RDRC S8 Round 2 - Rally Sweden (13th - 19th February 2017)

[Lorenzo Bonder]

I have to admit, I haven't faced anything nearly to bottoming out my SEAT, only that the setup I've made for the SEAT was a tad bit unstable if the car was badly placed, like heavy understeering on some curves, but I either saved the car from tragedy because of my reflexes (I saved my car from a major issue on SS13 (the stage name is way long for me to say it) when I saved my car from massive understeering on a upclimb right 2 with junction to the left and heavy snowbanks on the left side that could've hurt my car badly.

And I saved my car from some pesky situations as well a lot of time on the fast sections, especially on Elgsjiön and Algsjön (or w/e the name is ), for me the rule was never to engage the sixth gear on the 6 turns caution section and just cruise with the fifth gear until I reached the braking zone. Well it worked nicely for me

 

[Caramidaru Andrei Bogdan]

Long live swingman )
I can also vouche for terrible kadett suspension settings over jumps.

 

[svt4cam]

The big problem with full manual and clutch in this game, especially on the slippery stuff is the stalling. Hit the brakes too hard and kill the motor, use the hand brake kill the motor. then you have no torque to kick the rear end around. Unlike real life where the wheels turning after lockup would light the motor back up again.

 

[Roland]

Right after this championship was announced, I thought I'd better DIY me a proper analog handbrake, before actually investing time in practicing this game.
So I did, using an old pedal set, and it's working great. BUT, so far I have yet to find any use for it, as even gently touching it while driving my RWD 131 will spin the car around instantly.
I should have spent the time practicing..

And even while driving manual gears without clutch I've managed to stall the engine several times on full brake lockup here in Sweden.
Upon releasing the brakes, with a slight delay, the engine would fire up again. So I assumed that'd be from the wheels rolling again with a gear engaged. But I guess I could be wrong..

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Interestingly I've only used left foot braking and never heal&toe even with manual clutch. Not IRL either.

Afaik, McRae never used his right foot to brake either, he always used his left foot to brake, all the way from the day he started rallying

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

good to hear handbrakes are hyper-sensitive for other chaps as well ...
finished the next three stages, had my first 360 degree pirhouette on Hamra in the fast section after the 90 degree turn. ended up just a few virtual feet from a solid boulder, lucky me Other than that: lancia still in good shape and: managed to hit the black boxes at finish for the first time this rally at the end of stage 8, will do some cosmetic repairs before next stage.

 

[Thomas Lambaerts]

Handbrake? Handbrake? Where we are going we dont need no stinkin handbrakes! Oh wait, there are hairpins here.
But seriously, I barely use the handbrake. And if I do, its just a tap or 2 on the button. But I do drive with the brakes to the rear on my lancia delta

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

I use the handbrake quite a lot on the 4WD cars to get them turned like I want to ^^, Not as bad as in RBR though, where I often pulled the handbrake in 3rd and 4th gear corners instead of dabbing the brakes!

 

[PresidentSmug]

The big problem with full manual and clutch in this game, especially on the slippery stuff is the stalling. Hit the brakes too hard and kill the motor, use the hand brake kill the motor. then you have no torque to kick the rear end around. Unlike real life where the wheels turning after lockup would light the motor back up again.

So glad to hear it's not just me. I've been so tempted to use auto clutch but my pride wont have any of it. Win or lose i have to make it work

 

[Hal Burns]

By the start of Stage 9 my Ibiza Kit Car was showing yellow on both rad and engine, thanks to a few off-piste excursions and some poor shifting. I nursed it in on the next 2 stages, short shifting and driving at "brisk" rather than "madman". Suprisingly, by driving slower, I was faster...no incidents and kept it off the snow banks. We'll see how long the car lasts, but finishing is now my goal....and staying ahead of "Frito" down in the cellar.

 

[Haris82]

First four stages done! Many mistakes on each stage! At this moment 54th overall and 31st in class!

