rally x questions

[jaime88325ix]

i would be driving the car 60 miles round trip to the events. The car is sitting at stock height btw.
I was thinking some bf A/T, but they don't make them in 205/55-60/15 or some maybe snow tires..
does anyone have any recommendations or know of some good tires for rally x for the stock 15" weaves?


also do the ix's share the same brake booster with all m20 e30s?

thanks

[Mook613]

There are proper rally tires, but not that you can drive on the road with. The main tires used are the Pirelli K, the Yokohoma A034 and A031.
Rally tires all come in 15" (most only come in a 15"). Do not worry about the overall size too much as the only problem is that your speedometer will be off.

I've personally run with rally tires (have both the Pirelli and Yokos and both are amazing), and with some good snow tires.

Here is what it comes down to...
1) Are you going to be taking the sport seriously enough to justify spending a lot on tires and wheels? If no, then get a cheap set of used snow tires (more on this below). If yes, then...
2) Do you have the ability to bring 5 extra wheels with you to the events? If no, then need to run with the snow tires as they need to be mounted for the drive to/from the event. If yes then try to find a set of used rally tires to save some money. Call up the shops and teams that service the pro level rally guys as they often sell sets of tires after each event that will have plenty of tread left for rally-x events.

Snows:
When I first started rallying we ran on snow tires with some thick tread. They were okay enough to get us going (car's without rally or snows often get stuck at the start line in the winter). After blowing approx. 2 tires each day (2 drivers shared one car, so a day was 12 runs of a 2 min. course), we made the change to run-flat winter tires. The advantage of the RFT was not only that we didn't have to worry as much about flats, but the extra sidewall stiffness which is a BIG thing for rallying - think of all of the sideways force as the car slides. Rally tires have metal rings in the sidewalls for this added sideways stiffness. The RFTs are muuuuch heavier, but well worth the weight if you aren't trying to place 1st in your class.

No matter what you want to have extra wheels with you. Rally-x can hit your car pretty hard, and I haven't gone through a single day event without going through atleast 1 tire, and often 2.
Even if you don't run dedicated rally tires I would recommend having a different set of tires for the drive to and from.
Ideally you'd be able to tow the car to/from the events but I appreciate that not everybody has that ability.

Good luck! Rally-x is an awesome experience.

[jaime88325ix]

There are proper rally tires, but not that you can drive on the road with. The main tires used are the Pirelli K, the Yokohoma A034 and A031.
Rally tires all come in 15" (most only come in a 15"). Do not worry about the overall size too much as the only problem is that your speedometer will be off.

I've personally run with rally tires (have both the Pirelli and Yokos and both are amazing), and with some good snow tires.

Here is what it comes down to...
1) Are you going to be taking the sport seriously enough to justify spending a lot on tires and wheels? If no, then get a cheap set of used snow tires (more on this below). If yes, then...
2) Do you have the ability to bring 5 extra wheels with you to the events? If no, then need to run with the snow tires as they need to be mounted for the drive to/from the event. If yes then try to find a set of used rally tires to save some money. Call up the shops and teams that service the pro level rally guys as they often sell sets of tires after each event that will have plenty of tread left for rally-x events.

Snows:
When I first started rallying we ran on snow tires with some thick tread. They were okay enough to get us going (car's without rally or snows often get stuck at the start line in the winter). After blowing approx. 2 tires each day (2 drivers shared one car, so a day was 12 runs of a 2 min. course), we made the change to run-flat winter tires. The advantage of the RFT was not only that we didn't have to worry as much about flats, but the extra sidewall stiffness which is a BIG thing for rallying - think of all of the sideways force as the car slides. Rally tires have metal rings in the sidewalls for this added sideways stiffness. The RFTs are muuuuch heavier, but well worth the wait if you aren't trying to place 1st in your class.

No matter what you want to have extra wheels with you. Rally-x can hit your car pretty hard, and I haven't gone through a single day event without going through atleast 1 tire, and often 2.
Even if you don't run dedicated rally tires I would recommend having a different set of tires for the drive to and from.
Ideally you'd be able to tow the car to/from the events but I appreciate that not everybody has that ability.

Good luck! Rally-x is an awesome experience.

awesome info, thank you.

i forgot to ask about deleting the power steering? would it be ok for rally x..

[Mook613]

awesome info, thank you.

i forgot to ask about deleting the power steering? would it be ok for rally x..

I wouldn't do it.
As a rule, the less steering input you give the faster your lap times, but the times when you do steer will be very aggressive. Rally-x is set up (at least where I ran in Canada) with tight short radius turns in order to keep the speeds down to ensure a safer environment. Tight radius turns means you'll want to rotate into the turn and then power oversteer as needed to bring the back around. In doing so you will need to counter steer fast enough to catch the slides. The stock E30 rack w/ 4 turns lock-to-lock isn't well suited to rallying and deleting the PS would make that worse.
I know you are looking for the feel of a more direct connection, but you need as much speed in getting those wheels around as you can.
Purpose built WRC and Rally-X cars have lock ratios of about 1.5 to 2.0, compared to your 4.0. Upgrading to a Z3 rack (2.7 turns) would be a big upgrade here.

