Prepping a Subaru for Club and Pro Rally Racing

Ready for Hollywood?

It's been hard to miss the hours of World Rally coverage airing on the SPEED channel this year. In car footage showing the likes of Tommi Makinen and Petter "Hollywood" Solberg hustling their fire-spitting and wastegate-chirping Subarus down narrow gravel roads is enough to make any Subaru owner want to don a balaclava and speak with a funny accent.

If you've become a true fan, you're also aware of Subaru's recent onslaught of the U.S. rally scene. Factory drivers like Mark Lovell clinched SCCA's Pro Rally Open class last year, while David Higgins - a talented British driver - dominated numerous events in 2002, claiming the title in his AVSport prepared WRX. Fighting among these top names are the likes of Paul "Pablo" Eklund, Ralph Kosmides, and Pat Richard, racers who have built their own rally teams from the ground up, learning lessons the hard way.

With the introduction of the Impreza 2.5RS - and now the WRX - Subaru owners have become more aware that their cars were designed to scrap it up on forest service roads. Many owners have even ventured out to local SCCA sanctioned rallycross events, where they learn that the advantages of all-wheel-drive provide numerous benefits on loose and slippery surfaces. Now that they're hooked, what's next for the burgeoning rally driver in all of us? How about SCCA's Club and Pro Rally scene for starters.

But first, we need to spend a little time discussing the modifications necessary to make our Subarus rally ready. Despite their excellent design and robust nature, stock Subarus aren't up to the levels of what a real rally car needs to be in the area of reliability, safety, and durability under extreme conditions. So, let's find out what it takes to convert our daily driven rides into gravel chewing rally beasts.

Club and Pro Rally Guidelines

First things first, read the rules. No matter what class of racing you want to get involved with, be aware of the rules that determine the legality of your car. Each class or category will have a distinct level of car preparation. Understanding these prep levels will help you to decide what class would be a good starting point for you, your car, and your budget.

The most cost-effective class to start off in is the SCCA's Production GT class. In general, powertrain modifications are limited, helping to keep power levels - and speed - down. Modifications to suspension and braking systems are a bit freer - to allow for the fitment of more robust struts, bushings, and brake lines - for durability reasons.

The PGT class is a natural fit for all of the popular AWD Subaru models, including the Legacy Turbo, Impreza 2.2L and 2.5L models, and the WRX. Other popular cars in PGT include the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Galant VR4, as well as numerous Audi Quattro models and the Mazda 323 GTX. Turbocharged cars - like the WRX - must use a 32mm inlet restrictor, helping to keep power levels down to a more manageable level.

If PGT doesn't present enough of a challenge, Subaru owners can step into SCCA's Open class. As the name describes, the Open Class has a ruleset that is literally open to numerous modifications. Preparing your 2.5RS or WRX for the Open class gives you the opportunity to run with the big dogs, like the factory Subaru, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi teams. Make sure both you and your car are prepared for the challenge when jumping into this crowd.

Another popular class for Subarus is the internationally recognized Group N class. Group N is essentially a production class for high-performance factory hot rods, like the Mitsubishi Lancer EVOs and oversees versions of the Subaru WRX STi. The restrictive nature of Group N means that - with the addition of safety items - cars must run as they came off the showroom floor. Since the cost to enter a competitive STi - assuming you can find one - is considerably higher, Group N wouldn't be the most cost effective class to start out in.

Safety First

It doesn't matter how much - or how little - power your Subaru has, when you're flying sideways along a rutted, tree-lined special stage, safety should be the first priority. "Everybody wants more horsepower," explains Paul Eklund, who has been competing in SCCA Pro Rally events for several years. "My advice is to take care of the basics first. You need to take care of the safety gear before turning your attention to getting more power out of the engine," urges Eklund.

Ralph Kosmides, SCCA's 2002 Group N Champion in a Subaru WRX, agrees with Eklund when it comes to safety being the first priority. Starting off with a strong racing seat for both driver and navigator should be the first step. "Buy the absolute best seats you can afford," advises Kosmides. There are numerous manufacturers of racing seats, most of them being manufactured out of fiberglass. Several manufacturers offer even stronger - and lighter - seats made from carbon fiber and kevlar. No matter the construction, make sure the seat is properly mounted to the car using high-grade fasteners that resist corrosion.

