SUV/Pickup for RallyX

NGTD wrote: Many organizing bodies will not let trucks or SUV's run rally-X, due to high CG's. Check before you buy.

I actually just emailed the THSCC to make sure they allow. If not I'll be looking into wagons

Anything available for the XJ to make it handle? I know there is a lot out there to lift it for rock crawling, but how about handling?

Sure.. go find some used big lift front coils and cut them until the truck rides at the stock height.. they'll end up being WAAAY stiffer than stock. Cherokees use a really common/conventional shock dimension so you should be able to swap on something from another app to handle the rate if you care to. As for front sway, you can buy a high dollar off-road company big swaybar or you can adapt one from something else. If 2wd you can cut partway through middle of front beam and bend it and weld it closed for negative camber if needed. For the rear just get another cherokee spring pack and mix and match for stiffer pack, or use some leaf springs from something else with the cherokee main spring. etc etc

make sure you check with your local clubs. Around here I was told that the only trucks that can run are low ones like a mighty max or 2wd base tacoma or something. E.g. "mini truck" kind of things.

I asked because a buddy who has a S-10 Blazer and a Cherokee wanted to run, but both of those were no-gos locally (Mid-Atlantic SCCA).

Would suck to get somethign and then find out that your local club won't allow it to run.

80's El Camino? Nevermind, I think you need a family car. It was a good thought while it lasted (or not)!

BTW, those stadium racers could sssssslide around corners like crazy. Sure if they bumped or hit a berm they could roll but I'd imagine a solo truck out on those tracks wouldnt roll tooooo easily...

IIRC, a stadium truck flipped over in the paddock of a rallycross out west. Lots of suspension travel is not necessarily a good thing.

Rallycross is usually bumpy and rutted. A truck/SUV will roll if driven hard. For me even a VW Golf or Jetta is too rolly polly.

irish44j wrote: make sure you check with your local clubs. Around here I was told that the only trucks that can run are low ones like a mighty max or 2wd base tacoma or something. E.g. "mini truck" kind of things. I asked because a buddy who has a S-10 Blazer and a Cherokee wanted to run, but both of those were no-gos locally (Mid-Atlantic SCCA). Would suck to get somethign and then find out that your local club won't allow it to run.

well E36 M3.

parker wrote: Rallycross is usually bumpy and rutted. A truck/SUV will roll if driven hard. For me even a VW Golf or Jetta is too rolly polly.

Well dang that rules out my 05 TDI Jetta then ;)

I think rallyx conditions vary greatly by region. The perfect tool for one region may be god awful in another.

How does the 4wd S-10/Blazer suspension interchange with the 2wd? I know 2wd S-10 is basically GM intermediate stuff, which means lots of cheap upgrade options between the parts bin and dirt-track guys...does any of that stuff work on the front of the 4wd?

What draws me to the idea of a Mighty Max is the simplicity of the truck, it's light weight and surprisingly spunky engine. I drove these back when I was 19 and invincible. I saw 100 mph almost daily. It would do 90 mph in 3rd gear. When we first got some EFI models, everyone (even the old retired guys) had trouble getting out of the parking lot without chirping the tires.

Obviously, there would be no need to set up a truck (or any car) for rallyx with desert-racing suspension travel. Personally, my idea would be to have it "look" like a desert truck, but the set-up would more oriented towards rally-x and hill-climbing.

Ian F wrote: Personally, my idea would be to have it "look" like a desert truck, but the set-up would more oriented towards rally-x and hill-climbing.

We are on the same page with this one, slammed down with big tires, big glass and a prerunner style front bumper for clearance. Upgrade the suspension for durability and optimal performance while not increasing travel, perhaps even decrease travel.

I fell in love with the pre-runner concept back in the mid 80's but unfortunately there isn't much use for one on the east coast.

psteav wrote: How does the 4wd S-10/Blazer suspension interchange with the 2wd?

The rear suspension is somewhat interchangable. (The rearends are different) IIRC, you can also put a 2wd body on a 4wd frame and vice-versa. The front suspension is thoroughly different. Absolutely nothing interchanges. Even the frame is different.

The 2wd is mostly "Metric" A/G body, the 4wd is like the downsized Eldo/Toro.

Love the Pikes Peak trucks

sachilles wrote: I think rallyx conditions vary greatly by region. The perfect tool for one region may be god awful in another.

QFT !

That said... if a truck works for you/ your area...

Trailblazer SS

Yeah I think in general they don't allow trucks out here. But there was one guy racing a full sized ford in california rally's its essentially a trophy truck setup for rally however

Obvious answer is obvious but no one has mentioned the Subaru Forester?

NGTD wrote: Many organizing bodies will not let trucks or SUV's run rally-X, due to high CG's. Check before you buy.

Weren't you telling me about Ross Wood competing in his 1 ton dually? Of course, he's a hell of a driver.

cghstang wrote:

sachilles wrote: I think rallyx conditions vary greatly by region. The perfect tool for one region may be god awful in another.

QFT ! That said... if a truck works for you/ your area... Trailblazer SS

Been done. He had a hell of a time finding snow tires that fit and permitted him to run in Stock.

Volvo 240 wagon. tons of aftermarket, tons of swapable parts, hella tuff.

Volvo stuff to get you started http://www.kaplhenke.com/index.php http://www.r-sportinternational.com/ http://ipdusa.com/

Knurled wrote:

cghstang wrote:

sachilles wrote: I think rallyx conditions vary greatly by region. The perfect tool for one region may be god awful in another.

QFT ! That said... if a truck works for you/ your area... Trailblazer SS

Been done. He had a hell of a time finding snow tires that fit and permitted him to run in Stock.

17" wheels will fit on the TBSS from what I've heard

Southtexassupra wrote: Volvo 240 wagon. tons of aftermarket, tons of swapable parts, hella tuff. Volvo stuff to get you started http://www.kaplhenke.com/index.php http://www.r-sportinternational.com/ http://ipdusa.com/

Could you get (in the US) a 240 Turbo Wagon with a manual trans?

In reply to Storz:

yup, no problem, but they are the weakest point of the whole car, there are ford t-5 swaps easily available though, and doing the swap is well documented.

check out turbobricks.com

Knurled wrote:

cghstang wrote: Trailblazer SS

Been done. He had a hell of a time finding snow tires that fit and permitted him to run in Stock.

I know it's been done. I saw the same one you saw because I was at one of those events with you .

And the tires he found that may have not been stock legal then but certainly are now were AWESOME.

Storz wrote: 17" wheels will fit on the TBSS from what I've heard

And 17" weren't stock on the SS.