ZR8ED

Anyone using strut bars front and or rear? My 944 is a convertable, and the chassis is likely less stiff than a hatchback, so I'm wondering if it is worth while to install strut bars. Depending on price and availability, I am capable of making my own adjustable bars, using left/right heim joints, and powdercoat the bar to make it look good.

Anyone have a pic of their bars?

xsboost90

not going to help much in the rear- since there are no rear struts just torsion bars. I run a front strut bar but i also track my car- not really necessary unless you do alot of autox/track in my opinion.

chrenan

I picked up a front one recently. Who knows if it helps, nice bling at least. I run solid upper mounts as well.

JohnKoaWood

Anyone who says it doesn't make a difference on the street, needs to drive on the street with one, then take it off and run the same route...

Yes it makes a difference, but the feel and difference in feel isn't for every street driver.. I have one, and solid mount adjustable camber plates, but I also run with mono ball inserts in place of the rubber bushings up front, coupled to 300lb springs... MOST people say my setup is too harsh or aggressive for the street. But in between rebuilds she is my daily driver for a 75 mile each way commute on mostly highway driving.

That having been said, I have yet to have anyone tell me my car isn't fast enough in the twisties to keep up, nor has anyone other than 1 coworker take me up on my open invite to drive her...

I have heard stories of the Toronto area roads, and you MIGHT regret making your suspension stiff up there...

You can ALWAYS undo it, but if you don't do it, you will probably still ask what if...

V2Rocket

would anyone with the brace on an NA mind giving me some measurements, showing how high above the intake that brace sits?

or on a 951, how far above the fuel rail it sits? thanks

JohnKoaWood

not to mention the upper attachment point of the shocks is the frame rails, and any re-enforcement would need to be MUCH more substantial than just a bar between the shock upper points... much more need for triangulation and additional bracing, but would be WAY overkill for any but the most aggressively driven track cars... (not that I have HEARD of anyone doing a rear cross brace... but it would be needed if replacing MOST of the rear metalwork with FG... but that is a whole different thread!)

JohnKoaWood

I have pictures of the fuel damper having made contact (slight kiss)with my cross brace, but then a cross eyed drunk welded in my attachment points... it SHOULD be sitting slightly differently...

It actually sits MUCH closer to the hood than the intake or fuel rail...

Dougs951

John! Your back!

pontifex4

I went with the KLA bar on my 16v car (I presume that yours is an S2 Cab), and I didn't find the fit was very good (in order for the bar to clear the intake runners, I had to add a lot of washers between the spherical bearing and the bracket which sits atop each strut). Again, this is on my own car: yours may fit differently. Accordingly, I don't think it's really all that effective in my case. I notice that it stiffened the car up, but primarily at LOW speeds. At high speed on track, I couldn't tell the difference.

Do note that there should be no impact on ride quality from adding a non-triangulated upper strut bar, though.

Funn944

I have a Racing Dynamics brace. It just clears the fuel rail underneath it, and just touches the hood above it. I have tracked it and driven it hard on the street, (nice twisties near where I live) as well as in the SoCal mountains. 250lb springs, (wouldn't want to go any firmer for the street)

JohnKoaWood

Who, me? Been loosing my mind the last couple of weeks (months)... and am currently P-carless for OTR, stuck in the Audi until spring it looks like... N/A is going to the shop for diagnosis / repair and the 951 is going to be getting a full engine refresh in the spring...

I'm holding onto hope that by April I will be back driving a P car each and every day... but that MIGHT be optimistic....

Dougs951

Sorry for the ot, but, John are you planning on attending the fest?

JohnKoaWood

If I have a car by then... YES.... If I don't have a car, MAYBE...

I keep going back and forth between sending the 951 to a shop for rebuild and doing it myself...

If I do it myself I might just have the shell painted while the motor is out... but I had wanted to have the dash pulled during the repaint..

Boy oh Boy would I love to show up to the fest with a fresh motor, fresh paint and 1 off decals... boy oh boy would that make for a good birthday weekend... but is it in the stars? only time will show...

Back to the topic... I have run with and without my strut bar, and have other 951 and a 993 / 996 drivers comment on how well settled and quick my car is in the twisties... and it feels like it is on a straight road....

ernie9468

Racing dynamic has one for you- perfect fite no hassle.

Oddjob

My racing dynamics bar rubbed on the hood center stiffener and the intake manifold on my old 944S. S2's have a different intake so may not have that same issue.