A properly mounted, secure harness is critical for rally drivers and navigators. Rally stages by nature are filled with dips, bumps, and even the occasional yump. SCCA requires either a 5-point (for upright seating positions) or 6-point (for reclined seating positions) harness, which must feature a 3-inch wide lap belt and 2-inch wide shoulder and anti-submarine belts. Buckles must be of the metal-to-metal quick release type, and all mounting hardware must be 3/8-inch diameter SAE Grade 5 or better. Popular harness sets are offered by companies like Schroth, Simpson, and Sparco.

Next on the list should be a class legal helmet - current rules dictate a Snell SA95 rating or higher, but a SA2000 rated helmet will soon be required. You'll be spending a lot of time wearing a helmet, so don't just pick it out because its colors match your paint scheme. Make sure it fits. If you plan on using an intercom system in the car - helps to overcome exhaust and road noise - make sure the helmet is capable of supporting the extra equipment.

A driving suit and gloves are other necessary items. Current SCCA regulations dictate that driving suits must be either FIA or SFI 3-2A/1 rated, or if the suit is not rated, fireproof underwear must be worn.

Speaking of SCCA requirements, a stout roll cage is a must. SCCA recommends that FIA specification roll cages be used, however, a constructed roll cage may be substituted as long as it follows the SCCA's minimum specifications for roll bar tubing diameter, wall thickness and construction techniques. "I'm a believer in professionally built, welded in cages," says Kosmides. Last but not least is a proper fire extinguishing system. At minimum, two dry chemical or Halon fire extinguishers - of at least 10 B:C UL rating - must be securely mounted in the car using all-metal brackets.

Keeping It Together

Sharp rocks - thrown from behind a churning rally tire - can reek havoc underneath a car. Other items like tree stumps and branches can be equally unfriendly to vital components like oil pans, fuel tanks, and rear differentials. With the right amount of either HDPE (high-density polyethylene) or 6061-T6 aluminum sheet, a protective plate can be made to shield virtually any part of the car. If you plan on making your own skidplates, "Mounting is the key," according to Kosmides. "Make the mounts loose enough so that after a few rock hits, you can still get the skidplate on and off without too much trouble."

For Subaru owners wanting a simpler bolt-on approach, Paul Eklund's Primitive Rally Team has designed several skidplates for various models of Subaru's, including the Impreza 2.2L and 2.5L cars, Legacy, and the WRX. "We're big when it comes to underbody protection," explains Eklund.

Primitive's line of skidplates include a beefy aluminum front mounted plate designed to shield the engine oil pan, steering rack, and brake lines, as well as two different aluminum shields that protect the rear differential. "Protecting the underside of the gas tank is important too," according to Eklund, who has been using aluminum sheet stock to shield the bottom of the fuel tank on his Open class WRX. "We've made a mold for the WRX gas tank, and will soon be offering a composite shield designed to fit around the tank for better protection."

Other critical components, like the exhaust, axles, and CV boots need protection too. "We install an extra half tube on the exhaust pipe in high exposure areas," explains Kosmides. "We also wrap axles with electrical tape - in the direction of rotation - to keep rocks from nicking them." Excess heat can also degrade components, especially on turbo cars. "We put all wiring - if allowed by the rules - into flexible conduit," explains Kosmides, "and protect items like brake lines, fuel lines, and down pipes with protective heat wraps produced by Design Engineering, Inc."

Mudflaps are a staple for any serious rally car, as they help to keep mud, rocks, and road grime from fouling rocker panels and bottoms of doors, not to mention camera toting spectators. For the Subaru owner willing to spend a little time in the shop to keep costs down, mudflaps can be constructed out of 1/8 to 3/16-inch thick high-density polyurethane.

Most rally cars have a host of impressive looking - and expensive - driving lights up front for night stages. Stongard brand protective shielding can be cut to fit any size and shape of light, and will help to prevent a fast moving rock from knocking out your candlepower.

Roundy-Rounds

To survive at punishing events, a tire must be able to claw through mile after mile of sharp rocks without puncturing a sidewall or throwing its tread. A tire designed with a stiff sidewall, and big, beefy tread blocks is what you're after, and in most cases a purebred rally tire is the best solution.

For the rally racer on a budget, there are a few low cost alternatives to rally tires. Old school mud and snow tires as offered by companies like Cooper and Kelly feature stiff sidewalls and deep, self-cleaning tread blocks. These tires will hold up under moderate service, and would make a great choice for the occasional club event. Popular sizes include 185/70-15, 195/65-15 and 205/55-16, the later a popular size for 2.5RS and WRX owners using stock 16-inch diameter wheels.

