems with flying stones, a fairly fine mesh is installed instead of glass. This helps to avoid injury during the operation of the car. Also, such work is carried out with the body that allows you to strengthen it and prepare it for trips on the track:
- the first thing to do is to throw out everything unnecessary from the cabin, as well as everything that has weight, these are door cards, back seat, plastic panels and shelves, carpets and other details;
- the steering wheel, pedals and two front seats remain - for the navigator and driver, normal instrument control is also provided, more accurate sensors are installed;
- the next step will be welding the body stiffening arcs in the cabin, they pass through the entire cabin, can be arranged in a chaotic manner and are an important detail;
- all new installed parts must be treated with anti-corrosion coatings or a primer, painted and brought to a normal aesthetic appearance;
- the body is brought back to normal, any functional problems with the parts are eliminated, rust is removed and potentially dangerous places are boiled.
All these jobs require professionalism. You can only disassemble the interior and throw away unnecessary elements. Otherwise, you can only rely on the work of specialists. Otherwise, the processes performed will be of poor quality and will not be able to provide the necessary reliability of the car in a variety of difficult conditions. That is why unprepared cars have problems.
Engine and transmission are important parts of a racing car
Before changing a powertrain or transmission, find out exactly what the different associations and tournaments are asking for. It is quite possible to install a large turbocharged engine for a couple of liters and more than two hundred on a VAZ 2108 Horse power, but such cars will not be able to exhibit at all competitions. So you have to be careful with technology. Among important aspects work with power unit the following features can be distinguished:
- the engine can be left as a native one, but it must be in the best possible condition, ready for the most heavy loads must be present;
- the gearbox is often enhanced and refined, installed from other cars that have a shorter stroke and more flexible gearbox operation;
- all modifications must comply with the requirements of the association in which you want to compete, even if at first it is just an amateur level and the car is not controlled;
- immediately equal to the most high levels racing competitions and their demands that if you're lucky, don't rebuild your car back to factory settings;
- any work on installing the engine and gearbox must be carried out in a professional workshop, otherwise the quality work of these components cannot be guaranteed by anyone.
As you can see, rebuilding an engine is also quite a complex and specific activity, which can be enjoyable for your hobby, but very unpleasant for your wallet. So there are certain subtleties in each process. For someone to buy a used old "Eight" will already be an achievement, and someone can install new engine from Mazda, for example. Everything in this world is conditional and depends on circumstances.
Suspension and important modules of a rally car
Of course, factory suspension from no other brand in the world will be able to withstand the loads of a rally for a long time. If you are converting to racing car domestic auto, then the suspension must be changed immediately. Otherwise, in the middle of the race they may fly out ball joints, CV joints, bend the suspension arms or rattle the beam. Then you have to stop the competition and go for repairs. It is better to immediately take care of such features, which are the minimum for racing:
- complete replacement of silent blocks in the suspension with high-quality products not made of rubber, but of more durable and reliable materials, installation of new high-quality fasteners on these nodes;
- replacement of racks with sports ones, they should not be oily, here it is better to use rigid, rebound and indestructible racks from special manufacturers for sports;
- racks change with top supports sports type, as well as new springs and ball bearings with a reinforced body and a movable mechanism;
- the suspension arms and the beam are inspected, if necessary, they are strengthened or changed to more durable ones, the rest of the car's suspension is also inspected;
- it is better to install brakes that are more effective, and it is better to change them along with calipers and drums in order to get better results in all respects.
The wheel bearing system on many cars lives up to 200,000 kilometers in normal mode. It is not necessary to change hub parts in preparation for a rally. But in case of failure, it is worth replacing at least a set of two bearings, and it is better to choose not factory-made, but reinforced and prepared for high loads bearings. All this will help you get the best quality solutions with the right parameters.
How to Rally as a Beginner - Highlights
If you have already made a car, but do not know how to start your performances, it is worth taking some steps. First of all, you will need a partner for many races. This is the navigator, who on many cars also plays the role of balancing the car. Next, you should look for several championships and competitions for fans of car racing. The principle of the search is as follows:
anyone can enter the competition, your car is fully suitable for all restrictions, the name of the competition has the word Open, which allows everyone to compete;
- you are satisfied with all the time frames of the championship, its venues, stages and conditions for choosing the winner, there are certain conditions in each competition that you need to take into account;
- you should apply for the championship with a demonstration of the car, so for a start it is better to choose only competitions in your city or area, this will help you get on the path of the racer;
- further, as you gain experience, you can say exactly what conditions must be met to participate in a particular competition, so that you can declare yourself in other cities;
- pay attention to the prize fund, as well as the principles of its formation, often amateur races are arranged by investors, who are the creators of all prizes;
- sometimes the prize fund is collected from the participants, and then distributed to the first, second and third places in each class of cars, in which case you will have to deposit your own money.
