Rearr C/O's....

[Zvoiture]

I'm just curious the reasoning behind not allowing rear C/o's. It seems to me--with the MO of this group being 'reasonably-priced racing'--you could index the TB to lower the car and then slap on 100-200 lbs of 'helper' spring on the shock. I could do a pair of simple C/o's (not threaded body) for about $75/wheel and the further adjustments/modifications would be mind-numbingly simple. This would be--of course--utilizing the two 'stock' choices of shock.

 

Not wanting to upset the apple cart of anything...just figuring there had to be a good reason for this rule--and I am missing it.

 

 

steve

[944-Spec#94]

Why?

 

Indexing the t-bars is the same works as putting bigger ones in place.

 

T-bars are simply reliable and readily avalible in up to 30 mm sizes.

 

I see no need to rear coilovers and nothing that would make these cars better only more costly.

 

 

I see only three advantages to rear coilovers.

 

1) You can very high spring rates with rear coil overs. T-bars have a physical size limit (30mm for the class) and can only be made so large. With coilovers you can get some very stiff spring rates

 

2) When not using with T-bars you can change spring rates without too much work

 

3) When not using T-bars you can change ride height easily.

 

 

 

The spirit of the class is to make these cars cheap and reliable as well as equal. With a 30 mm t-bar limit you have a simply way of controlling overall spring rates in these cars. That is important to limit build costs as high spring rates really need much better and more expensive dampers than we have now. And also stiffer springs will put more stress in the chassis.

 

25mm to 30mm bars can be had for $300 or so. Once installed once they really never need to be looked at again. While you gain adjustability from running with ONLY rear coilovers that adjustability comes at the price of possibly needing to bring multiple spring rates to the track and swaping over and over again.

 

While sticking to t-bars cannot prevent folks from swaping and testing all combo it does discourage folks from do too much of that.

 

Right now we allow you can fiddle fart around with sway bars and even front spring rates knowing that the rears are pretty much set. That helps to even the playing field quite a bit. We don't really need to spec the spring rates on these cars since rear t-bar 30 mm limit puts all 944 into a narrow window of spring rates. This means all cars will run close to the same and any changes result in changes to feel and balance rather than actual performance. Remember the fastest car is one were the driver is tune with car. Running 350/30 or 400/30 or 250/30 or 350/28 does not really make one car fast than another, but does change the feel. Every driver may choose a feel that works for them with in spring rate range that keeps all the cars about the same. Some see this as a weak spot, I see it as an advantage.

 

PS... I know folks have horror stories on changing t-bars. Well that is because 95% of them don't know how to change spring rate and not f---up the rear ride height. Then they are forced to do it again bitchen and moaing all the way. Well I have de-mystified t-bar and changing t-bars. I put a write up that is on the 944spec.com website in the Tech section.

 

Follow the procedure taking careful measurements and you can change from stock 23.5mm bars to 30 mm bars and get the ride height spot on the first time out. You don't need to do the job 4-5 times or pay some shop to do it. If you can install coilovers you can swap t-bars too.

[Zvoiture]

Thanks, Joe. Crystal clear.