LCCC Tri Series Khanacross - Take 2

[jem]

Woohoo!!!

That picture just about sums up my day! I had an abolute blast during the day. Many thanks go to all the LCCC guys who put the day together. Especially Dave...

I started the day off thinking I had no chance at winning, given the competition that rocked up. So I decided I was going to be a bit more adventurous with my driving. Be a bit more aggressive and not be as worried about knocking flags over...

The first stage was awesome. I snuck in a handbrake turn that felt as good as I have ever done. It still wasn't perfect, I bogged it down when I "powered" out of it. Got very sideways in a couple of places... But, knocked down 2 flags

Second stage, and a request for a massive powerslide for a photo was requested... I figured, with 2 flags down I didn't have much of a chance of winning, so sideways was going to be the order for the rest of the day... The result of the stage was the above picture, some video footage (thanks Tim) and another 2 flags down.

Third stage... Backed in and gassed with more sideways action... Another 2 flags down

Fourth stage... What a shocker... After letting Fiona and Jen know where it will be easy to WD, I nearly do it myself. A bit of the reverse gear and a few seconds lost and I'm still going... Only to stuff the end up. A total of about 15-20 seconds lost, plus another 2 flags down.

Unofficial results had me in last place I think, which put a bit of a downer on the day. I'm sure I could have been a minute faster if I had been driving like I would normally drive, and stayed away from the flags. Regardless, the smile on the face is still there.

[Spac]

Drove Pete's Stanza.
Steering is REALLY heavy at low speed.
Did OK on the first run.
Did a bit better on the second one (faster than Pete - it was good to return that favour).
Let it load up for a bit during the 3rd run, then spun and stalled it when it came clear.
Repeat, but without the stall.
And then bugger up again driving into the finish garage, and flatten a flag.
Even without the flag penalty, I got THE slowest time...
So for the 4th run, I drove the mighty 323. Jenny had warned me that it was slow, but I already knew that.
I was REALLY slow, running like a piece of crud... I guess that she meant to say "Slower than usual"...
But I did better than Pete who WD'd.



I wonder how confidant (about their gearboxes) our Familia owners are now?



Good work Dave, Ty, Tamsey, Fitzy, Lizzy etc.

[Matt Sosi]

Originally posted by Spac
I wonder how confidant (about their gearboxes) our Familia owners are now?

Preety devastating, especially when you have your first ever rally this weekend in Oberon. At the moment, it is a 50/50 chance Darren will make it, but we just don't know quite yet.

However, in saying this, he had an absolute ball down at Fairbairn yesterday. He has never been to an event where everybody is so friendly to each other. In particular, he would like to thank Dave for the running of the event, and especially Ty and others who assisted him in getting the car on the trailer.

Thanks guys!!

Matt

[Jme]

Familia boxes are crappy.

But we knew that before it broke ......lol.

With Mark Hughes and now Darren stuffing boxes regularly I'm starting to think it's me!!

It's hard to know exactly what to do with the Mazda's cause they are a quick little car at a really cheap price. If I told you what I bought that car for in Japan you wouldn't believe me!!!! I think the toll charges to drive it to the port were more than the price of the car!

With Darrens car we are bolting another box in for Oberon and de-tuning the car further. We wound the boost out of it before the khana-cross, but we will wind it down to "boring" for Oberon and just allow him to compete. It should get through........with some babying ....... we hope ......... we pray. (Put a jacket in the car Sosi, and maybe a six-pack.)

The car ran 1.10 at Wakefield the weekend before, so to run that time, which is bloody quick (on a standard computer), I think he might have stressed the gearbox and damaged it there rather than on the Khana-cross ....... but I'm only guessing.

Long term we are looking into a "new" solution that hasn't been tried in Australia yet to our knowledge. I'm waiting on an email at the moment regarding price etc..... got a feeling it won't be cheap or easy.... but worth looking into cause it removes the word "Mazda" completely from anything to do with transmission.

It seems that most guys who run Familia's rebuild the boxes after most events - even with the mods available- or run limited Hp- or both.

Darren loves the car, and after driving in the oversized motorkhana, I can see why- it's a blast. It definately has "weapon" potential but a rally car is only as good as its weakest part..... and the Mazda boxes are *****.

Thanks to Ty (especially) and everyone that helped out with our car and the day in general.

[beanpole]

You mean fitting a GT4 box? Already know about that one.......

There are ways of allowing them to live. Limiting them to about 250 hp is one of them........



Kev

[Jme]

VR4 RS actually ........ but big job... the more I think about it the less viable it is ....... too much to change equals too much cash and trouble.

