Optimal front sway for a 1.7 ? Options

[Literati914]

I believe, if I’m not mistaken, there was a 13mm front sway bar for the 912 cars.. and I was wondering if that wouldn’t be more appropriate for a 1.7L 914 rather than the stock oem 15mm. I’m not sure if anyone bothers with a ARB on a 1.7L, but the 13mm ones are fairly easy to come by, cause everyone upgrades to bigger. So that’s a plus. Thoughts?


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[Literati914]

Anti roll bar size has nothing to do with engine size …. So how many are really trying to increase understeer?

Superhawk, I based my question on (my) understanding that a front bar is basically there to add a bit of understeer which helps counteract the oversteer situation of a given car.. I certainly may have that all wrong, I’m no suspension expert (& thanks for the book recommendation). But if that’s close to being right, then in my mind a smaller bar would be more appropriate for a simple 1.7L street car than the 15mm one used with a 2.0-2.4L type IV power plant (for example - since they weigh the same) - because 1.7L would theoretically produce less oversteer (all other things being equal).

Anyway the car will get a bar while torn down for bodywork, and the 13mm seems logical enough to me, I’ll probably give it a try. BTW, did any of the 1.7L cars come from the factory with sway bars?

Also, @wonkipop (thanks for your input) says the 13mm bars are on all 1.8L cars, but I don’t recall reading that 914-4 used anything but 15mm - perhaps that was a European/Aussie thing? Anyone?

I wonder what Porsche’s thinking was with giving the 912 a 13mm front bar, it being a more tail happy car than a 914.. but the 914-4 getting a 15mm up front?


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