A little perplexed
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 837
Likes: 0
From: Encinitas Ca.
A little perplexed
My '86 coupe handles like a go cart, it is heaven to drive, I believe it is in stock condition.
My recent purchase of an '84 coupe is....well.....not the same. I could not pass up buying it several months ago because it is like new, no I didn't need it.
I hope I can explain this correctly. It, the '84, needed shocks so I spent the money and had Bilstiens Sports placed on it. Better but not the same as the '86. When I travel over dips on the freeway for instance, the steering wheel pulls slightly to the right or left in the dip, depending on the angle of the dip. The ride is not as firm as the '86. I know in '86 the sways got bigger.
The '84 just feels vauge.
Will the lager sway bars help this? If it does not then do I go on to higher lb. T bars? Neither car is tracked but I am spoiled by the '86. I have no suspension history on the '86.
Am I making sense? Thanks all, Mike
My recent purchase of an '84 coupe is....well.....not the same. I could not pass up buying it several months ago because it is like new, no I didn't need it.
I hope I can explain this correctly. It, the '84, needed shocks so I spent the money and had Bilstiens Sports placed on it. Better but not the same as the '86. When I travel over dips on the freeway for instance, the steering wheel pulls slightly to the right or left in the dip, depending on the angle of the dip. The ride is not as firm as the '86. I know in '86 the sways got bigger.
The '84 just feels vauge.
Will the lager sway bars help this? If it does not then do I go on to higher lb. T bars? Neither car is tracked but I am spoiled by the '86. I have no suspension history on the '86.
Am I making sense? Thanks all, Mike
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 226
Likes: 2
From: Tallahassee Florida
Cal44,
Check the alignment on the front-end if you haven't already done so, especially the toe-in/out component. I had the pleasure of driving my '86 911 after I upgraded to the Turbo Tie-Rods for about a week before I was able to accurately adjust the toe-in/out with a Longacre gauge.
During that week I was running with a slight but equal toe-out that manifested itself with straight running on smooth pavement (but think of the front tire wear!!!) and a WICKED left-hand/right-hand jerk on the steering wheel whenever one of the wheels encountered a 'dip' in the pavement.
A dip passing under the left-side front tire would jerk the wheel to the left. One under the right would jerk the wheel to the right. In perfect conditions the car was very stable (... I don't even want to THINK about the tire wear!) but when one of the front wheels hit a 'dip' it was 'ALL HANDS ON DECK' in the steering department!
Trueing things up with the Longacre bar made a TOTAL change. I could hit the same 'dips' (left or right) with nary a nudge on the wheel.
My advice is to check that toe setting, it might be all you need!
Hope this helps!
Barry
Check the alignment on the front-end if you haven't already done so, especially the toe-in/out component. I had the pleasure of driving my '86 911 after I upgraded to the Turbo Tie-Rods for about a week before I was able to accurately adjust the toe-in/out with a Longacre gauge.
During that week I was running with a slight but equal toe-out that manifested itself with straight running on smooth pavement (but think of the front tire wear!!!) and a WICKED left-hand/right-hand jerk on the steering wheel whenever one of the wheels encountered a 'dip' in the pavement.
A dip passing under the left-side front tire would jerk the wheel to the left. One under the right would jerk the wheel to the right. In perfect conditions the car was very stable (... I don't even want to THINK about the tire wear!) but when one of the front wheels hit a 'dip' it was 'ALL HANDS ON DECK' in the steering department!
Trueing things up with the Longacre bar made a TOTAL change. I could hit the same 'dips' (left or right) with nary a nudge on the wheel.
My advice is to check that toe setting, it might be all you need!
Hope this helps!
Barry
