This is true. However, Porsche designed our cars with UNDERSTEER in mind. (Most average drivers, in a panic situation handle an understeering car better).

If anything, it would be better to stiffen up the rear of the car - simply upgrading to a thicker rear swaybar (19mm M030 968 3-way adjustable) makes a world of a difference in the handling dynamics of our cars.

-Z.

 

Really? I have a hard time making my car understeer, right now all I have suspension wise is KYB's, stock front & rear sway bars and a custom alignment (lots of camber all around) The car feels pretty neutral but with a lot of body roll. Oh I also use 225-50-15 Victoracers on 7" and 8" stock Fuchs.

I picked up a new 19mm M030 3 way adjustable for the rear but have been hesitant to put it on without the front sway, right now during autoX I have to really be hot into a corner to get any understeer but mainly I have a much easier time swinging the rear out.

How far off stock is the farthest setting of the 19mm? I guess I can compensate for the more oversteer by reducing camber in front. Maybe I'll give it a try for the next autoX, I can always remove it.

 

Tom -
The understeering attitude is more evident in the 944S2 and 951's vs. the 944 n/a's. With more power, Porsche felt the understeering attitude would be safer. But regardless, all 944's have a tendancy to plow, for the most part.

One of the ways Porsche 'dialed in' more understeer on the S2/951's was with tires: put 7's with 205-55/16's front, and 8's with 225-50/16's rear. IIRC, the earlier 944's have the same tire size all around.

You already have an upgraded suspesnion, with the KYB's. Are you still using the stock springs? How are the shocks valved compared to stock? In suspension setup with these cars, a little bit goes a long way. Put the M030 3-way adjustable on - the 'softest' setting on is slightly stiffer than the stock bar, at least on my car. (My car's stock rear swaybar is 16mm, BTW). I found in my case, going with a stock front, 19mm M030 rear set to the stiffest setting, and using 245-45/16 Toyo Proxes at all four corners dramatically improved the handling characteristics of my car. Sure, I still had a bunch of body lean, but the turn in was crisper, the car rotated better, and on the big track, understeer wasn't an issue anymore.

Now that I'm upgrading the rest of my suspension, I am hoping not to alter the balance of the car too much: hoping to go stiffer, yet retain the same balance I had with the softer setup.

As always, YMMV.
-Z-man.

 

Z-man has 30 mm rear t-bars at 335lbs-in effective rate. They measure 31 mm since they are hollow, but are the same rate as 30 mm bars.

ON my 944 spec I run 350's and 30's.

I have found that to be a very nice set-up. I do use my Welt sways to balance the car and give me the right level of oversteer to move the car around fast.

I suspect Z-man car will be balance to a bit of understeer given the spring rates and stock weight of the car. Even so with sway bars he will be able to "Tune" the balacne just right.

 

'Zactly.

I already have an M030 front sway with a Welt 22mm adjustable rear.

And if I find the understeer to be too much, I can swap out the springs to 350. Springs are cheap and easier to replace than torsion bars.


-Z.