If you're serious about competing at the Club and Pro level, you'll need to invest in a set of rally tires, as offered by companies like Silverstone, Michelin, Kumho, Yokohama and Pirelli. Popular rally tire sizes for Subarus include the 16/62-15 and 16/64-15. The first number corresponds to the tire's width - at the contact patch - in centimeters. The second number refers to the tire's overall diameter in centimeters, and the last number is the wheel diameter in inches.

Kumho has recently introduced a rally tire - the R700 - that offers a low cost solution for the budget minded competitor. Reports from the field indicate the tire offers good performance and durability, at the expense of tire life, due to its soft compound. Silverstone offers a couple different tread patterns, including a tarmac specific tire that features a DOT rating, and has enjoyed good success recently, especially on the West Coast.

Michelin, Pirelli, and Yokohama offer countless tread patterns, compounds, and sizes suitable for Subarus. Michelin and Pirelli - thanks to the companies' tie-in with the Prodrive team - offers a Subaru driver the biggest foundation when it comes to selecting the correct compound and air pressure settings for each stage. Another added bonus is that many of the top funded rally teams often sell their tires after a few stages, so with a bit of scrounging a budget minded team could benefit from others leftovers.

Although not considered as expendable as tires, rally wheels catch a lot of hell and need to be equally strong and resilient to damage. Luckily, owners of early Subarus - Legacy and Impreza 2.2L and 2.5L models - can benefit from a bit of sleuthing at your local wrecking yards. Stock aluminum wheels - as offered on countless Impreza and Legacy models - make great rally wheels. They are relatively strong and light, and don't look too bad either.

WRX owners aren't so lucky, as the same big diameter brakes that haul their ride in from silly speeds make fitting 15-inch diameter wheels difficult. Stock Subaru 15-inch wheels won't fit over the calipers, and nobody makes an affordable 16-inch diameter rally tire. This is where companies like Revolution, Compomotive, and Speedline come in with their aftermarket offerings for the WRX.

Suspension Setups

Improved performance and durability are two important factors when it comes to selecting upgrading suspension components for the abusive nature of off road driving. As usual, there are several different options for the wannabe Subaru racer, with performance and durability increasing proportionally with cost.

For the part-time racer competing in the occasional club rally or rallycross, a set of KYB AGX struts or Koni SA inserts, are known to last under moderate duty on Legacy, Impreza, and WRX models. Both units offer damping adjustments and are relatively cheap when it comes to aftermarket struts, but aren't designed for the severe punishment rally throws out.

Popular springs for the budget minded Subaru rally ace is as close as the local junkyard, inside the fenders of Legacy Outback and the Impreza based Outback Sport models. These springs will increase the ride height of a Legacy, Impreza 2.2L or 2.5L by roughly 0.75 to 1.5 inches, depending on the specific model.

Another interesting solution for the KYB and Koni struts is to adapt Ground Control coil-over kits, which readily accept standard 2.5-inch diameter coil springs as offered by companies like Eibach. There are other manufacturers of coil-over struts packages for Subarus, including Tein and Leda, but most of these setups are designed for street use.

When it comes to serious rally-grade struts for Subarus, there seems to be one consistent answer; DMS. Drummond Motorsports offers several different levels of replacement struts for Subarus, including the popular DMS40 - intended for street use only - and the even headier DMS50 Giants, named for their huge 50mm diameter strut piston. Both units feature adjustable damping as well as adjustable ride height. Beware though, with a price tag approaching $3,000, high-end struts like the DMS50s can put a serious hole in your budget.

Kosmides also recommends the use of firmer suspension bushings, if class rules permit them. "I would recommend going to the hardest bushings allowed for all suspension, engine, transmission, differential mounts, and shifter bushings. They are worth the money, as the car is more predictable and handles much more positively."

Chassis bracing also plays a key role in rallying, even though a proper roll cage should help to eliminate most of the chassis flex inherent in the legacy and Impreza chassis. At minimum, a front and rear strut tower brace will help to keep the strut towers from flexing under heavy landings or serious tarmac cornering.

Brakes That Last

Current PGT rules place heavy restrictions to braking system modifications. Luckily, Subaru brakes - at least on late model Impreza and Legacys - are pretty good from the factory. With a bit of attention paid to selecting the proper pads, upgrading the brake flex lines, and keeping the system topped off with fresh brake fluid, you shouldn't run into (literally) any problems because of a lack of stopping power.

