AX/Track suspension going in this week

[grantsfo]

Just got all my go fast suspension for my new Boxster Project from Brad Roberts at BRAG. KW Coilovers, GT3 front bar, Tarret rear bar, GT3 front control arms. Headed to shop now to have everything installed. Thanks again Brad for all your help!

Have a nice new set of BFG R1 tires to mount on 17" wheels as well.

This will be great fun as I have always wanted to do a killer Boxster project for AX and track duty! Next I have to figure out a powerplant for this car.

[blinkwatt]

Please tell me your picked up heavy duty drop links?

[Brad Roberts]

In 1999 on the first Cup cars brought to the USA, going into turn 8 at Willow Springs, we learned quickly that the stock GT3CUP drop links where JUNK

Yes. Years back we figured this out. DO NOT let your shop guy modify a stock drop link. They have plastic inserts and they MELT when you hit them with a MIG or TIG welder and will fail at a later date

Stay away from the TRG drop links. They break also. The heim they use is too small.

Grant has all good stuff, proven after years and years on the track with Cup cars and BoxsterSpec cars since Oct. of 05



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[Kirk]

Brad, nice to see you on here! I know you haven't been active the last few months, but it's good to see you back at it again. We need some Boxster Spec experts like you on this board. Some of us are interested in improving our rides for track days, DE, AutoX, but not necessarily for Boxster Spec racing. I hope you can help us all out.

So along these lines... what brand of drop links do you recommend then? Are the Tarett links any good? Don't they provide those as a part of the package with their rear bar?

Kirk

[Brad Roberts]

Hey Kirk

Been pretty busy finishing up some long term projects, plus spent time on a IMSA Challenge team running 2 08 GT3Cup cars and 2 07 GT3Cups cars. I like to keep my hands dirty with the latest from Porsche Motorsports. I hope to be on the Boxster forums a little bit more as the race season winds down a tad.

Tarett engineering has the proper drop links. I have bent one in an accident, but NEVER broken one. They are pricey, but they do not fail if properly installed and not in bind!



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[grantsfo]

Brad is one of the better suspension guys I have worked with over the years and he has seen many of these parts in actual use. He has saved me tons of money over the years with my 914 making reccomendations. Talking with him he has helped me in sorting out the best pieces for the Boxster and he has some great ideas as I start to develop this car into more of a dedicated track vehicle. I'm starting off rather tame as I cant bear to tear into this car yet but time will come.

[Kirk]

Brad, thanks for the good tip on the Tarett drop links.

What is your recommendation for sway bars? This would be for a street car that's sees some autocrosses and track days, but not full out racing.

I know the Boxster Spec guys lean towards the GT3 front bar and Tarett rear bar, but I suspect that may also be dictated by what's allowed in the rules. For example, they all run Bilstein PSS9's simply because what the rules allow is only Bilstein. The rules allow H&R, GT3, or Tarett bars only. But if you weren't constrained by those rules, which sway bars would you pick???

Any feedback is appreciated!

Kirk

[Brad Roberts]

We use the GT3 bar because it is adjustable! The H&R is not I worked VERY closely with Tarett to develop the 4 way rear bar he sells. Our initial testing started at Qualcomm with San Diego region AutoX's, then went to "Streets" of Willows and then onto the big track. He actually backed off on the wall thickness based on what we found and what others who had tested his rear bar had found.

I come from a "soft" spring, large amounts of roll control background. This typically works VERY well for newbies. The car's heavily sprung will tend to bounce around no matter what kind of multi control shock you have. The pro's can drive the wheels off of a skateboard, but "Joe's" cannot and will typically be REALLY slow on a pro-setup.

Recommendation: GT3front and Tarett rear with his drop links. ONLY because of the adjustability. The GT3front and H&R rear works well also.. but again, it is NON adjustable and I like to dial in my clients based on THEIR needs and not what somebody told them. Cant do this with non-adjustable bars


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[Kirk]

Thanks for the feedback Brad. That had been my plan is to go GT3 front and Tarett rear, so I'm already purchasing a GT3 bar from someone on this board. It's nice to get your feedback along these lines. I'll hit you up when I'm ready to buy the Tarett. Just to confirm, the rear bar does come with the drop links, right?

Adjustable sway bars don't scare me so much as I just have a very somber respect for them. Back in 2000 I moved from an Escort station wagon to my first "sporty" car, a FWD Eclipse V6 GT. To balance out the push from the FWD setup I added an adjustable rear bar and I think I had it set to full stiff on the road (more is better mentality). Coming home from work one day I was taking the twisties fast and the rear end got loose on some gravel. One snap oversteer later and I was heading down the road backwards. I slammed into a tree at 50 mph, totaled the car, and very, very luckily walked away from the accident. I'm pretty well convinced that I did that to myself with that rear bar.

So.... I'm going to delve back into adjustable bars on my Boxster, but I'm going to use some extreme caution, start out full soft and work my way up, balance front to rear, and test the different setups under CONTROLLED situations (autoX and track days). Should be fun!

Kirk

[Brad Roberts]

The rear bar does sell with the drop links!

It sounds like you understand the concept behind "why" we have adjustable bars!!

Sorry to hear about the wreck

PM or email me when you attend your first event with the bars in place. You never know when I might be in the area



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[Kirk]

When I do my DE and track days I'll be at Thunderhill. I'm only about 45 minutes north of there. I was just down there for the big NASA weekend, taking in the scene and checking out the 911's. Do you get up to Thunderhill often?

Kirk

[Jake Raby]

[IMG]Next I have to figure out a powerplant for this car.[/IMG]

Lets talk about that tonight.... We keep missing each other, but I'll be here ALL night!

If you stay with the 2.5 base I can make the engine into a 2.9. The 3.2>3.6 conversion is our hot ticket at the present!

I have a high torque combo devised for the 2.9, it will be exceptional for AX, but a tad stumpy for the big track.

[grantsfo]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

[IMG]Next I have to figure out a powerplant for this car.[/IMG]

Lets talk about that tonight.... We keep missing each other, but I'll be here ALL night!

If you stay with the 2.5 base I can make the engine into a 2.9. The 3.2>3.6 conversion is our hot ticket at the present!

I have a high torque combo devised for the 2.9, it will be exceptional for AX, but a tad stumpy for the big track.

Sounds cool Jake. I like the idea of the torquey 2.9 but I may want/need more power. Sorry about missing your call, I'm right in the middle of a remodel at home so its a little crazy around here. I wont likely be able to do this until early next year based on budeget etc.

[grantsfo]

Originally Posted by Kirk

When I do my DE and track days I'll be at Thunderhill. I'm only about 45 minutes north of there. I was just down there for the big NASA weekend, taking in the scene and checking out the 911's. Do you get up to Thunderhill often?

Kirk

I live in Santa Cruz area. Mostly go to Laguana Seca and Infineon for track day fun. T Hill is a long way for me but I but I hope to get up there eventually for a GGR TT. I really want to turn the Boxster into a car that is a little faster than my old 2.5 liter 914-6 on the track.

I did this before with my 914 where I started with 100% stock car and eventually turned it into a fairly fast dedicated track car that was a blast to drive. I'm building the courage to start tearing weight out of the Boxster now.

[Brad Roberts]

I'm at Thunderhill 5-6 times a year, and I normally try to land a "job" with a 25hour team running Thill



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