gt3_002

Im still new to my GT3 and to me it drives fine and dont know how much more I need to do to see any more improvement, but all this talk about toe link and camber issues and aligment issues make me worry. When I purchased my car the last owner did an alignment. Can some one tell me if this is okay to drive on? Or should I do this toe link think your doing Dell? Attach is the alignment sheet.

jim911

Would someone please explain what this toe link thing is all about. Thanks

Larry Herman

gt3_002, I think that your alignment is fine for the street. It didn't seem to be that far out to begin with, except for too much rear toe-in.

Here's the deal on the toe links. First, it is a part for the track, and is not required at all for street driving. Second, it is only necessary if one is having problems maintaining proper rear toe setting. I tracked my GT3 for 2 seasons on slicks and never had a problem with the stock setup.

Here's the deal. The rear camber and toe is adjusted by eccentic bolts in the rear subframe. If they are not tightened properly, they can turn under load, changing the settings and possibly galling the friction surfaces. If that happens, they can never really be tight again. What the remedy is (comes factory on the cup cars) is to just have round bolts that cannot move, and use turn buckles (like on your tie rods) to change the length of the rod, thereby adjusting the toe setting. No matter how much you load this arrangement, it will not change.

rabjohns

Midwest Eurosport in Joliet or Bensenville, IL is the best place to go. They are the race experts and know a lot about GT3s.

jim911

Thanks guys

Modoc

[QUOTE=rabjohns]Midwest Eurosport in Joliet or Bensenville, IL is the best place to go. They are the race experts and know a lot about GT3s.[/QUOTEThanks alot . I was beginning to think the midwest was not GT3 friendly.

I'll try to contact them . Appreciate any other info you come across. Have you had any personal experience with them?
Joe D.

Austin

The inherent problem with the GT3 and GT2 are compromised suspensions. The compromise is as always:
comfort vs. performance vs. Porsche financial vs. Porsche engineering

One result is rubber used as the interface between suspension components. Although fasteners may be secured correctly, and aligment rack readings are set, the alignment settings on the GT3 are always changing during driving. Eccentrics and hardware are meant to be secured tightly, and if so permit the suspension to attempt fulfilling its obligation to the car and driver. Provided the hardware is successfully set, the rubber will flex. Toe, caster, and camber changes occur during driving street or track... in acceleration, braking, and cornering. Limiting flex through upgraded toe arms, shock mounts, upper arms or lower arms with spherical bearings or solid mounts better retains alignment settings and reinforce the communication between the driver, car, tires, and road.

The flex occurs during acceleration, cornering and braking. Toe changes are most significant during sport or race driving maneuvers.

For the United States DOT, passenger cars are designed with inherent understeet aka push. To this end, Porsche has equipped all GT3's with front monoball shock mounts and rear rubber mounts. The front tie rods (aka front toe arms) are also more rigid than those used on the rear. Additionally, the use of rubber bushings in all rear suspension arms promote the back of the car to be loose, encouraging understeer.

The most accessible solution to the flex issue is replacement of rear toe arms. Ideally these are replaced while upgrading upper shock mounts. Have your mechanic save your old toe arms, and examine them, if the car has been pushed, you'll find excessive flex marks or even tears in the rubber bushings.



Other compromises are spring rates, damping and suspension travel.

AllanJ

Thanks for the info, Larry and Austin.

For a newbie GT3 guy like me, I like hearing a bit more about "why" upgrades are really needed and under what circumstances. I totally understand why a guy tracking the GT3 would want these particular upgrades. WRT these mods and all the other stuff you hard-core tracking guys do, I need to figure out what would apply to my situation of mainly street driving and some autox. At least to start with.....then bring on the track days!

Thanks again, guys. I love this forum.

Allan
2004 996 GT3

Greg Fishman

I could recommend shops in Cincy and Indy. Some of these guys are not as high profile as Synergy but they have just as much experience and knowledge. Nothing in Louisville that I am familiar with. But the dealer in Lexington is good.
Also as Brian at http://www.buxtonmotorsports.com/ in Evansville, he may know someone there.
I grew up just south of you in Madisonville KY.

Modoc

Greg, thanks for the info re Lexington dealer. How would you compare the Lex dealer to Bluegrass in Louisville? The Lex dealer seems to carry a lot of inventory or did when I was looking. I went to med school there but so many years ago I don't recall where dealership is located. Also, I would be interested in the names of Indianapolis shops. I'm there more often than Lex.

BTW were you at the Pumpkin Run at Putnam Park last Oct. ? It was my first in my GT3 and I recall a GT3 from Lexington on the participants list.

Thanks
Joe D

Greg Fishman

Joe,
I wasn't at the Oct Putnam event and I don't own a GT3. Probably was a guy named David Ratliff in a white GT3? He gets his car worked on/aligned at the Lexington dealer. This is a relatively new dealership out in the Hamburg development, I think they are in their 2nd year of business so that is probably why you don't remember where it is.

I didn't have the best of luck with the Louisville dealer but that was with my 993 I bought from them in 1997. A lot could have changed since the last time I used them. From then on I used a local shop or a race shop in Cincinnati.

I would talk to Terry Heath at http://www.euromotorworks.com/ . He is a PCA racer and instructor and very meticulous. He races a 997 in a professional series so he is current on the newer Porsches also.

Check out the Ohio Valley Region's website for info on their April event at Mid Ohio. I will be there instructing, probably at Putnam a few times in the spring also.

Greg

Modoc

Greg, thanks for info. Haven't been able to get the website in indy yet but will call them. I'm interested in private instruction for GT3 and would like to go to mid ohio some time when you're going or putnam would work . Had thought about going back to Barber for a DE with the Alabama region and having instruction by John Lewis who is a PDE instructor who is very good and has a lot of GT3 experience as well.
Thanks again and I'll stay in touch. Send your schedule if you can re Mid Ohio and Putnam
Joe D

Greg Fishman

Terry would be a great instructor and I know a few others that would be as well. The Ohio Valley Region has lots of experienced instructors (including myself) that I could recommend for you. Several local pros are there also to help most of the time.

I know I will be at the April OVR event at Mid Ohio, and most likely the CIR event at Putnam Park.

Pbacon

I was happy with what Synergy did with my set up. Talk to Greg and send him my regards. You might ask him if he can get the same rear toe-links that I have. He was impressed with them.

LVDell

I have already ordered the Toe Links from Austin at TRG. If you don't mind could you elaborate what Synergy did for you re: your setup? If you prefer shoot me a PM. Thanks!