Menu toggle

KW suspension 1 week on!

montoya

New member


It has been a week now since I got my 944 back from Promax, after having the KW suspension and Wilwood brake kit upgrade along with new brake and fuel lines fitted. The handling of the car has been transformed, the ride is firm but controlled no wallowing after going over bumps and no axle tramp or wheel spin when accelerating hard out of tight low speed corners. Higher speed cornering seems much more surefooted and direct, before the car seemed to feel slightly vague needing continual steering corrections on long sweeping corners. The Wilwood brakes are a good improvement over the standard floating callipers, very powerful but, progressive with a nice feel.

The service I received from Andy & Roger at Promax was first rate (Thank You), I would recommend anyone thinking of fitting new suspension to there 944 to seriously consider the KW route provided by Promax it really has changed my car and it's only a 2.7Lux. [:D]
 
Good to hear of another satisfied KW user. The increase in the cars cornering capabilities is frightening. I have found that on corners well known to me I am able to take them significantly faster and in fact I have bottled it in terms of testing what the limits are on the road - i'll leave all that to the track. They really are a fantastic bit of kit.

By the way don't forget to check your headlight adjustment. The slightly nose-down attitude Promax set your car to (well they did with mine and Paul Hilux's) means that your headlights are pointing too far down. Mine were and needed a small tweak.

Also make sure you do take it back for the alignment check after the 1000mile or so mark. Mine had settled in a bit and needed a slight tweak.
 
Hi TTM,
Yes I am still using torsion bars.

Hi Scott,
Thank you for the headlight reminder, Promax have set the nose slightly down on mine as well. Also my cornering speeds have shot up alarming particularly in one instance! At first I thought my driving abilities had improved vastly overnight, but no you have confirmed it's the suspension.

Hi 333pg333,
The Wilwood front brake upgrade from Promax replaces the cast single piston floating callipers as originally fitted with a larger 4 piston design from America bolted on using adaptor brackets that still fit inside standard 15" wheels, I think Promax do a bigger version for Turbo cars but have no idea what improvement they are over standard.
 
Thanks Montoya, it's just that I'd heard of the name Wilwood recently regards brakes but it was to do with a bias valve I believe. I'm looking at further upgrades to my car so my ears pricked up when you mentioned the W name.
 
I have the same set-up as montoya, on a 924S, for a year now. Only slight difference are Racer's Edge top mounts, which allow a bit more experimentation with front camber/caster.

Interesting that the cars came nose down from Promax. JZ Machtech set up my car the same. After some research on Pelican, Pistonheads and Rennlist, I assume that this is because it is such a PITA to re-index the rear torsion bar, so that the car is lower and level (ie do the job properly). After a couple of track days, I have raised the nose of the car to make the car more level & kill some turn in understeer. Eventually, re-indexing the rear seems to be the only solution.

Regarding the Wilwoods, they're a neat piece of kit. The pad area is only marginally larger than standard, so there is no real need to adjust front to rear bias. The main advantages are that pads can be changed in about 20 seconds a side, and they are about 9 lb lighter a side than the standard single pot 944lux/924S brakes. That's a lot of unsprung weight off in one blow!
 
JZ Machtech set up my car the same. After some research on Pelican, Pistonheads and Rennlist, I assume that this is because it is such a PITA to re-index the rear torsion bar, so that the car is lower and level (ie do the job properly). After a couple of track days, I have raised the nose of the car to make the car more level & kill some turn in understeer. Eventually, re-indexing the rear seems to be the only solution.

I believe you may have misunderstood.

Scotts car (and mine) are lowered all around. The nose down attitude is only nominal 10mm which I believe is a proven benefit to handling. Both our cars (and I assume others) have had the TB reindexed.

Mine is shown below.

D875C105FABD4FFCAEE44D3E1541C525.jpg
 
Paul,
I made an incorrect assumption that your TB has not been re-indexed (as mine hasn't): Apologies!

