Stan944

I'm planning an interesting drive: about 3 hrs round-trip along logging roads. I measured the clearance under the car: mostly about 6.5", and 5.5" under the cat. Not much, I wonder if I make it? - I don't know those roads. I could put on my winter wheels: due to a difference in tire size, I would gain about 0.7". I'm thinking if it would make any meaningful difference?

KuHL 951

All it takes is one rock and you have the infamous Danno Alien Rock syndrome but you won't have 20 other people with spare parts right behind you like he did.

89magic98

Danno didn't have the underbelly pan on the car, did he?

Not that it may have helped him, but I never understood why people remove them on the 944 series cars.

Stan944

well, looks like I should put the taller tires on to reduce the risk.

Yabo

I've done like 20 minute fire road drives.... and they were pretty rough in areas where I would have to slow up and pick a line. It's fun though, enjoy! Just keep your eyes far ahead, and think quick! Look out for holes as there is alot of erosion on those kinds of things usually. And obviously have a failsafe plan, how do you plan on getting it out if you crash or break something? Find out if you can get towed or if you have someone to tow you with a truck out to a legal road, if this isn't legal.

dmalo810

I tried it once in Washington State in a 67 Chevy Impala. I drove over a rock the size of a baseball and kept driving until I noticed the oil light came on. A quick look in the rearview mirror indicated a long black line following me for about 100'.
Quick stop and look underneath, a hole in the pan the exact size of the rock. My brother-in-law chimes in "just put some gum over it to get us down the hill." You beat dumbass, you got about 400 sticks or so in your pocket?
That's not the fun part. We were 13 miles from the main road. No cell service and we brought every gun that we ever owned with us to test fire. Do you think that we were going to leave those in the car. Hell no, 8 guns (2 Shotguns, 5 rifles and 1 pistol). With ammo and guns we hiked till we got to the main road. It's funny, we had no problem stopping someone for help. Kinda weird how they slow down real quick for a guy standing in the middle of the road holding a shotgun and rifle.
Good luck and I think you can get the same effect packing 1 pistol and 1 rifle. LOL

Scootin159

I'm no 'expert' on them, but I have spent many a day driving down them. I also don't know about your area, and obviously these are something that will depend a lot on area. It also makes a BIG difference how 'active' the roads are. The only 'maintenance' they get is when a logging company is actively using them... and even then, it's bare minimum.

Around here though most of the logging roads around here are pretty much 4WD only. There's spots that are flooded with 1-2 feet of water on top of another foot or so of mud. Ruts that are a foot or so deep (typically going along with the road from wheel tracks, but often crossing the road too).

Also, bring a chainsaw, as it's not at all unlikely to find a large tree blocking the road, and unless you've got a good vehicle, it'll be impossible to go over or around it.

I would never consider bringing a 944 down a logging road. I doubt you'll make it much more than a mile. I wouldn't even really consider driving the STi down a logging road, unless I had 1/4" steel plates underneeth... and even then I'd be sure to have a 'support vehicle'. 1-2 FEET of ground clearance is what those roads are often intended for.

alordofchaos

Eh, I did something under my car, put it all back together and put the car back down off the jackstands, looked over in the corner, and there was my belly pan. I'll put it back on next time I have the car up.

I read here about some guy who took his car to a garage that did a lot of 944 work. He said there was a stack of belly pans from 944s that the mechanic had forgotten to put back on.

I'm not sure if he let them work on his car

Yabo

Also , are they 'logging roads' or fire lanes? Usually logging roads are traveled by big vehicles.. fire lanes are generally maintained a bit better and are patrolled so aren't expecting only huge capable vehicles.

jtsporsche

i not only put mine back on after working on the car, but i polished it up to almost a mirror-like finish.

i took my car for an inspection for 944fest, the mechanic didnt even notice.

xsboost90

i dont run mine because i like to know when its leaking...

reno808

Dude put some coil overs and raise the height and put a sheet of metal under your car and drive as fast as your can oh yeah take of the exhaust

GloriaRedStang

Bad idea.

alex

While I'm not advocating the trip, I will say that I've gone places in my various 944s that you would not believe is accessible by a 2wd sports car. There is more clearance than you would think, but you gotta be careful, and take it easy. 1 wrong move and you're looking at that oil pan above.

josephsc

Or the 2 cars that spun out behind him and almost became parts cars.....