smackboy1

I have the stock suspension. At around 80-100 mph the front end exhibits the dreaded floating sensation. On the streets it doesn't bother me much at all. However at my 1st DE (Pocono, PA) the main "straight" that day was the banked turn 2 of the NASCAR tri-oval. I found the front end floatiness kind of disconcerting as the car was coming off the banking into the apex. I wanted to go flat out, but the feeling in the front end held me back, the other problem of course was that if I backed off the throttle too much the back end would get a little squirmy. Not exactly the way I want the car to feel as I'm at track out trying to hug the wall.

Yes, I know that a suspension upgrade e.g. ROW M030 will eliminate the front end float. But is there a less radical (read cheaper) fix? I left the inflatable spare in the trunk thinking the weight might help keep the front end down.

What is going on with the front end when it floats? Aerodynamic lift? Am I losing traction? If I just ignore it and continue accelerating what will happen? Gradual understeer?

ElTorrente

Stock suspension's front end is higher than the rear, and under hard acceleration, the soft suspension lifts it even more - so there you go.

ROW M030 is a GREAT all around suspension. Isn't harsh at all, and gets rid of the floatiness.

rountreed

^^^^^^ This is correct, I had same issue with my US Spec car I shipped to Germany and put the ROW M0030 on and now it is solid at 170MPH relatively speaking.

htny

Well, you MIGHT be able to alleviate some of this with the GT3 lip spoiler part, which is roughly 230 bucks from sunset for the Mk2 (GT3 Street Part: 996-505-986-92-01C). A lot of people say it fixed their floatiness, but I don't know if mine really made too much of a difference since I don't track this car and I've always felt that mine was well planted even at very high speed.

That having been said, aero can only help so much on one end, you may need to add the rear spoiler as well or risk throwing the car further out of balance (you might fix the float but then find the tail becomes more slippery). I'm not certain how much of the effect relies on ride height either.

It's a cheap DIY though, and you can always remove and sell if it doesn't work for you.

David A

When the car is high, a lot of air at high speed flows under it. A firmer & lower suspension should solve it.

nycebo

Smackboy, there are literally hundreds of posts in here describing that exact "floaty" sensation, so you'll find some good ideas on what people have tried. I can't remember many of the non-upgrade-to-RoW-M030 fixes, but the front lip spoiler was definitely one, ensure absolutely perfect alignment and tire pressures was another, and another trick I think is figuring out how to keep the rear spoiler down. I really think that slightly higher front bumper US-spec cars don't do as well on the road when the rear spoiler deploys. Anyway, I hope some of this helps. FWIW, I had the same feeling you describe and RoW fixed it perfectly.

Steven C.

Aero kit nor lip helps...experience speaking. Lower the car and better alignment is the only way. Even Porsche had problems with aero bumper hence the air relief slots in the later faster cars bumper covers.

Van

I seem to recall a post a while back that a 50 lb bag of something (I believe it was chlorine salts for a gentleman's swimming pool) solved the problem beautifully.

skiracer

I tried the front lip and OEM Carrera wing, but all it did was improve the looks.

To get rid of the front end float, I had to swap suspendo's to the RoW M030 - did the trick perfectly.

jaje

Your front toe maybe out too much too - that causes float at higher speeds too. Not saying it's the problem but might exacerbate the problem.

Steven C.

That was me.....made it ride better but didn't try it at speed?

smackboy1

Hmmmm, I wonder if 40 lbs of rice in the trunk is going to pass tech?

nycebo

40 lbs or rice will cost you an arm and a leg these days.

porsche-t

Suncoast has the ROW030 setup for $1087.00 - that seems pretty cheap to me.

Paul 996

Hi,

This is perfectly normal in a stock suspension car. Since this is your 1st DE, did your instructor provide any feedback on you lifting off the gas at the exit of the banked corner leading onto the straight away? Rear end squirm... be glad that is all that happened. Lifting off the gas in any 911 after the apex of a corner is not the way to go and will nearly always result in squirminess if not a spin if you are going fast enough and don't correct for it.

You can continue accelerating and no the front of the car won't come up off the ground

I would recommend getting a few more DE's under your belt before making any changes to the car.

Do verify that your alignment is at least within spec and preferable tuned towards the perf end of the spectrum.

I don't personally know of a good shop near princeton but in Philly I can steer you in the right direction if you need a recommendation.