Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: Andyrew Mar 29 2004, 06:49 PM

Whats the weight ratio for the 914? 49% front 51% rear? Or what?

Andrew

Posted by: Bleyseng Mar 29 2004, 06:50 PM

depends on how much gas. 46/54 is what comes to mind.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 29 2004, 06:53 PM

I weighed my car and figured out the ratio back to front but it didn't add up to 100%.

Maybe my car is special,

I think 49/51 is right if I remember correctly.

Ask Dave D., he knows all this kinda stuff

Paul

Posted by: physician Mar 29 2004, 07:14 PM

probably that famous unsprung weight

Posted by: SLITS Mar 29 2004, 07:27 PM

Depends on how heavy your ass is when you sit in it.

Mike Z ain't got nutin on this one!

Posted by: URY914 Mar 29 2004, 07:36 PM

We had a girl in HS that had an ass that big and drove a Spitfire. We use to say she didn't get in it, she put it on.

Posted by: Andyrew Mar 29 2004, 07:42 PM

So, weight needs to come off the rear for better balance.. correct?

Andrew

Posted by: URY914 Mar 29 2004, 07:46 PM

Do you mean a 914 or the fat ass pictured above?

Posted by: jridder Mar 29 2004, 08:00 PM

>So, weight needs to come off the rear for better balance.. correct?

If by better balance, you mean that you want to be able to stick a pipe under the mid point between the front and rear wheels and have the car balance then yes. If you are referring to having the car handle, brake or accelerate better then no.

Posted by: ArtechnikA Mar 29 2004, 08:19 PM

only if you have that rare all-wheel-drive 914...

ask yourself how many races the 917-30 lost with its 33/67 weight distribution...

Posted by: mskala Mar 29 2004, 09:37 PM

My -6 measured almost right at 45/55.

The -4 will be closer to 50/50 but not by all that much.

Posted by: smg914 Mar 29 2004, 10:03 PM

Stock '73 2 Liter weight distribution, 46.3% front and 53.7% rear

Posted by: john rogers Mar 29 2004, 10:10 PM

Remember that is static weight. What happens when the car is going 120 or 130 and you have a spoiler on the front pushing down or a wing on the back pushing down or nothing on the back and that vacuum behind the rear window is trying to suck the car upwards??!! Also a factor is what type of driving or racing is it, a tight auto-x course or a long track such as Willow Springs or CA Speedway where you are on the rev limiter by the start-finish line? Finally, most people don't know what the wheelbase of a 914 is and since it is pretty long some weight in the rear is an advantage I would think. Since I made the six conversion, mine seems to actually turn better in sharp corners than before with the four.....and is more stable at full speed at the CA Speedway turns one and two.

Posted by: Andyrew Mar 29 2004, 10:15 PM

Alright guys.. geez, dont bite my head off

Im was just wondering if it was better to take weight off the front or the rear.. Ie Fiberglass hoods, bumpers.. stuff like that.


Andrew

Posted by: Brad Roberts Mar 29 2004, 10:16 PM

John nailed it.

Dont think of the car as if it where sitting on the scales all the time and not moving. When you hit the brakes the car can go 60/40 real quick. I personally want a 40/60 car so the car is balanced under braking and not 80/20 or 20/80 under braking. Basically I want a car that feels stable and not all squirrely under braking.


B

Posted by: Jeroen Mar 30 2004, 07:14 AM

So basically what you guys are saying is that you want a 911

cheers,

Jeroen
(ducking for cover)

Posted by: Bleyseng Mar 30 2004, 07:42 AM

except when you hit the brakes in a turn.....ouch!

Posted by: KenH Mar 30 2004, 10:21 AM

914-4, Roll Bars, Full Gas Tank, 200# Driver

Front = 1040# 44.5%

Rear = 1292# 55.4%

Corner = 50%

Ken

Posted by: maf914 Mar 30 2004, 12:06 PM

I saw Mark Donohue in the Sunoco 917/30 lose to George Follmer in the RC Cola 917/10 at Road Atlanta. Of course Donohue had a problem, tire failure I think, while leading, but he did lose.

Mike

Posted by: maf914 Mar 30 2004, 12:12 PM

There is weight distribution and there is moment of inertia, not to be confused. The latter is what gets the tail draggers into trouble.

Mike

Posted by: Dave_Darling Mar 30 2004, 01:21 PM

Both, of course!!

I know the mags talk about "ideal 50-50 weight distribution", but they're trying to plug products and have nifty-looking prose. I think that the 914 has a pretty good weight distribution for its suspension and such, which is "about" 55% on the rear wheels.

If you're taking weight off, take it wherever you can. Deal with any change in the "balance" of the car by whatever means you need to.

--DD

Posted by: SLITS Mar 30 2004, 02:42 PM

The idea of "50/50" is to put equal weight on all tires for maximum adhesion - which is theory. Acceleration and deacceleration change this, but in a corner,on the edge, it is nice to know the loaded and unloaded sidea are "doing equal work" so to speak. Now in reality............,

Posted by: SirAndy Mar 30 2004, 02:44 PM

without adding weight of course!

make it as light as possible, than balance it using the suspension adjustements to get a corner weight distribution of your liking ...

Andy

Posted by: Dave_Darling Mar 30 2004, 05:02 PM

If you are not accelerating or decelerating in a corner, IMHO, you're doing it wrong.

--DD