914 front sway bar...will it work with a 911 front end? Options

[Wanna9146]

I have a complete 914 front sway bar set-up that I planned on installing in my 914-6 conversion. But now I just realized...I'll be installing a 911SC front end. Will my 914 swaybar fit/work with this mod?

[So.Cal.914]

I may be wrong but didn't that front end come with the lower swaybar? The answer IMO is yes, you might need to add U-tabs to the arms for your 914 bar

[rfuerst911sc]

The SC's came with a under body sway bar so it's different than the 914. What exactly do you mean when you say you have a 911 front suspension? Is that struts only or struts and A-arms? If you replaced the A-arms they definately will not have the sway bar tabs. Regardless of which version you have welding on the U tabs is no big deal. I did it on my 75 GT conversion. Good luck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[jim912928]

Porsche used that style sway bar on both 914's and 911's before the underbody on the SC's+. My 84 cab was backdated to that style. The only thing you'll have to do is weld on (weltmeister has a bolt on kit...but I'd still weld it on) the correct U tabs as stated above.

[Wanna9146]

What exactly do you mean when you say you have a 911 front suspension? Is that struts only or struts and A-arms?

I have the whole shootin' match. An entire 911SC front end. It hasn't been installed yet.

I haven't really compared the 911 & 914 front ends side-by-side yet, so I'm not sure what's interchangeable.

Can I use my 914 A-arms? They do have the tabs welded on already.

I spent a lot of $$$/time prepping & powder-coating the 914 sway bar. I'd like to use it.

[wbergtho]

Can I use my 914 A-arms? They do have the tabs welded on already.

I spent a lot of $$$/time prepping & powder-coating the 914 sway bar. I'd like to use it.

Why...yes you can.

[Katmanken]

If the swaybar lines up with the tabs, use the sucker. It will work fine.

If it doesn't line up, get new tabs and weld to fit.

KEn

[Wanna9146]

Ho-K.

Thanks, all.

[jim912928]

I would stick with the 911 a-arms...larger torsion bars! And you can't put them into the 914 arms as the splines are different. Nice thing about the entire 911SC front suspension is it literally is a bolt-out then bolt-in solution.

[Wanna9146]

I would stick with the 911 a-arms...larger torsion bars! And you can't put them into the 914 arms as the splines are different. Nice thing about the entire 911SC front suspension is it literally is a bolt-out then bolt-in solution.

Which leads to my question: Should I use the 911 (under-car) sway bar or the 914 sway bar. Car is just for the street. No track use.

[jim912928]

Well, you can always put it on with the fixed sway bar and deal with the 914 sway bar when you want more. You may find out for the street (like Porsche did) fixed mount sway bar is fine.

Is your 914 already cut out for the 914 sway bar? If not, you have to remove the tank, cut the holes, trim a section for the braces..weld in the braces....paint.

[r_towle]

I would suggest that you research one important issue.

the A-arms have different internal splines for the torsion bars.
From what I remember hearing Brad says that its getting hard to find different rate torsion bars for the 911 front ends...not sure though.

If you have the torsion bars you want to use long term...use the 911 setup and weld on the u-tabs.
If you cant weld, Engman sells the utabs and you can take the a-arms to a welding shop for installation.
The measurements are here on this board...a nice picture that you can print out and bring to the welder.

Rich

[jcd914]

If the condition of the A-arm are the same then IMO it is 6 of one half a dozen of the other.
If one set needs work (i.e. bushings) the other doesn't, then I would lean toward using the best condition set.

Using the complete 911 front end is simple and straight forward, just bolts on. All stock sway bars are fixed (not adjustable). If you want an adjustable sway bar you need to go with the thru body type bar and weld tabs to the 911 arms (after you cut off the original sway bar brackets. Street car won't need an adjustable sway bar thou. Yes 911 and 914 A-arms use different T-bars that are not interchangeable. There are more choices for T-bars for 911 A-arms than 914 A-arms but there are still choices. 21, 22 & 23 mm bars are still available new and you can find 20mm used.
911 front end has bigger T-bars than stock 914 and a bigger sway bar so it will be stiffer than the 914 set up would be. This might be a good thing if you plan on stiffening the back end to match the front. If you were not planning on stiffening the rear end you may want to go with the 914 sway bar and A-arms. You have to decide how much ride quality you are willing to give up to get better handling.

Personally I am a fan of the thru body style sway bars and used 911 struts with 914 A-arms but I was not going for just a street car. I also went with a 19mm adjustable sway bar and 22mm front T-bars, 160lbs rear springs, plastic bushings frt & rear, and Koni Sport gas shocks all around. This is not the most comfortable riding 914 out there, well at least it wasn't when it still ran (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Jim

[davep]

The only problem with the 914/4 A-arms is the torsion bars have different splines than the 911, and the spring rates are different also. To tune the front suspension you may have to purchase special T-bars.