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Bench Rallycross With Me

There is a guy in our Volvo group who does rally cross in his C30. He is from Delaware and has done the AWD conversion to the car for more S&G.

I bet that's a sweet little car. I thought about taking my little hatchback to rallycross but I decided it was not dumb enough.

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Maybe some of you more experienced gentlemen remember the 1977 Car and Driver :cameron:BOSS WAGON III:cameron:, but its completely new to me. There's nothing crazy cool in the article but I was interested in this sentence, "The only specially built suspension components are two tiny brackets that locate the bottom of the front MacPherson struts, permitting two degrees of caster to be dialed into the alignment for a positive self-centering feel to the steering."

There's no picture of the suspension set up. Y'all think this is just a hunk of steel between the strut and the ball joint that moves the strut forward? Or maybe between the control arm and the ball joint?

The BOSS WAGON III and the worker wagon. I might buy a copy of the magazine just for the groovy black and whites.
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They never shared pictures of the pieces they made for more caster. Suffice to say it was a bracket that moved the strut forward two degrees to give more caster. I don't remember if the bossssss wagon had manual steering or not but the drawback to lots of caster with manual steering is slower to turn in and heavy low speed steering. With power steering volvo used ball joints that give lots of caster and with power assist the drawbacks of lots of caster aren't noticed.
 
There are very few drawbacks to lots of caster, and the roll camber compensation is necessary unless the roll stiffness is very high. I also have to disagree with the slow to turn in assessment.
 
Also, I talked with Drew, and found out he got behind on his schedule and didn't drop off the parts. I'll get those and some springs to you.
 
There are very few drawbacks to lots of caster, and the roll camber compensation is necessary unless the roll stiffness is very high. I also have to disagree with the slow to turn in assessment.

What would you consider lots? Greenbook says 3-4 degrees with power steering, the BNE plates offer +1.4 with stock springs and +3 with 2.5" springs.

Do you mind elaborating on the emboldened text and how that relates to more caster?

Also, I talked with Drew, and found out he got behind on his schedule and didn't drop off the parts. I'll get those and some springs to you.

No sweat. He texted me that evening to let me know.
 
Caster is the difference in camber of a wheel turning left right. The body lean is partially transferred to the wheel (a strut with proper control arm angle gives more camber gain than a lowered car, but let’s just assume it’s 50% compensated). So a 4 degree body lean might result in a 2 degree wheel lean. A tire that tilts back/inside the turn also compensates for that wheel lean and for tire carcass roll.
The trail resulting in the tire contact patch being behind the steering axis is what straightens the wheel when you let go.
 
Caster is the difference in camber of a wheel turning left right. The body lean is partially transferred to the wheel (a strut with proper control arm angle gives more camber gain than a lowered car, but let’s just assume it’s 50% compensated). So a 4 degree body lean might result in a 2 degree wheel lean. A tire that tilts back/inside the turn also compensates for that wheel lean and for tire carcass roll.
The trail resulting in the tire contact patch being behind the steering axis is what straightens the wheel when you let go.

This helps a lot. I misunderstood the original sentence to say that the increased caster would necessitate roll camber compensation. But I see you mean that the increased caster is what gets you the roll camber compensation.
 
OP do you have access to a burly MIG welder? Weld that rear end for utterly consistent handling that always puts power down with minimal effort and few dollars spent. You are not making enough power to break axles anyway.

Most important... have fun!
 
OP do you have access to a burly MIG welder? Weld that rear end for utterly consistent handling that always puts power down with minimal effort and few dollars spent. You are not making enough power to break axles anyway.

Most important... have fun!

I do. Mike gave me a lunchbox locker to try out though.
 
Oh, can anyone confirm or deny that the de carbon struts do not use the spacer in the tube?
 
OP do you have access to a burly MIG welder? Weld that rear end for utterly consistent handling that always puts power down with minimal effort and few dollars spent. You are not making enough power to break axles anyway.

Most important... have fun!
That’s a good call, john. I might throw in a welded axle when his lunchbox locker finally gets there. I might have to drive to atlanta to get his parts that were supposed to be taking a shortcut, but it’s all good.
 
That’s a good call, john. I might throw in a welded axle when his lunchbox locker finally gets there. I might have to drive to atlanta to get his parts that were supposed to be taking a shortcut, but it’s all good.

I’m willing and able to pay the freight, if you’ve got someone to do the shipping.
 
I will get Drew to mail the small stuff i sent.
I’ll get your springs and stuff to you, and I don’t mind helping you get it set up.
 
The first rally cross I went to, 2wd was totally dominated by a guy with a mullet driving a Chevrolet Cavalier. His only modification was that he used some duct tape to tape down the button on the handbrake, He was savage, somehow getting the car rotated 20 feet before entering each turn. It was glorious.
 
The first rally cross I went to, 2wd was totally dominated by a guy with a mullet driving a Chevrolet Cavalier. His only modification was that he used some duct tape to tape down the button on the handbrake, He was savage, somehow getting the car rotated 20 feet before entering each turn. It was glorious.

Does everyone want to be that guy when they grow up or is it just me?
 
Put in my front struts and mounts today. Mild fiasco, didn't realized the gland nut was different for the inverted struts. Had to pull a strut off the parts wagon half way through the job to scavenge another gland nut. Was excited to see that the parts wagon also has de carbons, which I believe are re-buildable?

I now realize I have never owned a 240 that didn't have completely dead struts. Amazing the difference damping makes. Also cut 1-1/2 coils off the rear springs to drop the rear back down, which seemed to help with the self-return on the steering wheel.

Still have 2 problems plaguing me. 1 - Detonation on hard acceleration or acceleration up hills. 2 - Every time I make a hard turn, there's a strong stink of gasoline. I can't find any obvious gas leaks anywhere.

For better or worse, going to drive it out to Wilson tomorrow for RALLY CROSS YESS. Got all my fluids topped up (transmission was only 2-1/2 quarts low), all my loose wires and relays and carphones zip tied up, my rear sway bar thrown into the ocean. My friend is bringing the blue mini in the background because his corolla has grown too fond of its jack stands. EXCITING.
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Maaaaaan what a blast. And I was not the slowest at the rallycross. I WAS THIRD SLOWEST. VICTORY!!!!:rockon:

I've really got to work on my reaction time/set up. I co-drove with one of the organizers of the event and he won the class in the Volvo. His best time was 62.6. My best time was 68.9. My fastest lap felt like my slowest. My lap times were all over the place and the Volvo was a real hand full once the course was torn up. I was expecting a clay-like surface, but it was basically sand.

I really struggled with the steering. It is so soft and bouncy and I'm having trouble judging what the wheels are doing in relation to the steering wheel. The steering in my daily driver is much heavier and quicker, and the Volvo felt like a vague and muddy in comparison. Seeing the best time put down in this car, I know the limiting factor is my own skill though.

I utterly destroyed both the strut mounts I put in yesterday and I think I blew a seal in the steering rack. When I got back I found ATF all over the left side suspension, engine bay, and the underside of the hood. The detonation was BAD on the course. I did find my gas leak though, its gushing out the filler neck!

The guy I drove with hooked up a dash cam, so hopefully I'll have some to share.

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KexFnE0.mp4


Looks fast in the still pictures. hahahaha.
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