TheAllusionist

Another question thread from me, I have been searching and reading up, but I haven't come across actual impressions on sway bar upgrades, so I thought I would ask. My question is regarding OEM upgrades and not third party racing sway bar upgrades. I am slowly buying parts and working on my car trying to keep it with parts that were available from the factory (I may cheat on the year they are available! LOL).

I have been watching on eBay sway bar sets and one came down to $160 for 26.8/16mm and I almost bought it and then saw $40 or $50 on shipping and canceled the purchase to think things through, damn impulse purchases! So it looks like my 1986 T already has 18mm rear and one of two front sway bar alternatives smaller than 26.8 I am thinking of getting. I have read that Porsche reduced the rear sway bar to 16mm in 1989 to insure understeer? With a 26.8mm up front and 18mm rear and stock springs, torsion bars.... handle neutral or is the 16 mm the best set up?

In the end I will contact whatever suspension vendor I decide and get a balanced strut, schock and springs package in the koni line up, but figured I could get the appropriate sway bar setup, new bushings..... ahead of time since I know I am not going with some exotic or third party option.

So I am looking for peoples experience that have installed different options and have seat of their pants opinions. Of course one option is to just shut up and drive the fine piece of German engineering! LOL In any event I plan on having a KKK 26/8 turbo built with current technology etc. to keep it looking stock and use the factory plumbing, and other performance mods as far as realistic with stock AFM, but wanted to pay attention to suspension and braking as well as they are probably more important.

Nuf rambling, just curious on the actual difference, curious on if a strut brace would achieve basically the same or what.... Thanks in advance for input, this forum rocks! Yes I am the same guy who wanted to put a late offset M030 suspension on the car, but I have settled down just because it is a very low mileage car and I want to respect that as much as my personality will allow! LOL

V2Rocket

start here. all the factory spring/sway information is included.

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/susp-15.htm

ramius665

Russell, I've got an 86 944 turbo and went through many of the same questions you posed above. In the end, I swapped M030 struts and shocks from an 89 TS but kept the earlier offset. As far as sway bars, I went with a 968 M030 19mm rear bar (set in the middle position) and the updated 968 M030 front bar. The updated front bar isn't hollow and measures approximately 28.5mm instead of a true 30mm. I also purchased poly bushings for the front and rear bars, total expenditure for the bars from the dealership was about $425 ($321 for the front bar, ~$105 for the rear) and $200 for bushings. I'm very happy with the difference, the handling is more neutral and balanced, removing the tendency toward understeer. As a bonus, I swapped the 18mm bar from the 951 over to my wife's 968 cab and it handles better as well.

TheAllusionist

Thanks, I have read that and was looking to see what the opinions of those who have made the leap is and what they did.

Perfect, thank you for letting me know what you did and what your opinion is of the the modifications as one could spend money and have negligible results.

V2Rocket

i have 25.5mm front/18mm rear, 200# front springs and stock ~126lb rear t-bars and my car understeers like a cruise-ship.

need to add spring to the rear to even it out again.

TheAllusionist

Aye Aye Captain! Good to know!

Alpineace

where did you find the rear 19mm M030 bar for $105???