A rally support truck or rally assistance truck is an

off-road truck An off-road vehicle, sometimes referred to as an overland or adventure vehicle, is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with dee ...

that supports a vehicle that is competing in a

rallying Rally is a wide-ranging form of motorsport with various competitive motoring elements such as speed tests (often called ''rally racing),'' navigation tests, or the ability to reach waypoints or a destination at a prescribed time or average speed. ...

race, especially in

rally raid Rally raid, also known as cross-country rallying, is a form of long distance off-road racing that takes place over several days. The length of the event can be as short as 2–3 days for a cross-country baja to as long as 15 days with marathon ra ...

. There are two types of support trucks: T6 trucks only travel from service area to service area and are not allowed onto the race route, whereas T5.3 trucks are entered as competitors, but whose mission is to assist other teams, not fight for the win.

T5.3 support trucks

T5.3 trucks (until 2019: T4 trucks) have their

cargo Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including trans ...

area filled with spare parts and tools to repair damaged vehicles. Some of the crew members are mechanics. When a competitor requires support, the truck driver steers off the course and goes to the point the vehicle is located to help repair it. This takes advantage of the rules where a service crew cannot provide help to a competing vehicle while it is in a timed stage, but competitors are allowed to support each other. Teams which field support trucks in a rally are often hired to assist other teams. Major teams have their own support trucks, where the

mechanic A mechanic is an artisan, skilled tradesperson, or technician who uses tools to build, maintain, or repair machinery, especially cars. Duties Most mechanics specialize in a particular field, such as auto body mechanics, air conditioning and r ...

s are team members and know the vehicles, and teammates will provide good and fast service.

T6 support trucks

T6 trucks (until 2019: T5 trucks) are often larger and are not designed to be raced off-road, although they do have off-road capabilities in order to traverse tough terrain. These trucks travel from bivouac to bivouac (service area come night, or a halt during a multi-day rally). They generally pack up and leave from a bivouac in the morning as the competitors leave and use public highways / designated routes to reach the next bivouac ahead of the competitor. They often arrive just before the competitors, giving them just a few minutes to setup their service area. The teams often live out of these trucks for the duration of the rally, so they carry tents, food items, tables, chairs, etc and are equipped with water tanks, showers, generators, air compressors, and anything else required during the rally.

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{{commons category, Rally raid support vehicles Trucks Racing vehicles Support truck Motorsport terminology

T5.3 support trucks

T6 support trucks

See also

References

External links