Karl, haven't spoken to Peter, but my old man is close to Ian Hill from the old days (Rallyequip/Gosford Dyno Tune)...... Colin Hill ....... Warren Ridge ....... Mazda's .....

Peter and Colin are probably the experts re: Mazda g/box, but the general trend is that they rebuilt them very regularly.....

Darren isn't mechanical, so he would be constantly forking over $$ to someone to rebuild it (it's a motor out job from a quick look), so we are looking into a mod, and if that doesn't work out we will look at our options.

He bought it as a club car, decided he wanted to rally, spent a bit and now has the g/box problem that people warn you about if you buy a Mazda. The problem is he can drive a bit, and has aspirations in the state series or higher, so he might "outgrow" a Mazda quickly.

To be honest, I'm lost myself on what is the best way for him to go...... I suggested he drop the car off at Rallyequip, leave a Cheque for $40,000 and take the Evo6 home ......... problem solved. He thought I was joking ......... I was half serious.

I'm sick of rally gearboxes ..... the old Hyundai we had, Mark Hughes WRX ...etc. and there are heaps of other cars around with similar issues.... I've sat beside 6 g/box failures in the last 18 months.... and now this. Even the rally Mark won we had to fix the G/box after it stuck in 2nd. ....

Solution- Buy an Evo....... or a Datsun and have some fun.

[Jme]

Beanpole.......

Limit it to 250hp ....... no fun in that

[Ric Cary]

JME the guy in Wauchope, Darby i think it was he`s modified another gearbox to go in with an adaptor plate and if that things limited to 250hp I`ll stand F.....d

[beanpole]

250 in a GTX would be worth about 275 in an on the weight limit Evo or Rex, or about 500 in a lardarse VR4 , how much more do you want?

Also, did he break the gears, case or right angle drive? I guess it depends on the condition of the box before the action happened, and how he drives.

Ultimately they can't be defended, they are weak, I'll have to see how mine go (I have 2 boxes for my GTX).

I'll only have about 200, if that, 'cos I don't want them to break. But my car is for no more than club level, I think for state the Mazda is a bit underdone. Shame, 'cos they're such a neat little package.



Kev

[Tweety]

Jme,

Have you spoken to smee? He apparently thinks he's got his problems sorted (although maybe hasn't been tested yet?), something to do with keeping the oil in the box cool?

Also, I have to take offense at your slander of Mazda boxes in general, I think perhaps the problem is the familia box in particular (which has a VERY bad reputation), and then the driver. Some people are incredibly hard on gearboxes because of the way they drive, and it's always the box's fault when it breaks I've had many mazda boxes in many different cars and the only problem I've had is wearing out synchros.



Note: yes, I do realise I'm setting myself up for major gearbox problems at Bega, but hey, what can you do?

[Bogan]

Who's got a copy of the final results? Can we have them posted please and/or faxed to me and I'll type them up and post them?

T.

[Dave Ferris]

results should be up tomorrow "Wednesday", I'll post them in the technical section

[smee]

mmmmm. I can see where the problem may have arisen in relation to the gearbox failure on the weekend.

Reving to 6 grand and dumping the clutch on an uneven surface like the khanacross field is a big no no in a Mazda (sorry Familia).

You need to be gentle on the launch, and then when the car is moving, add some throttle. Also throwing it back into first for tight corners from speed is not good (for any box).
The boxes suffer from binding and when this meets some very rough surfaces (like big clumps of grass in a paddock) can cause the shafts to move and then bang. I was told it did not go bang straight off the line. To much rough.
Still, it is not a good thing to happen. Boxes are getting hard to come by. GTR boxes especially.
Don't have 20+ grand for an X-trac, and a dog box does not help alot really.

I thought rallying was a test of men/women and machine.

Anyways I have some ideas I am willing to try and will let you know the results. I suppose if I do not blow a box, then the fixes have been good for the power and driving style I use.

And yes Tweety, temp is something to be on the lookout for in regards to a stage, but all the cooling in the world won't help dropping the clutch big time at the start line.

I have been toying with the idea of cryogenics on the casing, but was told if the cast is not good, then the casing can explode. Maybe I could do it to the gear sets and shafts. Not sure. Ideas anyone.

My "boxes" are ready for some improvement. Lookout Beb, they are on the way.

[david.reynolds]

Last price I heard for the Xtrac box was 30-40,000 Pounds depending on the number of gearboxes ordered.

So for a lot less money than the price of a new evo7 you can get a dog gear set from Albins. it is stronger than the standard gears but the main thing you get is closer ratios.

now that the other mechanical problems on the familia have been fixed i will see how long the box holds together.......... but then again it is only running around 180hp

[Dave Ferris]

the results have been posted for your viewing pleasure
see "front page news"

thanks Karl