Of course, it's better to start with sponsored races where you don't have to deposit your own money. Winning a race against people who have been training and fighting for a long time at different stages of the rally will not be easy. Therefore, you will simply lose money. And in free competitions, you can always show yourself, practice and show all the qualities of a car without spending any money at all. We offer you to look at the requirements for a car for autocross:
Summing up
Becoming a racer in Russia is quite difficult. For this, it is necessary to take into account many important features each competition and championship, it is worth maintaining certain conditions for the car. There are a lot of restrictions that should always be taken into account when building a car and following all the rules and regulations of the rally. If you violate the rules of participation, you will be disqualified and you will lose funds. Remember also that it is often impossible to drive a rally car on the road, as it does not have certain elements necessary for traffic. In this case, you will also need a trailer, as well as a tractor vehicle to transport racing vehicles to the right places.
All this is quite a costly process, so you immediately need to decide on the amount of money that you are willing to spend on the race. Do not expect to immediately find a sponsor who will offer you incredible opportunities to participate in the highest championships. It is common for riders to establish their name in amateur racing for several years and ride at their own expense before being taken under their wing by any large corporation. So everyone should be careful with the start of such difficult and expensive competitions as rallies and any other car races. Would you like to take part in the rally in a specially prepared car?
I will not talk about the stages, technical requirements, organization rules and other boring things. I'll tell you about the most interesting thing for civilians - about the car. And as the first post, we will again touch on the simplest and most interesting thing - the cockpit. Why and for what there is everything different and incomprehensible piled up.
There is no rally fiesta at hand, there is only a rally eight))
Appearance. On the roof there is an air intake with a hole under it - so that the crew has something to breathe during the race. In photo no. 9, you can see the blowers from the inside. On the hood, an air intake to remove excess heat from the exhaust manifold in the bottom. Looking ahead, you can see that the safety cage is welded to the A-pillars through the scarves - this is to reduce the deformation of the A-pillars in the event of an accident.
We open the door of the navigator. And we see the interlacing of pipes. Made specifically to protect the crew from injury, crushing and grinding into minced meat during an accident and coups ("ears"). Also in this photo you can see that the navigator's place is freer than workplace pilot. We notice that the navigator is equipped with a footrest. This is done so that when the crew knocks over 100 km / h over pits and potholes, the navigator's legs do not dangle anywhere, but press his ass into the racing seat ("bucket").
A fire extinguisher is fixed at the navigator's feet.
Let's start with the bucket here. "bucket" is special seat, designed specifically to keep the body of the pilot (driver or navigator) from chaotic chatter through the cabin. Landing in it is cramped and uncomfortable. But once you get there, everything changes. Now you are part of the machine, you are a detail, an integral element. Seat belts pass through the bucket. Two shoulder straps and two waist straps. They fasten just below the navel and press the body to the bucket very tightly - the palm does not enter. A large poker with a white knob is a gear lever. Raised in order to spend less time on switching (so that the hand does not reach far). Changed the kinematics of the mechanism to reduce the amount of moves. Poker side by side and smaller - gidroruchnik. Its function is as simple as a damned egg - to block rear wheels. Therefore, it is hydraulic and without a retainer. Its functions are like parking brake- amputated with roots.
Next to the handbrake is the brake force regulator (brake balance). Figuratively speaking, a tap that regulates how effectively the rear wheels will brake relative to the front ones. Brake and fuel lines are laid throughout the cabin to prevent them from being damaged by stones flying from under the wheels. By the way, their speed is almost like that of a bullet, and the mass, often, will be more.
We note that the buckets are fixed rigidly and on special brackets that can withstand loads in case of accidents. By the way, the body of the pilot does not hold the bucket. The main load falls on the belts. Therefore, they are attached through special eyebolts.
Dashboard. Everything you need and in an ascetic design. On the main panel: speedometer, oil temperature, oil pressure, amount of fuel in the storerooms. A little to the left is the tachometer.
