Why is my front end so light?

eurocarrera · 04-28-2003, 11:00 AM

I was out drivign yesterday, and I really notced that the front of the car was just really light and "jerky" from left to right - almost like there was too much weight in the back of the car.

Is this Oversteer?

A few months back, I did the following to the car:
* Turbo tie rods
* ball joints
* Sport shocks Front and rear
* 22 and 28 torsions bars
* front wheel bearings

I checked the tire pressure, and I was running 34F, and 39R when hot

Could this be because I forgot to do the bump steer kit?

I also just went out and grabbed my wheel from the top and shook it back and forth - a little play on both sides, but I am sure the bearings are tight.

Rot 911 · 04-28-2003, 11:22 AM

Sounds like too much toe out to me. You need to realign the front end.

ChrisBennet · ChrisBennet's Garage

Your engine may have been stolen. Pop the front hood and check.

Did you get it aligned after you did that stuff? Maybe they got the toe wrong or maybe you are running gobs of negative camber.
-Chris

dad911 · 04-28-2003, 11:29 AM

Check toe-in from tie rod change. Toe out in front end will make car feel 'darty' & not track straight.

88911coupe · 04-28-2003, 11:35 AM

Not that this is necessarily the problem but isn't that pressure a little high on the front tires, relative to the back? My 88 is suppose to be 29/36 front/rear.

Bones · Bones's Garage

front tyre pressures are too high plus an alignment check is needed

eurocarrera · 04-28-2003, 11:42 AM

Thanks for the prompt replies everyone.

Yes, I did have it aligned by a shop that "High Performance House" in Redwood City, CA. recommended - the name is Precision Alinement. If I need to align it again, I think I will save up the money and do the Bronze bushings and the bump steer kit - THE squeaky noise is killing me.

Can anyone recommend a good shop to than have it aligned and corner balanced at?

dtw · 04-28-2003, 11:43 AM

Broken rear sway mount?

jabb · 04-28-2003, 11:47 AM

Do u have a tail on the back of the car.... if u do u need a front chin spoiler also.....

ZCAT3 · 04-28-2003, 11:53 AM

Bill - Where is the suqeak coming from? If it is the front fender area that is likely the torsion bar cap. There is an easy fix for that. I can recommend CT Automotive in Campbell. They can fix the squeak in an hour or so (if it is what I think) and give you a free assessment of the alignment.

eurocarrera · 04-28-2003, 12:08 PM

DTW, I just checked the rear sway bar mounts the other day when I was chnging out the tranny fluid.

ZCAT3, the squeak is the definatley the front torsion bar bushings - I replaced the rubber ones with Poly

Jabb, I have a front chin spolier, but no tail - do you think that would affect the fron end that much?

ZCAT3 · 04-28-2003, 12:23 PM

Bill - this can be fixed by welding some extra metal onto the torsion bar cap. I had the same squeak in both my 930 and 911 and it drove me nuts. CT Automotive fixed it for $100.

dtw · 04-28-2003, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by eurocarrera
Jabb, I have a front chin spolier, but no tail - do you think that would affect the fron end that much?

I don't think you'd note the effects of this at around-town speeds. It is considered serious faux-pas (and dangerous) if you plan on high-speed driving. Delete the spoiler or add a tail if you want to do some DEs or time trials etc. .

ChrisBennet · ChrisBennet's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by dtw
I don't think you'd note the effects of this at around-town speeds. It is considered serious faux-pas (and dangerous) if you plan on high-speed driving. Delete the spoiler or add a tail if you want to do some DEs or time trials etc. .

I thought it was OK to have the front spoiler without the rear. Weren't some cars delivered this way from the factory?
-Chris

911pcars · 04-28-2003, 02:29 PM

The complaint is front end lift, not rear end lift. The front lip should help plant the front end so don't remove it. Try lowering the front tire pressure as suggested and see if it makes any difference. What is the front end ride height? What vehicle speed do you notice this lightness? What were your alignment specs (caster specifically)?

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

Formerly Steve Wilkinson · 04-28-2003, 02:37 PM

Chris is absolutely right. There is no need to delete anything, unless you have a rear wing and no front air-dam lip (spoiler, as people keep calling it...), then you remove the rear wing. A front "spoiler" without the rear wing is better but not best. For what it's worth, I can, as a car writer, remember having driven factory-supplied assumedly "perfect" 911s of that era that vividly demonstrated the identical characteristic at high speeds.

Stephan

eurocarrera · 04-28-2003, 02:59 PM

Hmm, we is this something that a stiffer sway bar would fix than? It sounds like a I may have an alignment problem as well as one of the bars being too small

Don Wohlfarth · 03:29 PM

Check your ride height, front to back. You may not have enough weight on the front end. You want the nose to droop about 1/2 in. Lower your tire pressures about 4-5 pounds.
See if you still have your problem. Next thing to check is alignment.
22/28 t bars shouldn't be giving you this problem. Leave them alone.

dad911 · 04-28-2003, 03:28 PM

I think you need to be more specific with the symptoms. Is it wanderring/darty in a straight line? That would be a toe/alignment issue. If it is an oversteer/understeer issue, you would notice it in the turns, and at the 'limits' of handling. Front/rear wing would be an issue at high speeds. Are all of the tires same brand & in the same condition?