In the world of rally, you are bound to leave the face of the planet and defy gravity eventually. One must prepare mentally for a jump at speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour, as within this split second of leaving the earth you may define your own destiny. Setup the jump correctly, and you are instantly amongst the rally gods of infamy. Setup the jump wrong, and you could be playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun. The beauty of jumping is that it defines the skilled from the ambitious. Many rookies think they can jump, but tend to find out the hard way. Jumping in a rally car is more of an art than a science, as each jump is different despite it's generalized physics. Discuss this article with CarDomain.com
To jump a car, you must pre-load the suspension and angle the vehicle so that one tire lands on the road at a time. Yes, it is difficult but is totally possible. Letting off the gas just as the nose hits the hill, the suspension will pre-load. Then as you feel the front end start to spring back, give the steering wheel a little flick to either the left or right depending on your landing terrain. This little flick and suspension loading will give the vehicle a tilted flight that is needed to land one tire at a time. If done right, you will land very softly. If performed incorrectly, you risk wrecking the vehicle and losing your life. Jumping a car is a serious game, but it can be done.
The best way to learn this technique is to start small and slow, then work your way up. When I learned how to jump an Impreza, I used some abandoned rail road tracks on my friends ranch. These tracks had a nice gradient, smooth transition, and plenty of space for proper approach and landing. The first time I jumped, it was perfect. I followed the instructions as given by the rally god himself, the late Colin McRae, and everything went perfect. Then I moved up to jumping on tarmac after I perfected the skill, and things still went smoothly. Once you learn how to jump a car, you still need to use some responsibility. Just because you have the technique right, doesn't mean you'll land every jump. You need to know your vehicle, and know it's physical limitations. Remember, when jumping a vehicle all it takes is one wrong move and you're dead. It's that simple!
Video content: pure engine sounds, jumping on tarmac
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