"Beard". The fuse box is also simplified (secretly - mounting block, as such, is generally cut out of the car, the car is assembled on a simplified sports wiring) and placed in the beard - this is so that the navigator can quickly change the fuses if something happens. "Emergency" a little to the left. "Ignition" and "starter" below the "emergency gang". "Dimensions" and so clear. A pair of black tumblers is forced inclusion engine cooling fans and turning on the "chandelier". Well, a well with a sign of electrical hazard - the "mass" switch of the entire car.
The tumor on the hood is the same “chandelier”. The pistol has nothing to do with the rally - equipment for purely sports shooting.
The trend to reduce the cost of maintaining WRC class teams makes the technology of the world rally championship more and more affordable. But that doesn't mean that WRC race cars become easier. How far have they gone from production cars and how are they different from combat units of other world series? We tried to figure it out during the Cyprus Rally.
A lot of things are allowed for accredited journalists: you can study cars, follow the work of mechanics... But it quickly became clear that the teams' openness is largely ostentatious - you can't see the true secrets behind the wide backs of mechanics. In addition, the "top" know-how is hidden inside the engines, transmission units and in electronic blocks management - where the path is ordered to an outsider's eye. But during the three days spent in the Cyprus Rally paddock, we managed to sort out something.
The main difference between WRC cars and racing cars of the ring series is an all-metal body and a close relationship of design with serial machines. After all, the “body” cars of the DTM or NASCAR championships are, in fact, prototypes - with composite bodies that only superficially resemble their serial ancestors. But the WRC regulations restrict the modifications of the base car more strictly. For example, the position of the engine can be changed by no more than 20 mm ...
Looking at rally cars that dashingly jump over potholes, jump tens of meters into the distance and withstand constant loads from all sides, it is easy to come to a logical conclusion: racing vehicles are incredibly tenacious, and their margin of safety is huge. Probably, such an "armor-piercing" machine can not bother with maintenance at all – there all components and assemblies are not killed! “I wish I had one too! – the spectator dreams. – So that you don’t constantly go to maintenance and service ... "
Alas, this point of view is very far from reality, although there is still a sound grain in it. Rally cars are indeed very tenacious. The specifics of the competition leaves a serious imprint on the features of training and the output "strength" of the sports equipment. The rally car even looks much more brutal than most cars for other disciplines.
The rally car is constantly exposed to the harsh environment: all the surprises of the roads and directions common use, where competitions are held, constantly remind of themselves, making the best engineers sweat.
For many decades, one puzzle has haunted designers: the machine must become essentially – in many times! – stronger and more enduring than the standard one, because it will ride along ordinary roads, but much faster. At the same time, it would be good for her to be as light as possible within the framework of the regulations, and as fast as possible within the framework of technical requirements. Considering all possible options is not easy – some "bugs", in the language of computer scientists, sometimes appear during tests before launching into production or, in the worst case, at the first races. But if successful car, then it is strong, and hardy, and fast, and light.
And ... requiring the closest attention of mechanics!
A rally car cannot exist and successfully "bring" the crew to the podium without dozens of small and large procedures that greatly complicate the life of the mechanics serving it. Any modern rally car – it is ingenious, technically complex and "capricious" in terms of timely service apparatus. Paradoxically, without numerous and permanent jobs this technique will abruptly cease to be fast, durable and hardy. But if you look, there is no paradox here at all.
The list of works, preventive and scheduled repairs for a rally car, even the simplest one, takes more than one page. The fact is that even a part designed and calculated from scratch, of which there are many in racing technology, is difficult to make at the same time light, durable and “long-lasting”. If the factory design is being finalized, then almost always something has to be sacrificed: the part starts working in more loaded stress modes, the kinematics changes – the total resource inevitably falls.
Interestingly, even the body rally car – whatever one may say, the most durable and largest part with a frame and numerous reinforcements – so "tired" during long races on bad roads that the doors stop closing in it, the geometry of the openings and suspension attachment points “leaves”, the fatigue of the metal and welds accumulates.
Of course, it is possible to make almost any node so strong that the car becomes really “indestructible”. But this will either lead to an increase in its weight (which is unacceptable) or to a serious rise in price, and savings are inherent even in such a costly type of activity as motorsport. It is important that the rally car is also affordable, and not equal in cost to the space shuttle.
And it would seem that such a durable and hardy rally car in practice turns out to be a “sissy” when it comes to its resource. Maintenance of a modern rally car requires a professional approach, a clear work schedule and a well-coordinated team of mechanics.
I, the author of this article, had a chance to drive a lot last season on a Peugeot 208 R2 with the support of the Sports Racing Technologies team from Riga, one of the leading rally teams in the Baltics. We chose these front-wheel drive hatchbacks to participate in the European Rally Championship and local series races.
