Rally truck!!
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 15
From: Costa Mesa, CA
The old ones (this truck was a late 70's/early 80's era racer) didn't sit so high. They were pretty much stock trucks, so stock ride height was it much of the time. Many were 4x4, but the truck in the pic above is a 2wd so it sits low.
Now-a-days with everybody going for as much wheel travel as possible the ride heights get much higher. This isn't by choice by any means as a lower ride height = lower C.O.G. and that = less tendency to roll, etc.
Rather the high ride heights is more of a function of gaining uptravel with the I-beam or TTB type suspensions. Since you can't notch the frame rails in many classes you can't get much uptravel without making the ride height higher.
If you look at the high end, custom trucks they sit really low for tucking 37-39" tires and have 25"+ of suspension travel...
This truck for example is one we helped with at the Baja 500 this year. It's got 39" tires and does not sit very high at all IMO. Then again this "truck" costs more than most people's houses... It would probably do pretty decent at a rally, although one of the truely built rally cars would spank it in most aspects of "rally".
Now-a-days with everybody going for as much wheel travel as possible the ride heights get much higher. This isn't by choice by any means as a lower ride height = lower C.O.G. and that = less tendency to roll, etc.
Rather the high ride heights is more of a function of gaining uptravel with the I-beam or TTB type suspensions. Since you can't notch the frame rails in many classes you can't get much uptravel without making the ride height higher.
If you look at the high end, custom trucks they sit really low for tucking 37-39" tires and have 25"+ of suspension travel...
This truck for example is one we helped with at the Baja 500 this year. It's got 39" tires and does not sit very high at all IMO. Then again this "truck" costs more than most people's houses... It would probably do pretty decent at a rally, although one of the truely built rally cars would spank it in most aspects of "rally".
Last edited by ChaseTruck754; Nov 4, 2010 at 02:04 PM. Reason: spelling and added pic
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11,424
Likes: 2
From: Big Sky Country
That makes sense now seeing that there are restrictions within the various classes affecting ride height along with 30+ years of ongoing engineering within the sport.
Thanks for explaining it a little more in depth.
Thanks for explaining it a little more in depth.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 602
Likes: 1
From: Maryland
If you mean a rally truck like the cars that race at pikes peak and in brazile and stuff, i generally think of low center of gravity-(lower than stock), functinal hood and roof scoops, rear spoiler-(maybe on a tonnue cover thingy), for these trucks prolly about 29" all-terrain tires (small to keep center of gravity low), rollcage, sparco seats, i know it sounds goofy....but maybe a high-tech, low weight, high hp engine like an nissan skyline engine..twin turbo, 6-speed tranny, plexiglass windows, and like 6 8"-10" fog lights in one of those "light pods" on the grille or on the hood....i know it sounds odd...but would prolly make a beastly ralley truck...
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