 

[Aaron DeMarre]

Just completed the rally, no pics this time because I am pressed for time. I try to avoid rallying on the weekdays, I lack the needed concentration after work and commuting. But my weekend is already spoken for, so jumped in while I could!

The 206 takes quite a different driving style in the snow, with a 4WD car you can use the throttle to control your angle much more. In the FWD car you really have to set up your angle right as you approach the corner, and the only real control if you need more angle is brakes, so you lose drive out of the corner if you have to resort to that. Throttle will only pull your car out of a slide, or give you lots of understeer if you give it too much or rev too high in the F2s.

Overall, my rally was about what I was expecting, while I was able to find some flow in some places, but had tons of spins and trips into the snowbanks. While I always make a ton of mistakes on these stages, I was largely able to avoid major mistakes, aside from two. On SS2 I hit the finish board hard and popped my radiator. I was so mad with myself since I have a bad habit of doing it, and it means by the end of the rally I will probably be down on power quite a bit as my engine damages due to overheating. Thankfully the radiator wasn't damaged that bad, and I was able to fix it nearly all the way at the first service, so it ended up not being that bad.

On one of the final stages, I hit a big rock in a snowbank and punctured the front right tire. Losing a front tire in a FWD car makes it nearly undrivable, but I pressed on and was able to minimize the time lost.

Good luck to the drivers and big thanks to the organizers!

 

[Chris]

I am in the boat of those who agree that the co-driver needs a swift kick in the nether regions from time to time around Sweden. I am practicing for Day 2 and have learned that "4 right into 4 left" can mean anything from a flat out in 5th gear pair of simple kinks, but it can also mean a 2nd gear chicane

Totally agree haha. On one of the stages there's one that's like "5 left over crest" and it's more like a 2 left. Total bollocks haha

 

[PresidentSmug]

Totally agree haha. On one of the stages there's one that's like "5 left over crest" and it's more like a 2 left. Total bollocks haha

yeah there's no way anyone can go into these stages cold, you have to have a rough idea or the co driver will end you. He's actually petty good 90% of the time for me but you have to be on your guard for that dodgy 10%, it will turn up when you least expect it.

 

[Greg Doan]

Hello I joined the RDRC S8 the other day and looked it up in Dirt Rally and joined there also, And I am listed as #400 in the list of drivers in the league and driving the Ford Focus RS 2011 4x4 + but I do not understand why RDRC S8 is not coming in the dirt rally game so I can join in the event I am really wanting to race any help please.

 

[Chris]

Just finished the rally. Really enjoyed that one, a lot more than Monte Carlo, which is funny because Monte is my favourite. Some of the highspeed sections where you're just dancing from bump to bump and keeping the car balanced is a truly awesome feeling .

Colin's Crest takes some serious cajones if you wanna take it flatout!

 

[Caramidaru Andrei Bogdan]

@PresidentSmug he just demolished me! Day1 and he has a 1min advantage in only 7 stages.
All I can hope now is to keep @Kieran Poole behind me, atm only 5sec between us, as mr. @Krister Johansson is out of my grasp too
Also for the guy's in full manual, yes its hard, impossible for my talent level but especially in old cars you gain a lot too, so effort is well worth it

 

[Caramidaru Andrei Bogdan]

Friday roll call - 2wd-

1. 35. K Johansson Opel Kadett GT/E 16v 01:10:16.306 +06:43.633
   
2. Navitori Fiat 131 Abarth 01:12:36.068 +09:03.395
3. R Tap Ford Escort Mk II 01:13:04.231 +09:31.558

SS1

SS2

SS3

SS4

SS5

SS6

SS7

SS8

SS9

SS10

 

[Caramidaru Andrei Bogdan]

SS11

SS12

SS13

SS14

SS15

SS16

SS17

 

[LuMue]

Where do you get the single stagetimes from, Mr. C?
I check the standings on the Dirt Rally HP and have to scroll and click a hundred times to see my position in class...