944 Suspension Refresh
 

During the tech it became apparent that I need to replace all my shocks on the 944. My goal for this car is DD/AutoX with light track duty, but while I'm in there I figure I've got a chance to fiddle around with the entire setup. I'm no suspension expert, but I figure I've got four main options

1) Stick with stock everything and koni hack my structs. The advantage here is low cost and less chance of upsetting the delicate balance of rust and age. The disadvantage is the fear of death that comes from worth with the springs.

2) Go for a spec 944 setup with a new torsion bar and strut assembly. The advantage here is that I pretty much know the setup is going to work and feel good. The disadvantage being the labor of re-indexing the T-bar and cost.

3) Go for coil overs all around and remove the torsion bar. The advantage is the suspension is going to be more modern and fully adjustable. Disadvantage being cost and not being able to run spec 944 (not that I'm near that point in my life anyway). Initial removal of the T-bar will be a pain, but once it's out, it's out.

4) Stay close to OEM and just get paragon to build me front strut assemblies with 200lb spring rate and replace just the rear shocks. The advantage here is ease of labor; the job should be unbolt and bolt back in. The disadvantage being it's still not that much cheaper than a "better" setup.

Personally I'm leaning towards 3 or 4 due to ease, but maybe I'm overestimating the difficulty of cutting the stock strut and working with the spring. What do you real suspension experts think?

Oh, I'm assuming Koni's are the recommended shocks, or is that untrue?

Cost? Don't you want to actually win a DE? ;)

Full mulit adjustable motons please.. 500# springs, rip out torsion bar and interior.. weld in cage.. buils a dang 944GTP car!


What do you want to do with the car? How long do you plan to own it? I'd rather cry once and "do it right" once than try the "stages" build.

Overall, it would be cheaper to sell yours and buy TonyP's '86 (85.5?) 944 former club race car that's for sale ;)

If you're serious about autocross, modifications will put you in a higher class, into a financial spiral. If you want a track day car (not racing) coilovers do make life easy. Don't bother planning to make it a race car. Better to buy a race car when you want one.

My thoughts exactly on the do it right once approach, but I think my objective is aggressive street. Something I can drive but also do some events with.


Oh man, I wish, but that really would be jumping in with both feet. Just not there yet.

I don't feel the need to win, just the need for speed. But yeah, I think the ultimate route is to buy a race car when I'm ready.

My advice - take it or leave it:

If you're going to be at SP this weekend, take some time to walk around the pits
and take a really close look at EVERY 944 in the paddock. Take some time to talk to the drivers.
Ask them what they did to their cars....and why they did it. Ask them HOW they did it. Ask them what
they learned...what didn't work....what they would've done differently.

After that.....Do some serious research (on the internet). And ....if you decide
to buy some "go fast parts", call the company that makes/sells them. Ask lots of questions. Make
sure you know what you're buying.

Do all of these things - and you'll save some time and money. And you won't waste your time
and money going in a direction that leads nowhere.

If you don't....well....you know the rest.

Rock on hobiecat. Forums are good, actually talking to people is better.

To facilitate your research, many of the 944s will be up on jackstands, so you'll be able to look at their suspension from underneath. :D

You should know dude. Didn't YOU used to have one? :-)