Early 944 brakes versus late 944 brakes

[Pillow]

I am debating the different or benefit of the early 944 brakes with single pot sliders to the later 86+ brakes off a 944.

I am very familiar with the early setup and it is very easy to rebuild on put on.

I will be getting a '87 944 for parts and am just wondering if I should stick with what I know or go ahead and keep the later big caliper brakes.

My guess is that they all line up about the same...?

This is for a '56 Oval on an IRS pan. ALuminum arms, 944 rear sway bar, blah blah blah - the works. Rolling 6"&7" Phones from the '87... Basically similar to Mike Ghias car, granted hopefully different enough not to have a look alike car as it is not my goal at all.

Thanks,

[Pillow]

Nice! I am a "GL Newbie"!

New forums kill my credibility ;)

[Alex]

I would stick to what you get. I never knew about a Porsche conversion with the later style brakes until Sandeep did it.

I think the 87 and up hub is a much better design......bolting on the disk from the front helps a lot. This makes it also very easy to use the hub for bigger brakes like 993 TT since you can buy hats to compensate the track increase. The original 993TT disks bolts right on as far as I know.

I am not sure about the rear though. I think the disk offset is a lot bigger. Didn't Porsche integrate the spacer they used to have in the 944s after 86? If yes this would make it a little more tricky with choosing the proper rims with the right offset.

Alex

[Pillow]

I like the newer design on the rotor placement as well. I hate taking the hubs off just to change the rotors :( Same way on my 911.

Interesting point on the built in rear spacer instead of the earlier design... Worst case I will just drop the aluminum arm idea and use the 944 stubs and rear brakes bolted up to the stock VW IRS arms.

Bottom line, the German metal fenders will stay and I will hack the suspension to fit accordingly. I fear the front axle will need shortened a bit as well. I may have to do some fabrication to get the rear swaybar installed though if I stick with the stock arms.

Rome was not built in a day. Whatever I do not need will end up FS here anyway. Hell I do not even have the cars yet!

I just read Sandeep's article and it seems possible, just with some custom fabricating here and there.

[Andy White]

Hi,

I fitted pre 86 944 Turbo rotors and later calipers to my ball joint front end. It widens the track by 26mm either side even with stock spindles so I had to narrow the beam by 2 inches. I bolted up 7.5j 52ET Porsche wheels without a spacer and everything fits beautifully. No rubbing and the front is very low. With the later 944 rotor setup the hats increase the track even more. You may have to narrow your beam by 2.5 inches and do some minor bodywork to the inner wings.

As for the back... The 944 brake conversion and IRS has increased my track width by about and inch either side. Even with 52ET (maximum offset for my Porsche rims) the rear wheels won't fit under stock arches. I'm going to have to cut and shut the rear trailing arms and have the axles shortened. Again the later brakes increase the width even more if i'm not mistaken.

At the end of the day it's your choice, but it's going to be harder to fit the later parts under stock wings.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Andy.

[Pillow]

Lots more thinking...

I have no problem cutting the front beam so that will be okay.

The rear will be the problem... Should I go stock fenders and compromise the 944 system in the rear? Or go for the 911 Turbo look with a fat (wide) rear end? I imagine 2" wider on the rear fenders, basically fiberglass ones.

Sometimes the "fat look" does not look that good... I am stumped.

I will have to talk to the car and see what it tries to tell me.. Call me crazy but each car has a distinct personality you need to be in tune with for a project to go right.

Thanks,

[Bloke]

Hey Pillow,

You could try and contact California Import Parts, they used to advertise narrowed rear control arms for IRS. I haven't seen them advertised in a while, but I'm sure they would have an idea whats involved if there no longer available.

Bloke

[Pillow]

Thanks Bloke,

I am just going to keep the 944 aluminum arms are see what happens. If it sucks I will try something else.

[chigger]

The aluminum arms increase the rear width but the steel arms don't. If you just have to have them Probably the widened fenders is the easiest way to go.

[Jim Andritsakos]

Hello guys,

First 951 production year is 1986
No 944 came with 4 piston calipers from factory.
Rear alloy arms increase the width by 26 mm (1986) and by 60 mm (1987+).I recommend you to buy some glass fenders if you want to go with the alloy arms ar ot use the steel arms to retain the stock fenders.You can easily put even a 993TT rear rotor (322x28) in the steel arms and the only is needed is a brake caliper spacer.Also keep in mind that 1986 951s rear arms require 23.3 offset wheels and later 50/52...

Rgds,

[Pillow]

Great info Jim!

It looks like I will just stick with the steal arms to keep a "thin" car. Sounds lame but I like metal fenders.

Thanks,