tod914

I have a 75 2.0 w/factory sway bars - it will be in need of shocks soon. Im also looking at replacing the springs & possibly installing turbo tie rods. The car will not be used for track - what suggestions do you have for spring weight & shocks? I do not want the car to develope oversteer by going too stiff. Someone suggested bilstiens & 140 lb shocks - I was thinking the 140 might be too stiff?

DERSIX

With facyory bars front and rear, I would go with the bilstiens and 120 lbs rear springs with the factory front toraion bar. You can go with the 140 lbs rear springs if youdiconnect the rear anti-sway bar. I track a 914-6 with 200lbs rear springs with no rear antisway bar to minimize oversteer. Oversteer in 914s can be a wild ride for with the center polar moment the 914 can snap spin in a heartbeat.
Good luck,Pete

Chris Campbell

For a street-driven car 140lb rear springs and a 19mm adjustable front swaybar is a great combo. Whether you keep the rear bar is personal preference. If properly set up the car will not oversteer excessively with this configuration. But if you find yourself losing traction on the inside wheel, on very tight or up/downhill turns, then you'd probably want to disconnect it. The way the stock rear swaybar is designed can cause the wheel to lift sometimes, and also in extreme cases (I've heard) the bar-ends can bang against the trunk floor which really upsets the car. This mostly would happen on DOT-R tires or slicks under high g's.

I wouldn't go stiffer than 140# rears unless you are getting into some serious track driving (or put a -6 or V8 in the car).

I am presently running the setup described above, with new Bilsteins (sport valving in the front), and turbo tie rods. The car is lowered & corner balanced and has a modest track alignment (1.6 degs neg camber front, 2.0 degs rear). It handles like a go-kart but is not too stiff for the street - I drive it almost daily with this setup; however it's not really stiff enough for the high speed tracks where you're in 4th & 5th gear sweepers.

So if I keep this car, I will go to 22mm front torsion bars, 22mm front swaybar, and 180lb rear springs.