visible23

This looks a little strange to me. Can anyone tell me what it is and why it looks like this (ie: uneven, not the same on both sides).

Thanks.

M

Norske

it's called a triangulated strut brace. It improves front end rigidity in corners. Others will chime in more, I'm sure, but yours looks very substantial. Some will probably know the manufacturer.

Peter Zimmermann

The theory behind it is that during cornering near a 911's limit the top of the shock towers are forced inward. When that happens you get an increase in negative camber, which might be OK while the car is on the alignment bench, but it's not a good thing at 120 mph! The device in your picture is designed to limit shock tower movement/camber changes.
Pete

r911

manf. looks like Stable Energies - either keep it or put in the newer design from Elephant...

visible23

So it is designed to make the car more rigid right? If you found one of these in a car you were looking at could you assume that the car was used on the track from time to time? Or at the very least the owner liked for it to appear that way? It is on an 83 SC if that makes any difference.

Peter Zimmermann

When I still had my shop we maintained a large number of 911s that were fitted with strut devices. There is absolutely no way, from my experience, to assume that a car with one was used in competition. Many of my customers thought that they looked cool, and bought one. If you believe some of the marketing for these parts you might believe that the front end of your car will collapse without one. Nothing could be more untrue, but... Yes, it's true that this is one of the first devices added to a car when an owner begins to do DE events, but for the average street driven 911 all it does is take up trunk space. But you can't look past the "cool" factor, and that's really why they are on a very high percentage of cars. To tell if the car was used in track/speed events you must dig further. How bad is the road rash on the bottom rear of the rocker panels? Are holes drilled in the floor that might have been for 5/6 point belts? Has the front oil cooler been upgraded to a Carrera type? Does the car have stainless braided brake hoses? There are many ways to tell if a car has done track duty, but sometimes there is just no way to be sure.
Pete

119 in your mirror

visible23 Think I looked at that car your talking about, is it white? andin texas? think it might have been in a front impact that is why it has aftermarket steering wheel, ad says it has driver side air bag thats not possable with that steering wheel. also the wheels are 16'' not 17'' be carefull use head not emotion!!!!

Dan Cobb

No airbag on any 83 911, regardless of steering wheel type.
Probably not the same car.
+++

craig9elf

My understanding is that the strut tower on the outside of the turn is stressed so that is moves outwards thus decreasing neg. camber. Not inwards and increasing neg. camber.

sjanes

You have the "Camber Truss" from Stable Energies (http://www.stableenergies.com/prodin...umber=CT930AL). Strut braces are very common in the front of older 911's and I don't think it necessarily means the car has seen the track.

flatsixnut

Ok, here is a mildly noob question....If the car was designed and built without these, wouldnt making one part stiff make another part of the car weaker? I understand the concept of these braces, but are they really any good if you dont make other adjustments to the car?

Edgy01

I ran a factory unit in my 1981 SC-turbo and did see a marked change in the front end feeling. Of course, I also had over 100,000 miles on that body and suspension. I personally believe that they can help, particularly for a higher mileage car. Visually, mine was just a larger diameter tube that went from one strut top to the other,--without all that other stuff. I got mine at the parts shop at Werk I, Zuffenhausen.