968 Turbo S/RS replica suspension upgrade

[Pefa]

Your car is absolutely gorgeous, Pefa! Thank you for sharing what I consider the best looking 968 I've seen on Carpokes. VERY well done!

There have been huge leaps in suspension control with modern adjustable shocks. Taking advantage of the technology is expensive, and you want to be sure you choose the correct path. If it were me:

The best suspension upgrade for your 968 will be a package that is fully developed, track tested, and optimized by someone truly competent. Both shock configuration (2-way / 3-way / 4-way) and a suitable spring (and sway bar) package need to be identified. I caution you, however, to avoid getting too exotic. Since your car is track oriented with only occasional street use, you should focus on the track package and let your compromise be sacrificing street comfort.

Karl at Racer's Edge developed his suspension package(s) with a professional approach. His initial testing was on a "shaker rig" then refined on the racetrack where he was consistently on the podium. His expertise is well founded which will allow you to buy with confidence and significantly shorten the time required to reach your ultimate goal.

If the hard parts were drop-shipped to you from a European manufacturer, would the duties/fees be legitimately and lawfully reduced? Perhaps this is something to discuss with Karl so his expertise is available to you and hopefully your cost is minimized.

Best of luck. Please continue with photos and reports on the progress with your 968.
MM

Hi Michael.

Thank you for the kind words You had a big hand in my car sofar and now I need to take the rest of the car to the level of the engine!
As always your advice is much appreciated. You pointed me in Karls direction before remember and then cost kept me from it.
I will check with him again what is possible. Maybe I can get what he suggests here in Europe which would help alot.

Thanks!
//Peder

[Pefa]

Hey! Intrax is amazing! Had a set on my 944 and I’m installing the first electronically adjustable set on my 968 Turbo.
Their support is amazing!

Also, shoot me a message if you need a wiring harness / ECU package for your car

Intrax definetely seem great! One of the suppliers I now look at.

I just recently finished building a new harness for my car now with MAXX ecu. With help from my friends I built the harness fully incorperated with the cars original system. I got it tuned a few weeks back and are now just driving it on the street like a hooligan testing it out for the coming year with autocross series I compete in and trackdays.

[Pefa]

If you are serious about going fast and keeping up with modern P-cars, then you will want to lower your 944 significantly more than stock (as in almost 2 inches/50mm). The only way to decrease weight transfer side to side is to lower the center of gravity, which past a certain extent upsets the intended suspension geometry front and rear. This is why Porsche modified the uprights for 964 and 993 Cup cars, same with BMW for the production-based E30 M3 race cars, front and rear, and many other production-based race cars. The factories didn't spend the time and money to alter the front and rear suspension geometries just to make the cars look cool (though they did!). Modern damping and aero upgrades are another subject . . . .

As for the 944, I have drop pins TIG-welded into the pinch bolt sections of my 951 uprights which do the trick, they have been great for over 10 years but are not the ideal solution (though I think they are superior to the longer ball joint pins otherwise currently available for 944s). Search Rennlist for my old thread about 944 front suspension geometry, I won't provide a link out of respect to our host Tom. I attached a couple of pics of the initial setup with the early factory-style stamped steel control arms before going to Blazak boxed steel arms (which are complete overkill).

Front drop pins/longer ball joint pins also require tie rods with bump steer correction (I use an old Weltmeister 911 kit for this). Elephant Racing offers the same.

The 944's spindle-style upright with tapered roller bearings is limited, even the larger/beefier '87+ version. The ultimate solution would be a modern billet upright with a large bolt-in ball bearing for the wheel bearing and optimized mounting points for the lower ball joint and tie rod. See this link for the general idea, though nothing currently exists for the 944 AFAIK:

https://www.brypar.com/product-category ... -uprights/

As for the 944 rear suspension, I for years searched for a Kokeln rear suspension beam, which mimics Porsche's setup for the 935 race car in terms of its spring plate design. I narrowly missed out on a few used versions on Rennlist over the years, but Boost Brothers Garage recently produced an updated version of same, link below. I was one of the first to reserve one and installed it last year at this time. I have mostly pulled back from track events (despite my 951 having a full track suspension setup with all spherical bearings and coilovers, lowered with geometry correction as described above), but I did a fun road rally last fall in the far northern parts of California, and the rear suspension beam proved its worth in keeping the rear in sync with the front suspension.

https://www.boostbrothersgarage.com/col ... suspension

Coilovers with modern damping are the next frontier. I have Ground Control coilovers, which have excellent construction, but the old Koni-based damping feels, well, old.

Thanks for your very good input! Yes getting low is great and I am at the level raced their 968 Turbo RS cars with. I believe that if I get a really good setup and suspension package that rideheight will be good enough. I have been succesful against modern cars with my current setup but it definetely can get better.

I have fellow Swedes that have fitted 996 cup cars rear and front suspension (and adjusted height) on their transaxle cars with amazing results. Also another countryman made sandcasted replica uprights and rearsuspension as on the 924/944 GTR. This is a very trick way forward but I do believe I can get what I need with the "stockish" 968 hardware. I have a pretty cool rear suspension beam now based on the stock but with ballbearings and with "on track" camber adjustment.

Thanks
Peder

[Pefa]

A couple more pics of my rear suspension beam.

Also "all" original rubber bushings are now uniballs.