There are numerous brake pad choices for Subarus, the most popular including PBR's MetalMaster, EBC's Green and Red Stuff, and Pagid Blues. All of these pads offer better initial bite compared to stock pads, and resist fading under extreme use. Another important modification - from both a performance and durability standpoint - is the use of steel braided flex lines replacing the stock rubber brake lines. Steel braiding helps to resist swelling under heavy brake use - maintaining a firmer brake pedal - and the tough stainless steel sheathing protects the line from cuts and nicks.

Seeing the Road Ahead

The fastest and easiest way to improve your vision when hurling down dark and dusty rally roads is to replace the 60/55 Watt H4 halogen headlamp bulbs with high-powered - and off-road legal only - bulbs from companies like PIAA and Sylvania. For 2.5RS and WRX owners, replacement H3 bulbs can be found for the factory foglights, but have been known to discolor the lens' reflector.

If you're serious about your nighttime off roading, you'll want to invest in additional lighting in the form of driving lights. Driving lights - such as Hella's 4000 series and PIAA's xxx - can help to fully light the road ahead. Simple light bars can be fabricated from stock steel or aluminum, or specially fabricated light pods - mimicking the factory Subaru offerings - can be sourced through companies like AV Sport and Primitive Enterprises.

Finally, Ready for More Power

To help keep speeds down, Production GT cars are limited to very few power producing modifications. Intake systems must retain the stock air filter housing and use an OEM specification air filter. Any plastic ducting on the inlet side of the air filter housing may be replaced or removed. For turbo cars like the WRX, a 32mm air inlet restrictor must be placed within 50mm of the turbo-housing inlet.

All other engine mechanicals, such as the cams, valves, pistons, and turbo if so equipped, must remain stock. On the exhaust side, stock exhaust manifolds and a working catalytic converter must be retained. The exhaust is essentially free after that, provided it isn't too loud.

In the Open class, the only strict engine regulation aimed at keeping power levels down is the requirement for turbo charged 4wd cars to use a 40mm-diameter air inlet restrictor. Owners of turbo charged Legacys, 2.5RS Imprezas, and WRXs can literally have a free hand when it comes to engine mechanicals, dictated only by the depth of their pockets and beefiness of their transmissions.

And speaking of transmissions, this is one item that has proven to be a weak point - literally - with Subarus. In PGT, transmissions must retain all stock components and final drive ratios, which means second gears are prone to damage if they aren't treated gently. "Even stock horsepower WRXs can take out a transmission," explains Eklund, who has made his fair share of transmission swaps over the course of the past few seasons. Open class cars can benefit from the fitment of beefy STi transmissions.

The Hidden Costs of Rallying

Assuming you have any budget left after getting your car outfitted with the necessary safety, durability, and performance upgrades, it's time to look at all the extra expenses that will crop up before, during, and after an event. The first question you should ask yourself is how many friends do you have?

Even a low budget team will need a small support staff. People to help change the tires, keep the car clean and full of fluids, make any necessary repairs in between stages. If you plan on only running a limited number of events each year, friends and family make great service crew members. For the more serious Subaru racers, the task of recruiting a support crew for far-away events can be helped by internet forums like www,nasioc.com and www.rs25.com, which are full of avid Subaru owners ready to pitch in and get their hands dirty.

In addition to able bodies, even the lowest-budget race team needs to have a minimum amount of spares, tools, and equipment. "Never throw anything away unless it is totally unusable," advises Kosmides. "If you don't have it with you, that will be the part you need."

Another budget breaker that needs to be considered is a proper tow vehicle - in the form of a service van or truck - and a trailer. It will be rare to have a Club or Pro rally event right in your backyard, so you'll need a way to get your car and gear to and from the event.

If you're handy with a wrench and consider your own time free, then the necessary O&M procedures before and after every race will be a lot easier to keep on top of. Things like inspecting and changing the brake pads, changing the fluids in the engine, transmission, and differentials, and keeping the coolant system and brake system topped up and bleed. Rally cars will also accumulate an amazing amount of grime and grunge underneath and inside the car, so invest in a good pressure washer and vacuum.

Look out Hollywood!

Rally car preparation can be a daunting task. Often times, the amount of resources required to tackle the task of building up a competitive Subaru is under estimated, leading to dozens of unfinished projects filling work shops across the country. But, if you focus on the absolutely necessary items - safety and durability - speed will come naturally, after some time behind the wheel. Practice, practice, practice rings very loudly in rallying.

Once you get that stick time behind the pedals, learning what it takes to become a top flight rally ace, maybe you'll be battling for a seat with the Subaru WRC team. Rumor has it Tommi Makinen is retiring at the end of the year.