Take a look at the list of jobs for truly one of the simplest rally cars! This is a modern, but rather primitive car of the international level of training: “easier” than it in the rally “table of ranks” is only the practically serial R1 class.
And if you want to participate in competitions on a not at all difficult mind Peugeot then get ready:
- with a mileage of 4,800 kilometers (this is the longest service interval for Peugeot parts, nothing but the body goes in the car longer than this milestone!) You will have to change to new ones: engine mounts, almost all pumps and pumps, steering rack, brake cylinders and half a dozen other details. Of course, when taking into account the mileage, only “combat” kilometers are considered, that is, those that the car passes through special stages with maximum speed and load;
- every 2,400 "combat" kilometers to send the engine to the manufacturer for rebuilding. Rebuild – This complete disassembly, search for defects and wear analysis, as well as the replacement of many parts;
– cam gearbox Sadev with sequential selection (instead of synchronizer rings, it has cam clutches that allow you to quickly and clearly engage desired gear without clutch, and switching is sequential: first, second, and so on) and the Swedish Ohlins suspension will go to rebuild after 1,000 kilometers;
- and "sweet" – how often do you think the oil in the gearbox is changed? If a new box was installed, then after 50 km of run the fresh expensive “transmission” merges! It is checked for the presence of chips and metal dust, and then the replacement takes place regularly ... every 200 kilometers.
All this is the concern of the team: no one, and especially the crew, wants to experience the consequences of a “forgotten” oil change or a shock absorber jammed without a rebuild. Of course, the numbers clearly stated in the user manual with the mileage before each operation – this is not necessarily a sentence: you should not think that after 2,400 kilometers the engine will instantly “turn into a pumpkin” if it is not sorted out ... Each part has a certain resource, and it is usually a little more than its replacement interval.
But this is a kind of reinsurance, which in technical fields called preventive maintenance.
A clear work schedule and, on the other hand, a considerable price tag for constant rebuilds – a guarantee that the car will not get up in the middle of the special stage with a problem that arose in the nodes that were not replaced in time, which “still look like”. They may "look" or they may not. Are savings on spare parts commensurate with retirement on the first special stage of the race, the exit to which was much more expensive?
To the credit of our team, I can say – none of the crew retirements last season was caused precisely by team miscalculations in the preparation of the car, and even more so by errors during scheduled maintenance. SRT gave no reason to doubt its competent work, although the little "Frenchman" repeatedly threw out new and new tricks that made life pretty difficult for both us and the mechanics. In the end, the “factory sores” of the 208 R2 left us, and it’s nice to realize that the team not only accurately serviced the equipment, but also promptly solved those shortcomings that, in general, were on the conscience of the finishing department of the manufacturer ...
The rally team has a hard time, to be sure. Especially if there are several cars in it, and each of them travels a different mileage.
Replacement and rebuild intervals are strictly calculated and carried out, and if they fall on the next rally, as a rule, repairs are carried out in advance so that the car goes to the race already completely ready, with a margin of resource. Parts with “unfinished” kilometers can be used in training. For example, if the drives, brake discs and clutches were replaced proactively and still have some safe life, they are not thrown into the trash can, but "roll" during the season in training and testing.
But the calendar of performances is sometimes so tight that the mechanics simply do not have time to return to the team's base. In this case, they take all the necessary parts for the rebuild with them, and sometimes the work takes place in the most exotic conditions!
In the case of our Peugeot, the SRT team got into such a situation and came out of it with honor. In June of this year, we in full force, with two crews, went to the Azores Rally, a stage of the European Championship. The gravel race was over and there were two more asphalt races ahead in Germany and Belgium at the end of the month. There was no time to return to Riga to service the cars.
Therefore, the mobile "branch team" – big truck, carrying spare parts and two sports cars, served as a full-fledged base for mechanics for a month!
At first they sailed by ferry, getting from the Azores, where the race had just ended, to the mainland. And when we got to Germany, in the same place, in the parking lot near the hotel, we set up an impromptu service park. In less than a day, the cars were restored after a tough gravel race, replaced with parts that were “out of date” due to mileage, and completely rebuilt both Peugeot 208s to asphalt specification!
Arriving for testing a couple of days later, we met two cars that looked brand new and mechanics who looked pretty tired after a lot of work done.
And what are we all about scheduled repairs, rebuilds, replacements? After all, the rally is interesting to thousands of spectators because quite often the situation does not go according to plan!
