Coil over options - what do you use?, coilover setup, torsion bar, - sources Options

[corpselaurel]

I am trying to figure out what to do about my suspension. I want dampening adjustability and height adjustability. I am not very familiar with products for the 914. If it was any other car I would go with something like Tein SS or H&R etc.

What coil overs do you guys use? Any full coil over setups available? (Threaded shocks not sleeves)

Should I go with a koni shock threaded sleeve setup? I have a budget of about $800 give or take. I would like to get a new torsion bar too.

Does it make any difference if I am doing a 5 lug conversion from a 911 in the front?
Where did you get what you're using?

[brant]

corpselaurel ,

people have tried front coil overs without reinforcing..
sure it works for a while...

do you really want to loose control of your car when it breaks.. perhaps in a corner.. perhaps at 100mph...

not something to risk or mess around with really...
The higher the spring rate the sooner this will be a problem..


The factory design has the torsion bar act as the spring.. thus the weight of the vehicle and more than the static weight, but the increased force of hitting bumps etceterra is supported in a bar that mounts horizontally. The the Frame (if you will) of a 911 or 914 is strengthened to hold the whole weight of the car in this area below the front trunk...

so if you convert to a coil over, now you are asking the upright metal area of the front suspension to hold 2k+ when it was designed to originally only keep the shock in place...... it was not designed to hold 2000 lbs..... the top mount area will eventually pop loose... not a good thing to happen....

Torsion bars have some pretty damn good strengths going for them too.... They carry the weight of the suspension as sprung weight and not unsprung like a coil over partially does....
The weight of a torsion bar is lower..

etc...
etc...

A coil over is easier to change.. thats about it really...
the suspension joints are the same (or can be wildly modified) in either case. If your not changing springs for every different track that you visit.. then I would highly recommend against a coil over set up as the money could be better spent on purchasing seat time...

Sorry for the rant.. its been a crappy day...

b