911SC Torsion Bar Question

[vlindell]

I have a 1982 911SC and one of the torsion bars has snapped in the front and I am going to replace both of them. My 911 is a daily driver and I never track it and consequently I prefer to have a more smoother ride. I don't know if I should go with the OEM 18mm stock bars. I kind of like the design of the Weltmeister 21.6mm bars. Would the 21.6mm bars be noticeably stiffer and ride harsher.

Thanks,

Mike

[ianc]

They will be noticeable stiffer, yes. Ride will really not be that much harsher, but some, yes.

You will need to plan on doing the rear bars in the very near future to give the car back its proper balance again.

You'll probably want new shocks. And you might think about bushings as well...

ianc

[Peter Bull]

If you plan to go for the stiffer option, you should change the rear bars as well. Otherwise your car will be very understeered.

/Peter

[AirCooledExcellence]

Yep, like Peter says!

You want it hard at the back and soft in the front otherwise you'll be understeering all over the place. I'm replacing my bars soon and have gone for 21 / 29.

If you don't want to do the rears as well then I would stick to the stock bars.

Cheers,

Tim.

[rfuerst911sc]

And you'll want to replace those old suspension bushings while you're in there.Would'nt hurt to do turbo tie rod ends and balljoints and your front end will be good as new for a long time.

[Walt Fricke]

Or ask on the list who lives near you and has a set of stock T bars cluttering up their garage that they would give you. I bet you'd find takers.

Then you can get back on the road and take your time mulling over the many combinations and permutations you can go through to improve handling performance (and degrade ride comfort, usually). As you can see, you'll get no end of advice on this subject if you ask.

The suspension bushing replacement idea is worth considering in any event. Ask yourself why a torsion bar snapped. This isn't all that common, though it does happen. I think it may happen because the bushings sag enough that the bar itself rubs a little. Just enough to wear through the protective paint. Then a little moisture can start the rust process, which acts as a stress riser. And the OD of a T bar is where the greatest stresses are, methinks. But maybe there is something else that causes this, especially with the thinner stock bars.

Walt (not nearby or I'd give you the bars from my '77 I took out in '86)

[Superman]

If this were my problem, and if I wanted to just restore the stock system, or if I just wanted to buy some time, I would not hesitate to source some cheap (and maybe free) stock bars lying around in someone's garage. I would get the cheap hard rubber (I would stay away from the HARD plastic ones, but instead go with the "street hardness" units) bushings for the front. It would not take long to get the old bars out, replace the bushings and get the bars in. I would not modify the bushings. I would slather then with silicon grease and just bolt them in. Sticktion-shmicktion.

It would take me a couple of hours and not much money. Of course, while you are in there it would be good to also replace shocks, ball joints, etc. But the bars and four bushings would, by themselves, make your car drive better. New shocks would make it drive WAY better.