Flip my ride- please don't!

A play on words gentlemen. I want to know how many of you have seen a car actually flip at an autocross, and what the cause was. (If that could be determined)

Was it suspension setup? Too grippy tires? High center of gravity? Or did a tire bead pop and the rim dug into the asphalt and that caused it?

I ask because, a buddy and I will be venturing into the mountains to our favorite (and recently paved!) ski park (naturally, abandoned right now) for some fun autocross practice. (We have gradually acquired comes from.... Sources unknown.)

Paging Woody to call out Isuzu for the hundredth time...

Never actually seen one go over.

Have seen a few accidents and a Camaro side airbag pop for no reason.

And a wheel fall off...

really high center of gravity + really soft suspension + slight move to one side then SLAM to the other (a la scandinavian flick) will usually get a car on its side. However, the first two things are rare at an autocross. Think lifted SUV or something similar.

I've even seen an e46 m3 hit a curb sideways and it didn't roll. Just broke wheels and suspension pieces, poor guy.

I wouldn't think a rollover would be my main concern with a plan like yours.

SlickDizzy wrote: Paging Woody to call out Isuzu for the hundredth time...

You know, once upon a time...

In reply to Trackmouse:

What do you guys drive that makes you worry - a Reliant Robin?

Dashpot wrote: In reply to Trackmouse: What do you guys drive that makes you worry - a Reliant Robin?

That gif has to be fake. Has to.

I've seen cars go up onto their sides, but never fully roll over. Most memorable was a 1970's era Corvette.

Dusterbd13 wrote: That gif has to be fake. Has to.

Looks like in-game footage to me...

I once saw a really poorly set up Lotus Elan (late 60's vintage) go over at a Martin SCC event, way back in the 80's. Really big racing slicks and a jacked up suspension to make them clear the fenders - bad idea. Nothing else in the past 30 years.

I do recall a story about an E30 going up on its side at the national champs a couple of decades ago.

Dusterbd13 wrote: That gif has to be fake. Has to.

It may be fake, but its not too far removed from the real thing.

https://youtu.be/GyqrwY6k-bw

ive seen an s2000 slide off an autocross course into muddy grass, it slid sideways for a few feet before the wheels dug in, it hopped up and leaned over about 45 degrees but didnt roll. it was close though

My buddy flipped his stock class '87 CRX-si at an SCCA autocross back in the early '90's. I was the next car in line and saw it happen. It was really freaky, as he turned into a sharp corner his outside front tire caught a large crack in the pavement. The car actually somersaulted and laded hard on it's roof. He fortunately had installed a cage in this car which prevented the roof from caving. Afterwards it was towed to my shop and we inspected it thoroughly. The only thing we found was a severely bent outer tie rod on the wheel that was on the outside of the turn. Its not clear which happened first, the tie rod bending or the tire catching the crack, but there was really no reason for the tie rod to fail otherwise.
We ended up finding a shell and transferring everything over from the wrecked car.

My buddy Phill rolled his well prepped MK1 Jetta twice at an event at Packwood, WA back in 2006. He recalled there being a very slick spot just off line, where he "shouldn't have been", then sideways though a little dip and over he went. Here's an ancient thread about the excitement over on SCCAForums.

Apexcarver wrote: Never actually seen one go over. Have seen a few accidents and a Camaro side airbag pop for no reason. And a wheel fall off...

I've seen Caddy side airbags pop … and as you mentioned … a wheel fall off … in his case he used Honda lug nuts on aftermarket rims … they didn't seat correctly

That's an awesome gif. Saved forever. We will be driving an '85 Celica on coilovers but not "slammed" and on 185/70/14's. (Big sidewall) and my buddy has never done autocross and just bought a hot MS3. It's on racing beats and koni's. Just want to be careful since there won't be cell sig. We will have a hand full of ppl there watching and timing us. So a few extra cars.

Haven't seen one go over in person. Have definitely seen some close calls where the only thing preventing it from going over was the driver's quick reaction turning the wheel the other way.

In '09 I saw a SM Volvo Wagon on beefy A6s go way up on 2 wheels (similar to the Saturn pic).

High CG + sticky tires + narrow(ish) track = bad news.

edizzle89 wrote: ive seen an s2000 slide off an autocross course into muddy grass, it slid sideways for a few feet before the wheels dug in, it hopped up and leaned over about 45 degrees but didnt roll. it was close though

I saw an NSX flip at an HPDE......just as you described the S2000. Went off and dug in and went airborne and landed upside down. In the driver's meeting they specifically told us if we go off DO NOT over correct, just drive through and enter down the track. The driver cranked the wheel over and over it went. It was tough to watch the guys street car get totaled. Especially an NSX. Gulp.

I have seen a couple of cars go up on two wheels at auto crosses. One was a Camaro and one was an Austin Healy Sprite. That too is very unnerving.

So, I've rolled a dune buggy. Several dirt bikes. I kinda expected it. When you two wheel a car, do you E36 M3e bricks?

I've seen three.

Isetta.

Renault 4CV

Gen 1 Sirocco. Slid off the pavement into the dirt.

Oh wait. a SAAB 96 at a rally cross.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5u9Tv9ugGY

I got my Mini way up on two wheels at an autox a handful of uears ago in VA. It is low, bug I was running wide and sticky hoosiers that were F500 front tires and did an unsmooth steering input on the last turn. Thought I was going over for sure, but flicked the wheel quickly and she came back on all fours. No cones and even managed to not take out the timing equipment. It was a bit scary. It is not natural to look out the drivers side window and only see pavement.

Saw a LeCar flip once. Snap oversteer + refusal to lift.

I saw a young guy in his grandads mustang get it way wrong and clipped the back wheel on a curb. The car really jumped up in the air and came down hard but didn't really get close to flipping from what I could see.