22mm weltmeister bars

[steveW]

I got a set of front and rear 22mm anti-roll bars (sway bars to you funny lot) for a bargain, but have some questions.

My 2.2T has a std 15mm rear, but nothing at the front, so I've only fitted the new front bar. Obviously this will cure my car's tail happy nature to a degree, but what else can I expect? The car is std apart from 7" rear wheel with 205/60 X 15 and 6" fronts with 205/55 X 15.

I haven't yet driven the car in anger - actually I've only done about 2km since it was fitted.

Cheers

[steveW]

I drove it in anger today (on the street), and it does feel rather different. I set the bars about halfway, but already I've noticed understeer - I think I need to go softer or hurry up and get some new bushes so I can fit the rear bar.

[Tspringer]

Are you running any kind of rear wing? Thats critical to the rear bar question.

Take this for what its worth: I was at Jack Lewis's shop here in Atlanta recently and looked over a pair of 2.0 '70 911S racecars. These are full bore racers, stripped, light as can be and over 230hp. They run race tires. Jack is VERY Fast in one of them. He laps Road Atlanta in 1.41 in his car.... the best my stock body 933 ever turned with me at the wheel was 1.46.

Jack runs no rear bar at all. He runs a 22mm front bar, urethane bushings and sets to somewhat stiff.

Stiff = less grip but more control. Soft = more grip but less control. A 911 oversteers naturally due to engine location. You can gain more understeer plus better turn in and overall control with a good front bar. A rear bar will take away treasured rear grip but control benefits may be minimal.

My '69 911S with a 2.7RS engine is being set up for track, autocross and street use in that order of priority. I want this car to handle like a racecar. I plan on keeping the stock rear bar, with the old and somewhat worn original rubber bushings and see how it handles when all else is done. If it oversteers on the limit... then I will remove the bar completely.

[steveW]

Thanks for the info.

The car is stock apart from an 'S' type front bumper and the heavy seats replaced with lightweight stuff.

It was raining today, otherwise I was going to set the front bar on full soft and play with tyre pressures a bit. I also need to do cambers and alignment, but before I do that I need to replace all the suspension bushes and perhaps rear shocks - I'm pretty sure I used to get a bit of rear wheel steering because of worn bushes.

I want a car thats useable on both street and track as it is my only car at the moment - my wife's got a Fiat 1200 Palio, but you can't really call that a car!

[Green 912]

The torsion bars are critical to your setup. 22MM roll bars are very stiff bars. Without the correct torsion bars all you will get is a car with some bad habits regardless of how you set the sways. The most dramatic and positive improvement you can make is sticky tires and increasing the spring rate. Sway bars are often erroneously added/ increased as they are a bolt on “improvement” and torsion bars take a bit of work. Don’t fall into the bigger is better trap! The car with no rear bar probably has monster torsion bars in it.

[steveW]

Thanks Green912,

I agree and I'm pretty sure mine still has the original bars (they seem pretty soft), but I'm not sure where to start with sizes.

So far I can imagine my front wheel will be waving in the air every time I pitch the car into a corner - should look cool. tail out, inside front wheel way off the ground!

[Tspringer]

the comments RE torsion bars are right on. Jack is running 30mm rear bars. I am planning on running 30mm on my car in the rear as well.