944 trailing arms, why?

[Natefank]

why does everyone use the 944 trailing arms? is it cuz they already have the disk brakes? thanx

[Bug@5speed(US)]

Sometimes:
- for increase track.
- easier to adapt Porsche brakes
- different PCD for wheels due to the 944 stub axles.

Comes to mind.
VR
Alex

[evilC]

And the alloy ones look pretty!

[Jim]

lightweight

[flat]

Originally Posted by Jim

lightweight

not sure on that one.... I've been meaning to scale the alu arms compared to the VW/944 steel ones. I'll try and do that and get back with some hard numbers.

Lanner

[Jim]

That would be very interesting Lanner! Always i was wondering if the Alu arms were lighter than the steel.

[evilC]

I've got a gut feel that the alloy arms are actually heavier! The beefy size of them plus the extra connecting bolts all adds up to a noticeable extra IMO. But there again I might have been comparing some seriously rust bug trailing that had rotted away some weight. I would be interested in the results.

Clive

[ricola]

There's a big thread on comparing the weights on the french gl forum. Assembled with brakes, they are about the same...

[Simon]

944 aluminum-alloy with bumpstop 6,816 kg
944 aluminum-alloy without bumpstop 6,810 kg
(these are the 2 different styles of alumium-alloy trailing arms, not the same arms with the bumpstop removed!)

Both measured with the wheel-bearing (800g) and the stock 944 inner bushing in place.

I haven't measured my stock trailing arms yet, since I'm too lazy to disassemble the drum-brakes :P

The difference will mainly depend on the brakes you want to run.

Some more weights here (in Dutch):
http://www.keversite.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17066

[Natefank]

so then the main reason is the brakes?

[chug_A_bug]

and for the exra 25mm track

[jmd]

that is why I did it... brakes and width addition.

[Jim]

Anyone with the weight differences between steel and aluminium???

[Steve C]

Hi

I put steel arms and brakes on my daily 1303 to increase the rear track, I'm using 17x7 55 ET wheels and the track increase from the steel 944 arms worked out just right so I don't need spacers.

On my other 1303 I have alloy arms, I measured drum face to drum face on my 1303 which had type 3 rear drums, it measured 1405 mm when I fitted 86 alloy arms it now measures 1490 mm face to face. The CV bolt flange is about 10 inches (5 inches per side) further out, but owing to the short 86 stub axle length I didn't get a 10-inch increase in track.

Steve

Steve

[zen]

I have late ali arms.

Reasons:
Track width needed to avoid spacers for the rims I had picked.
I had picked Porsche rims making the bolt pattern automatic.
Brake conversion is a no brainer.
Most other VW people aren't doing it.