Looking for a good suspension setup

[WaFfscles]

So, I am looking to upgrade my suspension on my 84 944 this summer and am starting to research. So far Koni's look to be my best option for shock absorbers. But i dont know a ton about suspension and have some simple questions to ask. I am going to need new shocks for sure all around my car, but i also want to lower the ride height a little while im at it. So i guess i am looking for a coil over kit for the front and rear of the car as well as shocks. Does anyone know of a good setup with these parts? how about a good coil over kit that they have come across? I am obviously looking for the lowest prices i can find, and have found a few places where i can get all four shocks for about $580. I know koni has coil over and shock combo kits, but they seem too pricy. Anyone know a good site to find Adjustable Koni Sports? bascially i just need some info from the experts
What does it take to install new shocks?
Also how exactly is the rear suspension setup? I partially understand it , but can someone explain? Thanks in advance
Seth

[shikzachaser]

I just finished my 84 suspension. I have a thread going "well the project
is continuing". I did a lot of research before I started and went with the following:

Stage 1
Koni Yellows all around. Ground Control Adjustable coil overs in the front, lowered the back 3/4" by adjusting the cantilever bolt. This is a really common way to do it and costs you nothing. You don't get into torsion bar issues, etc. Limit is about 3/4". I found used 951 sway bars and put on Weltmeister bushings everywhere. While at it I went ahead and replaced the ball joints (cheap as they are basicly Golf parts on the 84), and wheel bearings.
I got the springs, shocks, and sway bars from Chris Ahrens @ speed-6-com for around eleven hundred. I've got another $500 in labor to include a 4 wheel alignment.

Stage 2:
I bought 17" Mille Miglia wheels from Tire Rack w/ Kumho 225X45X17 front and 255X40X17 rear for $1300 mounted and balanced. These wheels are great as they bolt right up to the old cars w/o having to use any kind of spacers. I bought Brembo drilled front rotors ($125 new on Ebay). Wilwood brakes ($750 and not necessary as I am not going to race). I bought stainless brake lines front and rear ($100 off Ebay)

Stage 3:
Currently finishing a Fiberwerks body kit, white gauges, stereo, misc stuff.

Completed:
3.0 crank, lowered compression, 951 head gasket, high output fuel pump, all new seals, gaskets, etc. New valves, supercharger being installed in the next two-three weeks. MSDS ceramic coated headers, MSD ignition, 2 extra injectors for the SC fuel requirements, variable wastegate, etc.
Motor: $10,000

Next winter:
951 transmission and limited slip differential. Heavy duty sach's clutch. Liquid intercooler to allow more boost.

These cars are additictive

Steve

84 944
91 C4
98 M3
00 Durango
06 Aprilia

[Tervuren]

Waf, the only real reason to go to coilovers in the rear is adjustibility, if you are looking for a tighter suspension setup, and aren't going to be continualy adjusting settings for the track, you probably don't need it, just a lot of cost.

[WaFfscles]

What are u suggesting i get? just coil overs in the front and koni's all around? I am racing autocross and will be doing that a lot lately thats kidna why i want coil overs. and if i can find a good deal on a kit then i might as well.

[theghosttanker]

If you are racing autocross then a coilover setup will move you into a different class, and if you are not experienced with several years of autocross under your belt., and also fairly rich, you DON'T want to be competing in that class. Especially since some wiseass in a datsun Z-car will embarass you......
In the stock class, you will be VERY competitive with the legal stock 944 suspension, which includes the adjustible Koni's. Stock 944's were, and are, just about the best handling cars EVER produced and you will have a ball autocrossing yours pretty much the way it is. It will take a couple years of competing, learning to adjust your shock rates and tire pressures, and, above all, PRACTICING before you will even want to consider modified classes. You will have an advantage in the stock class that you will lose as soon as you start competing in classes where aftermarket suspension setups are allowed. My modified z-cars are competitive with modified porsches but stock z-cars are hopeless against them. And z-cars cost a helluva lot less, and are easier to work on.
I suggest you get your stock suspension and tires in tip-top shape and jump into autocross as quick as you can, and as cheap as you can, and have a ball. Practice practice practice is more important than equipment. It will be years before you are limited by the capabilities of your car. Don't be tempted by the guys who always talk about buying stuff to go faster. Practice. It's very emarrassing to spend thousands of bux on a modification only to have some 50-year old in a scruffy lookin stock car beat you by four seconds without screeching a tire or hitting a cone.
By the way, when I say get into autox as cheap as you can, remember this is a relative term. Autox breaks cars. You will need money for maintenance, not mods. breaking Porsches costs more money than breaking just about anything else.....Practice is the most imortant mod, and one of the cheapest.

[WaFfscles]

Im already in a non-stock class, thanks to a K&N AIR filter.....

[Dave L]

take the filter out its useless anyways. I strongly agree with the gousttankers post and highly advise to stay in a stock class. If you are hell bent on doing well in AutoX and would like to modify you need to move up to a 968.

As far as suspension goes, I would start with replacing the shocks. the 944's are fairly softly sprung but they still are very well ballanced and work reasonably well.

To prepare for AutoXing my 944S. I have put on Toyo RA1's and have replaced every fluid, changed the timng belt and cam chain tensioner pad. My next step will be shocks, unfortunatly for me changing springs puts me into a class where I will be slaughtered (even more than ussual)

[944 boy]

With the right setup these cars are fast. I did a time trial last weekend and I was turning similar times to a few 944 turbos and 993/996 TT's. One guy showed up late with a GT3 on slicks and had a hard time pulling away. Obviously the better divers in the faster cars were up to 20 seconds faster, but the fact a perfectly set up 944 can turn that fast of a lap time is amazing. This is a car set up for the 944 spec series.