upgrade 944 na to turbo front brakes

[P944GUY]

I am gettting ready and have all the parts for upgrading the front brakes to the turbo calipers, I've seen some posts where someone has said you need to change the strut and some say just the steering knuckle.......Can anyone tell me for sure if I have to change the struts in addition to the steering knuckle when I upgrade to front 4 piston/ turbo calipers..I have the turbo steering knuckle, dust shield, rotors, (hubs are same for all years).... and the bolt holes for the struts (compared to my non turbo knuckle) are exact match..I don't know if there would be an issue with anything on the turbo strut housing ?? I thought the only difference in the strut housings is that the turbo struts have extra mounting points for brake cooling plates.. I hate to get into it and all disassembled and find out I need turbo struts..I have upgraded my na strut shocks to the Koni retrofit kit and weltmeister lowering springs..

Someone who has done this upgrade please advise...thanks jeff..pic is of my rear calipers and dust shield after painted fronts are same color...G2 paint caliper paint....

[9FF]

The na strut mounting holes do no match a turbo spindle. Some people modify the strut lower mount to fit but the ideal solution is turbo struts. To do the conversion properly you need at the front: turbo- struts, spindles, calipers, rotors, backing plates, flex brake lines, prop valve and at the rear: turbo- caliper spacers, calipers, brake hardlines, rotors and backing plates. One thing I am not sure about is the master cylinder and whether the turbo uses a different piston size in there to match the calipers.

What year is your na? If it's 87on make sure you get late offset turbo spindles and if its to 86 only the 86 turbo spindles will fit.

[P944GUY]

Ok..I'll have to run down to the junk yard and compare struts..I measured the holes in the turbo knuckle (top-bottom) are identical..do you mean maybe in the adjustment say from side to side when you are doing an alignment ?...I am going to get the brake pressure bias valve (5/17 or 5/33 ) for the master cylinder for the rears....if i have to get new struts and master cylinder that's gonna be pricey.....yes i have the late knuckles..mines and 87

[9FF]

The holes in the two types of spindles for the strut mount are either 58mm or 62mm apart and they are different thicknesses also.

[Cocacolakidd]

NA Master cylinder will work well just add brake regulator valve 5|17 (5|33 for Turbo S or Big Reds).

Need to switch out to Turbo Struts because the mounting holes and the mounted angle to the spindle is different.

[BrianMac]

Wow. I am looking to do the same conversion. I currently have a 1985.5 944 NA with stock 15" phone dials. I am looking to upgrade the wheels to a 16" or 17" and thought of going to the turbo calipers as well. I would welcome some help as well for exactly what is needed to convert successfully....I have no experience with a project such as this. I planned on gathering all parts and having my mechanic do the work. Any help is appreciated...thanks in advance.
-Brian

[Cocacolakidd]

All is mentioned in this thread. Just follow what every one is doing.

Turbo Spindles/knuckles, turbo calipers, turbo rotors, Turbo 5|17 brake regulator valve, new pads, new brake wear sensors, Turbo Struts, and maybe even new brake lines (Old brake lines may be fine, or not). Use your old hubs as all of them are the same.

If you have an early car 83 to 86 get parts from an '86 Turbo. If you have a late car '87 and up get parts from '87 Turbo and up.

'87 Turbo calipers will fit the early spindles, and they have the larger pistons (40mm and 36mm). So any of the Turbo Calipers will work on any Turbo Spindle, except for the '88 Turbo S and '89 Turbo which have different radial mounts for calipers and larger yet rotors.

16" rims or larger are a must or calipers will not fit inside rims.

[phoenix_iii]

paragon has a kit, look at the description (I think). NA to Turbo brakes.

[P944GUY]

OK..thanks for all the help...have the calipers and associated parts, rotors, dust shields, brake pressure valve, shorter steel brake line for the pressure valve on mc, turbo steering knuckles--hubs are same as na, now just need some turbo struts (thanks for clarifying that I would have gotten it all torn down and been stuck)..So now i'm thinking that..if I got a set of turbo stut housings (with bad shocks) I could do the KONI rebuild (for sealed units) and put the KONI inserts that I did on my na struts and keep my lowering springs..So who's got a set of bad 944 turbo strut housings that I can rebuild for cheap....... I checked on KONI site and looks to be same insert for sealed strut

[333pg333]

Even though it is nice on a bling level, it might be overkill on an n/a. Have you modified your n/a or does it currently run out of brakes? Remember you will have more unsprung weight and extra inertia from those larger rotors (assuming they're larger?) to contend with. Might have more understeer. I'm not speaking from direct experience on your particular conversion, just in theory.

[Rasta Monsta]

Rotors are slightly larger, but calipers are WAY lighter. I am guessing it is a wash.

[junjun11]

Originally Posted by P944GUY

OK..thanks for all the help...have the calipers and associated parts, rotors, dust shields, brake pressure valve, shorter steel brake line for the pressure valve on mc, turbo steering knuckles--hubs are same as na, now just need some turbo struts (thanks for clarifying that I would have gotten it all torn down and been stuck)..So now i'm thinking that..if I got a set of turbo stut housings (with bad shocks) I could do the KONI rebuild (for sealed units) and put the KONI inserts that I did on my na struts and keep my lowering springs..So who's got a set of bad 944 turbo strut housings that I can rebuild for cheap....... I checked on KONI site and looks to be same insert for sealed strut

P944GUY,
Does the NA steering knuckle have same caliper mounting holes with the TURBO knuckle? If so, why not just mount the TURBO calipers on the NA knuckles and use TURBO rotors? hence, no need to change the struts...

[very~worn~944]

We run the turbo front brakes on our lightened but otherwise stock n/a endurance 44 (lemons). What we notice during endurance racing is endless confidence in the brakes, and WAY less pad wear. We've never come close to brake fade or rotor warping, even after 24 hours straight!

[9FF]

Originally Posted by junjun11

P944GUY,
Does the NA steering knuckle have same caliper mounting holes with the TURBO knuckle? If so, why not just mount the TURBO calipers on the NA knuckles and use TURBO rotors? hence, no need to change the struts...

Both caliper mounting holes and strut mounting lug are different. Also the na brake sheilds are too small for the turbo rotors.

[Gawernator]

What about that big brake upgrade from Rennbay that's bolt on?

[9FF]

Originally Posted by Gawernator

What about that big brake upgrade from Rennbay that's bolt on?

The op has the turbo brakes and just wants to know the parts to fit his na. The Rennbay front brake Willwood capliers for the na is not a "big brake upgrade", uses the same rotors as the na, wereas turbo rotors are bigger.

[Gawernator]

Aha. Are the Wilwood calipers worth the money?

[xsboost90]

we ran stock n/a calipers/rotors with hawk blue/hp+ pads in chumpcar for numerous 24 hours races- outbraked pretty much everything on the track and only had to swap the pads once in three years- and they werent quite dead. If you do the turbo front pads, you prob. wont need the proportioning valve since your rear brakes are still pretty small- only with the larger rears do you need to slow some flow to the rear.

[9FF]

Aha. Are the Wilwood calipers worth the money?

imo no, but some people like them because they fit under 15" wheels.

[Gawernator]

I see. I have 16" Fuchs