[jaime88325ix]

I wouldn't do it.
As a rule, the less steering input you give the faster your lap times, but the times when you do steer will be very aggressive. Rally-x is set up (at least where I ran in Canada) with tight short radius turns in order to keep the speeds down to ensure a safer environment. Tight radius turns means you'll want to rotate into the turn and then power oversteer as needed to bring the back around. In doing so you will need to counter steer fast enough to catch the slides. The stock E30 rack w/ 4 turns lock-to-lock isn't well suited to rallying and deleting the PS would make that worse.
I know you are looking for the feel of a more direct connection, but you need as much speed in getting those wheels around as you can.
Purpose built WRC and Rally-X cars have lock ratios of about 1.5 to 2.0, compared to your 4.0. Upgrading to a Z3 rack (2.7 turns) would be a big upgrade here.

got it. but i thought its not possible to do this on a ix because of whatever reason?

[Mook613]

got it. but i thought its not possible to do this on a ix because of whatever reason?

Sorry, didn't notice the IX part. A E46 rack would be close, but it would require some good modification skills.
Otherwise may be SOL for an upgrade.

[Kershaw]

I don't think anyone has swapped in another rack successfully.

According to hours of time researching this, the best non rally tire is the goodyear ultra grip winter tire. Studdable snows are stronger than non studdable tires and apparently it has a stronger sidewall than most. I have an extra set of wheels that I run around on the street with and I swap to my old snows when I get there. I took an angle grinder with a thick disc and cut grooves into my snow tires, it helped a lot. I drive 75 miles one way.

I blew out the suspension the car came on. And then I blew out a fairly new stock shock a month ago I had laying around. I was getting a crazy amount of suspension compression. The end link studs, on both sides, were hitting the edge of the inside of the strut towers. I put new endlinks in and cut the studs flush with the end of the nuts. I also put in Bilstein HDs. Hopefully this weekend goes well.

I haven't had an event where something didn't break. Bring tools and spares.

IX boosters are not the same as rwd boosters.

You're going to run in stock class against 2016 STis, for example. You're not even going to be close to their times. You might get close to the 2.5rs drivers, but chances are they have years of experience over you and you won't catch them. They also probably all have roll cages in their cars, which is stock legal, but which you won't have. The class to be competitive and have fun in an e30 is modified rear.

I'm not bitter at all.

[Mook613]

With the rally organization up by me, the classes are:
1) FWD
2) RWD
3) AWD - N/A
4) AWD - Turbo

The iX would end up in class 3 against mostly 2.5rs - would be tough to be competitive.
The RWD class is usually the first-timer in something that has no right being on a rough rally course and a bunch of pick-ups. A 325i can be very very competitive here.
I personally run in FWD with some old Toyotas and Acuras. Fastest cars in my class tend to be a few modified Ford Focus (not the new ones).

STIs would be put in group 4, but there's usually a handful of highly modified cars for this group and they put down some very fast times. Also get a former WRC driver that comes out in a 2.5rs (modified) and he often places 1st overall.

Things will break... whether it's bending control arms, lines, radiators, etc... that's just part of the fun and excitement of trying to see if you can get your car running again before your next run. Have seen guys roll their cars, have some fluid ignite and start a fire and then see them get their car running again within the hour.

[Kershaw]

In the US there are 9 classes. There's Stock, Prepared, and Modified for each FWD, RWD, and AWD. So a stock 325ix will run against a stock 2017 Ford Focus RS or a stock 2017 Subaru STi.

[jaime88325ix]

Thank you guys for all the advice! I think I'll stick to snow tires for now.. And do a few races with the p/s belt off to see how I like it.

[The Dark Side of Will]

And do a few races with the p/s belt off to see how I like it.

Why are you focused on this?

[jaime88325ix]

Why are you focused on this?

Because I already ordered the delete kit.. And I would like to clean up my engine bay.. And if I can get more road feel I would prefer that.. And I wouldn't mind the weight reduction?

[Mook613]

Road feel with rally isn't really a thing as much as it is with tarmac.

Rally drivers have a bright stripe on their wheel to show which way theirs wheels are pointed for a reason... can't always feel the wheels through the steering wheel.
Tarmac is about driving to maximize the amount of grip per wheel whereas rally is about driving when there is no grip left.

Without PS it'll make it too hard to get the wheels around fast enough and it'd be very hard to control a turn (known as oversteering in rally :) )

[The Dark Side of Will]

From a Fiero owner: Trying to catch the back end coming around with slow manual steering sucks... and that car doesn't have the weight of the engine over the front tires.

[Kershaw]

I can't imagine rallycrossing without powersteering. I think that's an awful idea.

Finally had a successfully completed weekend too. I was too leery of the car on Saturday so I didn't do that well, but with Saturday completed without breaking down I attacked Sunday full force. Put down a few very competitive runs! Finally!