Wheel tracking, Front 2" narrower than back - Why? Options

[Root_Werks]

QUOTE (SirAndy @ Nov 3 2005, 03:32 PM)

QUOTE (Demick @ Nov 3 2005, 04:28 PM) It's really very simple.  The front wheels turn.  The rears do not.  The extra room is to allow the front wheels to turn. i run a 1 1/4" spacer in the front and my wheels still turn ... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif) Andy

Andy man, look at your pic in your avitar! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif) I don't think you have to worry about too much suspension travel allowing a tire/wheel tucking too far up into the fender. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

Yeah, okay, there are more than just one reason. Understear is easier to deal with than over steer to the general public. But I still think part of it is designed so that tall thin tires of the day wouldn't rub into the fender arches when the 914 was pushed to it's limits. But I could be wrong. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif)

[blabla914]

Thanks Andy.

I used to run a 21mm spacer under my front wheels with stock 914-4 struts and brakes and it worked great. Take some measurements yourself and I think you will find about 20mm is what you need to get things even.

Another excellent point is you have to be careful about tire diameter. I run a 205-50 which is only about 22" in diameter. If you tried to run a 205-60 which is like 25.5" in diameter with my rim/spacer/camber/ride height setup I think you would have serious problems.

It is true that using a spacer increases the scrub angle, but in our case the benefits far outweight the penalty. The steering does get heavier. Don't even consider smaller than approx. 14" diameter steering wheel if you want to drive on the track for any period of time. If you are in really good shape it may not be a problem. If the weight of the steering really bothers you, reduce caster. Just beware you will sacrifice some high speed stability with reduced caster and you may need more static camber to make R compound tires work well.

Just to clarify, the 914-6 front end will not improve the scrub radius. If you compare 914-4 and 914-6 struts and brakes I think you'll see that the only reason the -6 had a wider front track is the hubs are wider. Adding spacers and making the hub wider have the same effect on scrub radius. The only way to widen the track without effecting the scrub radius is to move the ball joint out and move the strut attachment points out (or just run a LOT of negative camber) to match.

Kelly

[race914]

I run 15x7s with 205x50 Avons which are even bigger than the Hoosiers and I have no clearance problems in the front.