Yes, no matter how strong a rally car is, it cannot avoid damage in the event of a pilot error or an unexpected obstacle that cannot be overcome without loss. Moment – and the car is flying in the wrong direction, not in the right way and not at the same speed as the pilot planned. Accident. Departure.
But if everything is not so bad, a minute, five, ten - and a pretty rumpled rally car drives out of roadside bushes on its own (or gets on wheels with the help of spectators, or crawls out of a snow trap along branches that the crew broke in the nearby forest). He continues the race, which means that when he gets to the service, the mechanics will have a lot of work.
Leaving the special stage where the unexpected happened, the crew already imagines the amount of damage. The most important – the car is able to move under its own power, which means it will reach the service park. The mechanics will meet her there, and the responsibility for whether the crew will continue the race will fall on their shoulders.
Of course, the crew can fix some breakdowns themselves: for this, there is a more or less serious set of the most “running” tools on board the car. There are also consumables, some spare parts, fluids and everything that can help in fleeting repairs on the side of the road. Sometimes symptomatic damage can be repaired in five to ten minutes. And sometimes an attempt to “reach out” to the service with some annoying little thing will eventually destroy a dozen nodes and make it impossible to continue the race.
Everyone knows the shots when the co-driver of Petter Solberg, on the move, right on the special stage, tightened the loose rudder mount. Or when Elfin Evans at this year's Rally Finland drove 85 kilometers through special stages (!) and successfully reached the service, connecting a broken suspension arm with two worm-drive clamps and an open-end wrench!
But sooner or later, a car crippled as a result of the incident arrives at the service.
During the rally, service intervals are strictly limited in time: everything here is subject to a strict schedule, and a delay in repairs entails being late for the next time control point with associated penalties. As a rule, a rally day includes several twenty-minute services, as well as a long one at the end of each race day.
Interestingly, according to the rules of this sport, mechanics can only repair the car during these time periods and only in a certain place. – service park. This is partly why the crew has to arrange creative things like wrenches in the suspension and try to get to the service, where the car will be put into working condition: it is impossible to call a “support group” for prompt repairs or delivery of a new spare part.
This imposes certain requirements on the design of the rally car. In a very short period of time, it should allow you to do a lot of different operations with yourself: from cosmetic repairs(for this, for example, there are quick-release fasteners on the bumpers that facilitate installation) to the most complex actions – for example, replacing gearboxes, suspension struts or other large components. The thoughtfulness of fasteners, the uniformity of the tools used make operational repairs not only very easy, but greatly simplify any operation compared to a conventional civilian vehicle.
But we digress! Here our crew is already at the entrance to the service. By the time he arrives, the mechanics roughly know what will need to be done with the car: the pilot or navigator called after the finish line and described what happened in colors. An experienced team that has worked out many actions with a particular machine can easily “calculate” from such information which parts to cook first, which are guaranteed to have to be replaced, and which will not require serious attention.
It is interesting to watch the mechanics at such moments: the service is still empty, the crews are returning from the special stage and are still on the road, and the packed bumpers, fenders, radiators, suspension parts and many other elements that will most likely have to be replaced during the service are already unloading from the technical room. It will be saturated, this service. The speed, coherence and clarity of work will decide whether the crew will go to the next special stage, whether they will receive a temporary penalty for exceeding the time on the service.
Mechanics train for certain operations in advance: for example, in 2014 at the final service of the Liepaja rally – the second stage of the European Championship, where Vasily Gryazin drove SRT, it became necessary to replace the gearbox on an all-wheel drive Ford Fiesta Super 2000. The team has already done this before, since they worked with the car for a long time, but in such a short time frame, for a twenty-minute service, it was not necessary to change the gearbox. While the crew was moving towards the service park, the team director held a briefing and training for the upcoming operations “in words” – about the same as the link of pilots before the flight pronounces and works out all their actions on the ground.
The crew left for the next special stage just in time – the mechanics worked for a solid five and kept within twenty minutes! The last actions with the car were carried out when the pilot and navigator were already sitting in the car and were ready to start at the time control point. After leaving the service, the audience applauded the team, and the crew of Vasily Gryazin and Dmitry Chumak had a great final section, taking second place in this difficult race.
In a word, mechanics during the rally, and not only the rally, get the maximum. With every right to say sincere thanks to them.
