GT3_Driver

Needs some help guys!
I am a newbie with 944s.
New to DEs….3 DEs under my belt, and having a blast!

Bought a 87 944 Turbo and trying to sort out the suspension from a car that was cobbled together.
Then I can work on what’s between my ears!!! I have been reading…

Here goes.
87 944 Turbo
Front has coilover with 300 lb springs
What look like MO30 sway bar.

Rear looks stock other than a 18mm sway bar and yellow Konis.

With the 300 lb front spring, the back seems to float/soft.

I am thinking about getting a 5 way adjustable sway bar from Lindsey to help even things up, or do I get bigger Torsion bar (A pain and more expense), not sure if what I have are stock (Assuming).

Not ready to spend money on rear coilovers.

FYI…Track Dog Car

JohnKoaWood

If the rear is floating, it may be caused by the rear Konis being set soft... only issue is they have to be detatched to be adjusted, and to properly do it you need to remove the bump stop from inside the top housing of the shock.

What type of coil over is on the front?

FWIW I installed my Koni sport front and rear (coil over front) to my NA this past weekend, with 300lb springs, and adjusted the damping on the front and rears to mid point (rears before install, so after alignment tuning was limited to fronts).. VERY nice feeling now, no rear end float..

I recommend you pull the rears, and adjust them, then tune the front damping to the feel you want. I'm willing to bet your rears were installed full soft!

jerome951

Good advice from John, especially if you're not ready to spend money on a suspension (and after only 3 DEs I'd advise you to postpone any suspension upgrades).

Trick to help remove and reinstall the lower shock bolt. Place a jack under the trailing arm at the shock mount point and put a little upward pressure on in. The arm drops down more than the shock (so shock is fully extended) at full droop which will put a side load on the shock bolt. Makes restarting the bolt darned near impossible.

Once the lower bolt is off, you should be able to remove the bump rubber from around the shock shaft then compress it fully to adjust (you have to hold it compressed to adjust). It should take quite a bit of effort to compress.

Scott H

I usually take the rears off to adjust, just because they're adjusted the same # of turns doesn't mean they're set the same. To fine tune press both shocks in, then release at the same time and compare the time it takes each to rebound. Muck around with them until they match.

GT3_Driver

That's a great idea.

I am assuming the fronts are Konis. see attached

JohnKoaWood

Your fronts are Bilsteins, and even if they are Esprit valved are significantly higher valving than Konis...

Your rears ARE Koni sports, remove them and set them full stiff for starters... that should get them close to the Bilstein valving..

FWIW, I just put Bilstein Escort cup front and rears on my 951, removing the Koni sports that then transfered to my 944...

AND I agree with Scott, much easier to adjust the Koni rears totally off the car...

gt37vgt

i think rear bilstein escorts are well worth the money but its a bit of an operation to remove the rear torsion bars ..

JohnKoaWood

Just plan on doing the ER poly bronze, and solid bushings at the same time... also perfect time to refinish the entire TB carrier!

GT3_Driver

Well, I consider myself
1 Blessed
2 Lucky
3 Smart... in that order

None of the above with my rear shocks.
Pulled them off, easy.
Both set 1/2 turn off of firmest setting.

What my next step?

I brought up the adjustable sway bar because it's easy, quick (Going to Barber in 2 weeks!!!) and cheap.

I just want a balanced car while I'm learning to drive.

JohnKoaWood

Find a set of used rear Bilsteins to match the front, or get a set of used Konis for the front to match the rear..

The valving of the front vs rear DOES make a huge difference in the handling of the car, I just reballanced my Konis after installing them to my 944... car handles like a dream now. Took some trial and effort, but got the fronts dialed down to almost completely eliminate over / under steer... and this with 300lb springs on the front!

David Floyd

I will be there on Sunday the 27th, Car #114

Don't forget about a wheel alignment

My car is a little floaty under hard braking also

Koni Yellow front and rear
200lb front springs
Mo30 sways front and rear

Going to pull my rear shocks and stiffen them, adjust the rear sway to a stiffer setting, then alignment

Front
-1 1/4 camber
1/16 toe in
3 deg caster

Rear
-1 1/2 camber
1/16 toe in

Still more of a street car for now, so I think these setting my be ok.

GT3_Driver

PM send David