Bill S.

I just spent two days with Joe Huber from Ruf (28-years at Ruf). He installed the new Ruf suspension in my Turbo R (only took four hours with a hydraulic jack and ordinary garage tools). Joe didn't need to catch a plane until the next day, so we did some shopping and went out to dinner.

If anyone has any questions about the suspension or Ruf cars, let me know. I asked Joe just about every question I could imagine. In 28-years, he's learned a few things.

TB993tt

Bill
I know we have gone over this before, but did you discuss the topic of intercoolers for our cars, does Joe have the same opinion as Alois that the factory is best until you reach the GT2 EVO Secan unit ? Have Ruf done any research in this area?
Thanks

Bill S.

I didn't specifically discuss this with Joe. Here's what I posted from our last discussion:

"The intercooler issue is a bit complex. Ruf has told me that they have tested many intercoolers for the 993 Turbo R and only the "big thin" one on the factory 993 GT2 made a difference. Most of the other intercoolers either made no difference or made horsepower and/or throttle response decrease".

I might add that the engine specialist at Ruf said if they could improve on the factory unit, they certainly would. I know there are many aftermarket "fat" intercoolers out there that claim (no proof) they do a great job. However, I can't see how they can flow the air in the 993 location (i.e., the location in the 996 is much more efficient). It seems a "big thin one" tuned to the engine would work much better (like the factory GT2 unit).

I know there may be other variables (e.g., ECU programming), but I have experience with two 993TT's on the track, one with the FVD intercooler, the other with the Andial intercooler. As the day goes from cool to hot (over 100 degrees) I have not seen these cars get any faster than mine. It seems even the owners may sometimes question whether the intercoolers really make any difference.

By the way, a Ruf Turbo R on 100 octane accelerates almost identically to a 996 GT2 Turbo with 91 octane and europipe exhaust from 30 MPH to 140 MPH on a 100 degree day. A centrally mounted spark plug in the 996 seems to make a world of difference over the 993.

SPR

Cool Post some pics of your coilovers on the car! What did he set the ride heights front and rear from fener center? Thanks! What are you running them at number wise also, or what did he recommend?

Bill S.

Here's some info. Remember, this only applies to the Ruf setup. Ruf uses his own springs, rear stabilizer and Bilstein shocks made to Ruf specs. This setup was deemed the best for me (95% street, 5% track).

The ride is incredibly smooth on rough roads, with virtually no body lean on the curves. It totally transforms the car.

Bill S.

More...

Bill S.

All wheels have the same clearance. They need to be set with a full tank of gas.

911/Q45

So you use the factory front sway bar?

Bill S.

The factory front sway bar is used. Ruf decided to do this after extensive testing on the Nurburing.

Basically, Ruf's philosophy is that the car should easily communicate to the driver when it's about to break traction. This should be gradual so the average driver has time to respond. Apparently the current setup does this best. Around turns, I can hear a gradual increase in "tire squeal", indicating my limits on that surface. With the previous suspension, this tire noise came on faster, giving me less time to respond. The new suspension increases my confidence in being able to take a turn faster. The car is very much different. Even acceleration squat and brake dive is greatly reduced.

On the freeway, the car seems to "glide" over the surface. It's very smooth.

By the way, the 996 with PSM turned on breaks very abruptly at the limit. Joe mentioned that this gets many people in trouble.

JJayB

Bill
I would suspect that the weight of the GT2 is less than your Ruf and the second gear is lower than the 993tt on your 30 to 140 mph runs, accounting for the GT2's low end response. Not to take anything away from the GT2 but I believe Cort Wagner was drivng the GT2 in those runs which might make some difference.

Did Ruf give you the spring rates? The smooth ride is no doubt the result of the tender spring. I've done a lot of testing to get to where I have a good combination street and track. Just wondering how Ruf tunes his suspension.

Bill S.

Hi Jim. Actually, the fact that the Ruf 993 Turbo R accelerates the same as a lightly modified GT2 from 30 to 140 is remarkable considering:

1. The GT2 weighs almost 200 lbs less (3307 for 993TT vs 3131 for GT2)
2. The GT2 was probably at least 20 HP more than stock (i.e., about 480 HP). This is based on how the car pulls on a stock GT2.
3. The GT2 has dual cams, variable valve timing, center spark plug, and better aerodynamics.

However, I did need to use 100 octane while the GT2 used only 91.

This is the one thing that bothers me about the 993 TT. I don't think there is any way you can modify a 993TT to be much faster than a GT2 on 91 octane unless you go to twin plugs and/or 3.8 liters. If you use 100 octane, I think a modded 993TT will easily match a modded 996TT.

Here's some interesting things I learned from the GT2 owner:

1. His FVD 996TT with Ruf exhaust (almost 500 HP) accelerates the same as his GT2.
2. His GT2 with europipe exhaust is noticeably faster than a stock GT2.
3. His GT2 is faster with 100 octane (we also saw this on the track when the yellow GT2 with 100 octane was a car or two ahead of the silver GT2 with 91 octane at 140 MPH, even though the yellow GT2, I believe, was stock).
4. His Andial 993 TT 3.8-liter with twin-plug will smoke the GT2 above 4000 RPM!

I'd love to feel that Andial 3.8. Maybe I can bribe the owner with a nice dinner if I can check it out!

Bill S.

Sorry, I forgot two things:

1. Cort was not driving the GT2 at the time.
2. I didn't get the spring rates from Ruf. However, he told me Eibach makes the springs to Ruf's specs.

Maybe we can calculate the rates from the spring dimensions and/or the height of the car with the measured distance between the top and bottom of the spring? I don't believe Ruf would want to provide the rates given the R&D he did to get them.

SPR

Very cool. thanks for the neat photos and inserts. I am basically trying to get a feel for what to set ride height at for my pss9's and what works well for the street. So the shocks are set at 4 all around? I bet the car understeers significantly less with the stiffness of the new rear sway bar. YOu also answered another question I had about where to set the rear sway bar mount at all the way at the bottom- Very cool. Nice pics. I am surprised however that you didn't run that much rear camber, but then again I bet it's better balanced given this. If you could adjust the ruf rear, I dunno if you can from what it is, then a bit more rear camber and offsetting that by a stiffer rear sway bar setting would be nice. thanks again!

JJayB

Bill,

Where did you want to buy me dinner.

ruffy

Bill,
I know so...lol, and i'm not talking about a small margin either... neither were the engineers at Ruf in germany

SYF