('93-'01) Launching with stock suspension, shocks, and rims = bad??

[RSarte]

Just wondering...how much punishment can the stock suspension, rims and shock can take? almost everyday since I got my 01ImpRS(about a month ago) I have been launching off these railroad tracks near my area, getting a good foot off the ground, going about 60-70MPH. No pics yet. But definitely one of these days...
Anyways, I notied that once I hit the ground the Imp just kicks forward, apparently since the wheels are still spinning quite hard. Now should I be worried about pushing the car too much? I just got it and friends are telling me to take it easy...but I told them that the RS's are the cars that can take the beating! anyone wanna answer my question and back me up on this??

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[Fish]

Uh..
where to start.
not going to give you a tirade or anything.. but be safe out there..

as far as punishment.. the car can take a chunk of it.

though over time I imagine that the body of the car could start to soften.. and you'll be hearing alot more creaking going on.

the Suspension has a good amount of travel to it.. should be relativly ok..

you got it a month ago.. is it even broken in?

guessing by the amount of abuse.. you're not the one footing the bill for the RS..

pity.

eh.. I've lost my point I think.

yeah.. just try to be safer out there.. and be nice to that car.

[smacksube]

wow dude, you're gonna kill somebody. Just make sure you know your car and what to do if something bad happens.

[tmat3]

From reading your post, you'll develop premature wear on suspensions (not only on shocks and coils, but on control arms, bushings, any balljoints etc). Also, the frame may bend from too much stress of jumping and landing.

I'd be worried about the drivetrain also. When you are in the mid-air, wheels are spinning. When the car lands, the wheels have to match at whatever the speed the car is going. That matching point may give the tranny and other components premature wear.

[garface]

Someone should post the Type-R video everytime this question is asked.

[This message has been edited by garface (edited April 07, 2001).]

[10th Warrior]

i've certianly gotten my RS quite a bit of air at times, though i wouldn't recommend doing it everyday. the RS suspension is quite good at taking this kind of abuse, but lets face it, the more you use it the faster it will wear. i've had to replace my rear wheelbearings, but hey, that's why theres a warrenty. the suspension has 7" of travel so it is pretty good with landing, though i have bottemed it out, scrapping the y-pipes. i would definetly recommend a skid plate, like this one.

[This message has been edited by 10th Warrior (edited April 07, 2001).]

[iBlueVirus]

well, they said it all... just be nice to the car. for me, it's my baby, I only take it hard on the track. on my daily driving, i take it nice and smooth...

[RSarte]

thanks everyone. yes! i will be nice to my baby..no worries about that. and yes i am paying for the car. It has been nicely broken in, got about 2100 miles on it already..which gives it a market value of about $93 dollars by now. but i definitely take full resposibilities for it. at least this time I wil have to take another route, or the temptation will sink in. hmmmmmm.... temptation.
I think i've seen that Type-R video...don't think I came close to how high that car went(or flew). anyways, thanks for the replies!

[flent]

whats the type-r video??

sounds like a very interesting video.. a must see

[RAD]

This is the video in question
<a href="http://208.42.75.3/bryanw/videos/honda/typer3.asf">Type R</a>.

[inzomniac]

HOLY ****T, that video is a wakeup call to me!

[Fuzz541]

From Mike Shields at SPD Tuning
www.spdusa.com/offroad.htm

"Please earnestly consider that the stock chassis is not strong enough to take any serious road pounding from driving fast on any "bad" gravel or dirt road, much less "off road", no matter what the suspension setting, but stiff suspension would be even worse in this regard. I love to drive hard on "improved" mixed gravel and asphalt roads, but I always tiptoe on poor roads. Sport performance tires will not run on pure gravel or dirt, so it is always slow going in that case.

Two points I want to make straight with you. The seam welded, roll-cage stiffened rally car bodies are usually trashed after one or two seasons, if they even last that long. Just one mistake on gravel or dirt can bend not just the suspension, but the re-enforced chassis as well. Second, mountains and desert surround Los Angeles. Every month or so, I see a brand new 4x4 pickup truck, with just the dealer tag on it, no plates yet, driving down the road with a crushed suspension on one corner or a totally mangled frame or even having been rolled over. Their owners must be sick in their hearts.

The point to be learned is that if you dare to really pound the car without reinforcing the chassis, it will develop a case of "soft shell". Sooner or later. You will jack up the nose of the car and watch the nose of the nose drop 2 inches as the firewall sheet metal "oil cans". When you turn into a driveway, you will hear and feel the entire chassis twist due to the modest suspension load of raising one wheel against its spring only a few inches. This is not where SPD Tuning Service wants to see its customers wind up."

Be careful out there.

Fuzz

[dcoty]

Woah! That video is unbeliveable! That car went out of control in no time, the person driving diddnt even try to countersteer or anything, just off he went.
Dan

[Midwayman]

Man,
I was worried enough about chassis fatigue with auto-x and the rough chicago roads, let alone launching the car like that. If you really want to abuse the car, a real roll cage and seam welding will do wonders for you. Otherwise.....errr try to keep it on the ground. Well unless you really *want* to buy a new car in two years.

[Techgeek25]

Glad I do not live in The Motor City if people are jumping RR tracks on a regular basis. WOW