I am surprised that the correct 944 attitude is nose down, various sources, including some people who race 944s, seemed to imply that level, or even rear down is beneficial in reducing rear squat. But then that's the main reason I splashed out on the KW V3, so I could experiment, change settings, feel what works for me, and then check with a stop watch in case I'm fooling myself (again). Re-indexing is firmly on the list for me though, as I am at the limit as to what the concentric nut adjustment at the rear can give.

JaseB: Re the low nose causing understeer, whilst some pretty odd geometry changes take place when the nose is lowered too far with standard a arms (at present, I'm running 1986 944T standard aluminium front a arms), I would guess that the effect I had was due the KW3 helper springs were so compressed as to effectively raise the front spring rate.
 
Well I had my TB's replaced and upgraded with M030 ones so the rear was set up to the desired setting. The nose down attitude is not standard setup which is probably dead level, I believe it is a track-derrived setup. I'm not sure exactly how it benefits the handling I had assumed it was maybe to make the car more stable under braking by reducing the effect of weight transfer under braking - but this is only a wild guess on my part. I'm not sure how a nose down attitude would effect understeer - you still have the same weight distribution.

I've also got the Racers edge camber plates but my passenger side one seems to have developed a slight knock. It only happens at low speed when I drive my car into the garage and there is a half inch step. I don't get it over speed bumps, potholes or at any other time or speed - just when i'm driving the car into the garage. It definately sounds like it is coming from the top plate rather than under the car. I'll be getting it checked out soon.

Tam - The front suspension makes noises when I am manouvering the car at slow speeds like in a car park. I have heard about cars fitted with solid bearinged top mounts making noises and I have also checked with Fen who has KW v3 with come form of similar camber plates and he said his car made noises as well and, Promax seem to think it is due to the camber plates so I think it is normal for this type of setup. Does your car do the same? - by the way i'm not talking about the slight knock mentioned in the previous paragraph.
 
Hi Scott
The people who do most of the work on my car, Promotasport near Royston, had a damn good look at the front, as I hate creaks, bangs or odd noises: That's why I decided to stick to Porsches, for Pete's sake!
The noises were, in order of severity:
1) Left a arm ball joint knackered (the noise started as a gentle knock at low speed, then became noticeable over any obstruction) Sorted via replacement A arm from Hartech. Long term need to find which is the best billet/replacement a arm, but that's, hopefully, far down the line of needed investments.
2) Due to low ride-height at front, there was some binding of the helper spring, leading to a subtle creak at low speed. Raised ride-height, compressed main spring, twiddled with helper spring until there was less pre-load.
3) Tap knocking (bit as you described) was to my shame the top nut on the strut working loose. Retorqued by Promotasport, and the noise is gone. Am now checking that nut regularly with torque wrench.
The car is, for once, silent. Well, apart from a whine from torque tube or gearbox, but that's a different story...
 

Posts made and opinions expressed are those of the individual forum members

Use of the Forum is subject to the Terms and Conditions

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily those of the Club, who shall have no liability in respect of them or the accuracy of the content. The Club assumes no responsibility for any effects arising from errors or omissions.

Porsche Club Great Britain gives no warranties, guarantees or assurances and makes no representations or recommendations regarding any goods or services advertised on this site. It is the responsibility of visitors to satisfy themselves that goods and/or services supplied by any advertiser are bona fide and in no instance can the Porsche Club Great Britain be held responsible.

When responding to advertisements please ensure that you satisfy yourself of any applicable call charges on numbers not prefixed by usual "landline" STD Codes. Information can be obtained from the operator or the white pages. Before giving out ANY information regarding cars, or any other items for sale, please satisfy yourself that any potential purchaser is bona fide.

Directors of the Board of Porsche Club GB, Club Office Staff, Register Secretaries and Regional Organisers are often requested by Club members to provide information on matters connected with their cars and other matters referred to in the Club Rules. Such information, advice and assistance provided by such persons is given in good faith and is based on the personal experience and knowledge of the individual concerned.

Neither Porsche Club GB, nor any of the aforementioned, shall be under any liability in respect of any such information, advice or assistance given to members. Members are advised to consult qualified specialists for information, advice and assistance on matters connected with their cars at all times.

Back
Top