I'm in St. Charles and work in West Chicago, IL.

Are 400# springs stiff enough? More than one person has told me they are running 800# springs(!!!)

Ran the Midwestern Council event at Blackhawk Farms yesterday, the first time I've been out in 5 years and the first time the car has run in 4 years. Man, do 27 year old suspension bushings suck! After the Spec Miata this thing rolls and moves all over the place and gives no feedback whatsoever.

At least the engine and brakes are great!

Lance

LanceR wrote:


It depends on the rear torsion bars.

944 spec cars are limited to 30 mm t-bars. This is about 330lbs-in wheel rate. So to create balance we run about 350-400 in front. We can by rule run 800lbs front springs, but the stock koni's won't work with those rates and given out rear limitations it would create poor handling car.

Now I know ITS rules allow only t-bars in the rear. I believe max t-bar you can stuff in 944 is 34 mm and that is 600lbs inch I believe. So even at that rate 800lbs will not work well I believe.


Now for us our cars at 2600-2700lbs with driver as most are raced work well woth upper 300's lower 400lbs range for springs. Balance is good the body motions are well controlled. If we went any stiffer we would not be able to run the off the shelf Koni shocks we do know. That would incease the cost of class and even if it makes us 0.5 seconds faster it would make the cars any more fun to drive. So we stay with something that works well given the proce points we are looking at.

Hello Joe!

What have you found to be about the best balance between the front and rear spring rates (60/40%)?

Lance

....he could tell you...but he'd have to kill you....

He can send me a private message at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , I'm sworn to secrecy.

If he tells me he gets one wave-by...but only one!

On Sunday I ran in a group with almost 40 Miatas, I need all the help I can get so I'm pleading!

Lance

Lance, we can only speak from our experience within our 944 Spec rules.
Staying close to even F/R in a car with 50/50 weight distribution makes sense, though.

A few other things to consider:

A well set up 944 Spec will be very close to a good Spec Miata. At Blackhawk Farms, the 944 Spec lap record is 123.7, Spec Miata is 123.8, both with national caliber drivers.

An 8V 944 has not been shown to be remotely competitive in ITS, now matter how stiff the spring rates, or exotic the shocks.

Given that, I'd stick with the proven, and cost effective 944 Spec set up.
We can help you dial that in, which is much more important than a mediocre set up on an exotic suspension, and a whole lot cheaper.

You can still be competitive with the Spec Miatas, if that's who you're after, and you can cross over with 944 Spec at NASA events, including BHFR, where you'll fit right in (the SM may not welcome you getting in the middle of the pointy end of their races so much).