After all, with any, even the most modern rally car, they spend all their work time, performing dozens of programmed actions and with honor solving problems that arise suddenly. Therefore, their merit in the successful finish
, while seemingly similar at first glance to their usual road counterparts, at the same time they are seriously different from them. The appearance of cars in some disciplines can indeed be very similar, for example, some rally car and its serial road counterpart are almost identical in appearance. The same goes for the WTCC models - the international championship cars. In appearance - ordinary models, but it is worth taking a closer look at what is hidden behind the lining ... it turns out that not everything is so simple.As an example, let's give two interesting ones, which explain the principle of operation of several technologies used in the creation and testing of rally cars.
The first video tells us how manufacturers test a prepared rally car using a treadmill during testing in wind tunnel. It is the use of a combination of two technical means, according to experts, allowed to revolutionize the process of running in the aero body kit and its further tuning in various racing conditions.
Probably for ordinary car such an approach is clearly redundant, but for a rally car it makes sense, because on the rally track a sports car moves not only in the plane of the road, but also flies up on springboards, that is, the aerodynamics of flights also need to be taken into account during calculations.
The combination of the "treadmill" and the wind tunnel allows you to create the effect of full presence:
1. can be blown from almost all sides by the oncoming air flow air.
2. At the same time, the running canvas under the wheels allows you to turn the wheels, creating point zones of blowing moving parts. For example, the same rims. Why is this needed? To optimize wheel design and ultimately stabilize the vehicle in flight.
3. The same applies to attachments. How will the air flow change if you attach a block to the front of the hood additional lighting for night racing? Experts can easily recognize this in a wind tunnel.
4. But that's not all. With the help of special shock absorbers, by changing the angle of attack of the body, you can literally blow out under the bottom of the car, learning how the aerodynamics of the car will change in flight. Which additional elements the lower aero body kit is worth adding, what needs to be changed to stabilize the car in flight on the springboard.
The whole set of measures allows you to find out how the car will behave in a real race.
Ford Performance made a video with brief description of how the WRC team has used the added racetrack to further improve their Fiesta rally cars this season.
This is an example of the advanced technology taken into service. But there is also a more standard way to improve the car, without which it is impossible to imagine a real rally car. This method uses more than one generation of rally drivers, and it is associated with a special technique of additional welding of the body, which makes the body safer and more durable.
Do you know how a monster rally is created? Often taken the usual stock car. It is disassembled to a screw, and painstaking work begins on replacing components and assemblies, adding additional parts and finalizing existing ones. The scope of work depends entirely on the level of racing, but in general, the main stages can be divided into seven parts:
1. Suspension upgrade.
2. Replacing the brakes with more durable ones. And for the rally even brake mechanisms designed for complex road conditions in which these machines work.
3. Powertrain changes.
4. Car underbody protection.
5. Full bulkhead interior for the needs of the rider.
6. Installation of special wheels: tires and disks.
7. And even overcooking the body.
If we analyzed the first six points in detail in one of our earlier articles, then we will study the seventh point right now. The rally specialists from Team O’Neil Rally School will help us with this.
When the car is built from the ground, the specialists have a great opportunity to make adjustments and the required reinforcements to the standard body. And speech in this case it is not only about installing the so-called safety cage, but also about welding critical parts of the body with additional welding, which makes body stiffer, stronger and even safer in a crash.
See for yourself, here is a photo of Thierry Neuville:
WRC Argentina 2018
In a moment, the car will land on the left side at a very disadvantageous angle. The suspension on the left side will work to failure. The load will be transferred to the body, and at that moment the body will begin to twist with incredible force. If it was a regular factory Hyundai or any other car mass production, after such a hard prize, he would have received serious damage body.
What do the masters do in this case? Take up the welding machine, put it on welding mask and begin to cook ... Moreover, the welding technique is not anyhow, but precisely calculated and technically justified, otherwise at the end of the work you can get not a “candy”, but a fatally ruined body: it can lead, the geometry will change, unnecessary stresses will appear, and instead of prizes it will go to the landfill.
It is impossible to just take and weld all the joints of the body with a solid line. Such a seam will make the body extremely rigid, which will quickly disable it after a couple of racing sessions. On the contrary, as they say and show in Team O'Neil Rally School, you need to act according to factory technology, using spot welding, with which it strengthens the joints of sheet metal joints.
Please note that although an example of spot welding is visible on the body, it does not resemble factory work. "Points" after the intervention of the guys who prepared the car for participation in the rally, turned into, rather, a "dash". This technology also adds rigidity to the body.
And, of course, do not forget about the safety cage. All together makes a rally car a rally projectile that can be flown and landed very hard.
These two seemingly “simple” technologies allow modern architects to create real rally cars. Did you know about it?
