m73m95

Are all late offset cars the same?

Meaning, if I buy an 87 NA parts car, I can steal everything to swap out my car to late offset. Then later, if I want to add turbo S spindles and brakes later, it will all bolt on? Or would I then need turbo S struts and control arms to go with the spindles?

I'm trying to figure out what would be best for the future LS swap. 17" wheels, and Boxster brakes can be done easily, but I know the NA spindles are smaller/weaker than the turbo S spindles. Has anyone ever broken an NA spindle? Is it worth the effort to swap to late offset to get bigger spindles? Am I a worry wort?

I know the best solution for my problems would be to buy a good 951 to swap in an LS engine, but I am very attached to my NA. I know everything thats wrong with it, and I've just about un-PO'd it. So I need to make my car as safe and road worthy as possible with the LS engine.

V2Rocket

just buy 951S suspension and be done with it

m73m95

Spencer, were/are you worried at all about your suspension with your increase in blower power? Do you plan on tracking you car?

MAGK944

No need to change the offset, just get some 87+ turbo/S2 spindles, struts and hubs. The 87+ spindles are stronger/thicker where the wheels bearings attach. You can then upgrade the hubs to racers edge billet (made for 87+ spindles only) if you want and fit regular turbo brakes or big reds.

Staying with early offset means you keep your regular early offset front arms and still keep the early rear set-up, which let you run a more aggressive wheel lip at the rear - the wheels look much cooler than late offsets IMO.

V2Rocket

staying early offset, just need to put bigger t-bars on because the car pushes with turbo sways and 200# springs up front along with 225 front tires

i dont expect too huge of a gain with the blower, id honestly be happy if i could get 200 to the wheels (about 230 crank). i might end up going with bigger brakes and late offset eventually but for now stock should be good. when i can lock up all four wheels from 70mph (like i did last night) i think the brakes are good enough. besides, you dont brake at the same time as throttling and off-throttle itll basically be like im driving a normal 944, it may actually make less power off throttle than stock because the blower is a huge intake restriction and takes some juice to keep spinning even if its not compressing air

and no to the track but i might try it once for fun

WizPorsche944

I was considering going to other way and switching to early offset

m73m95

I like the look of the early offset. I always have.

I used to dread it because there were no options for brakes or wheels. That has since changed, and I bigger brakes are easy to fit, and wheels are somewhat easy to come by. I don't think anything "new" is being made, I just discovered their existence. Now the only thing I worry about is the strength of the parts, mainly the spindle. I've never heard of one breaking, even in a few hours of using "search", but the size difference is substantial between the early NA spindle, and the turbo S spindle which is designed for high cornering forces, and much higher speeds.

So Mike, what parts make the offset? I assumed it was the spindle, but from your description, its not... swapping struts, and spindle/hubs from the late car wouldn't make a late offset? The lower control arm still bolts up?

MAGK944

The control arms at the front make the offset, so you can change the spindle/hub brake/struts from a late car to an early and keep the offset the same.

On my 86 (early offset) I have 88 turbo spindles (not turbo-S, but the same as S2) which have a wider diameter and hence stronger hub axle. I fitted Racers Edge Billet Hubs which are made for 87+ cars only, these are the strongest hubs you can get. You can either fit the stock turbo brakes to these spindles or get the Big Brake Kit. You will also need a set of late struts as the early struts have a different spacing on the bolts holes that attach to the spindles. I used a set of coilovers by Ground Control.

Hope this helps, Mike

EDIT: if you compare late offset arms to early offset you will see that the late arms are considerably longer. This translates to 1.1in at the hub. Which at the wheel means the early offset 23 mm (0.9 in) moves to the late offset 52 mm (2.0 in). If you do go this route you will need camber plates fitted to get the whole set-up working correctly, the GC coilover kit comes with them. One other advantage is that you don't have to take your hubs off again to remove the brake discs.

PS: I was asking all the same questions a few months back when I was doing all these mods and the very knowledgeable listers on this forum gave me all the right answers - I love Rennlist!

WizPorsche944

Would changing 87 (late) to 86 (early) be something logical to do ?

MAGK944

Only reason I can think for doing this is if you really want to run some Fuchs wheels, or maybe save an pound or two of unsprung weight. You would lose abs if your car has it and be running weaker hubs and spindles.

WizPorsche944

I have no ABS. Id love to run Fuchs.

WizPorsche944

I have M474 Konis would I lose them with the offset change ?

MAGK944

I'm not certain about na's, I only have experience with the turbo so this is just an educated guess, maybe someone else with more experience would chirp in.

My guess is that to turn a late to early offset you would need the early offset front control arms, the eo steering arms and a set of camber plates to adjust it all in. You should still be able to run your Konis as you are not changing the spindles and your brakes/hubs will not change.

I think the rear offset is set at the hub, so that will need to be changed out also.

SamGrant951

I would change the front to late offset or at least change the hubs/spindles and get camber plates. I did that first and then this year added in late tie rods and rebuilt control arms to complete the setup...easy to fit big reds/blacks.

WizPorsche944

Sounds like alot of work just to run fuchs. I was an aftermarket company would make a late offset fuch.