The 'all Things Porsche' Thread...

Coog

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Dan.86 said:
Is strut tower failure common in gt4’a and gt3’s. there’s been an advert for a cracking gt4 for months that is Cat S due to strut tower failure which has been repaired and strengthened

2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport 981 For Sale | Car and Classic

2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport 981 For Sale
www.carandclassic.co.uk www.carandclassic.co.uk
Click to expand...

There's been a few cases of it happening. No idea how common it is because invariably no-one comes online to say their strut towers haven't failed if you know what I mean. Number of threads online about it.
 

svensktoppen

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And as usual no info on what actually happened. Was it a track slag mercilessly hitting kerbs all day long? Did it hit a kerb or pot hole, or even go visit a field? Etc.
 

andy9eleven

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@Dan.86 Have definitely read about it on the Porsche forums. Seems to be not an isolated few cases, but any I have seen have been repaired by Porsche. Doesn't seem to be limited to track slag cars either.

At the end of the day, cars are very complex machines with very complex engineering coping with all sorts of demands. Sometimes stuff doesn't work as expected. The internet however can amplify the voice of the few.

That's probably a great car, but it's future has been marked like a badly behaved child!


Mmmm, up to 30 odd pages now. strut tower failure - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums

You really wouldn't want this to happen if you're going at speed.

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Dan.86

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Don’t think the Cat would put me off as it would be a better fix. Just a shame I don’t want a black one.

Or have £67k
 

Cossers

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Is the gt4 the same chassis as the 981? Is there any failures of them?

Ps Andy, it’s up at 76 pages!!! Honestly would put me right of one, it’s also now starting to happen on the newer gt3’s as well! (See link on page 76)
 

andy9eleven

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@Cossers all the same chassis, bit different geometry and probably stuff like higher modulus rubber in the bushes or other elaborate tweaks! Stresses thus could well be different in a GT4 vs normal.

Quit worrying and get one bought for goodness sake!

Should highlight, this phenomenon is not unique to Porsche btw. Happens to M3s too.

1568827206543.png
 

Cossers

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Andy888 said:
@Cossers all the same chassis, bit different geometry and probably stuff like higher modulus rubber in the bushes or other elaborate tweaks! Stresses thus could well be different in a GT4 vs normal.

Quit worrying and get one bought for goodness sake!
Click to expand...

Lol mate! My ideal car hasn’t popped up yet, ideally I’d like to deal early next year truth be told! Still find myself looking at v8 vantage s and v12’s as they are fair coming down in price but that could just spell ruin! Lol
 

Cossers

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Agreed, 2010 on, hear the 4.7 is the better one! Bit more grown up but a lovely looking thing from the outside!
 

riano

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Random question to anyone that's ever driven a 911 but do they noticeably understeer? I've read that due to the lack of weight over the front axel they tend to and so far I've found that I definitely can't carry as much speed into a corner in the 911 as I could in the M4. Mid/corner exit speeds are much faster but on entry I've def felt it on the brink of understeer and wondering if this is the norm or its something to do with the type of tyre (N1 P Zero)/ tyre pressure/narrower front tyre (245 v 255) compared to the PS4S I had on the M4 and the fact I had 20mm spacers on the M4 so had a wider track up front.
 

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It's normal, you need to adjust your technique with more trail braking into corners to keep weight on the front wheels, and then like you say get on the power earlier to use the superior traction out of corners.

It's the same with most mid-rear cars, like Lotus etc.

It does vary with modern Porsches though, different with 4wd vs rwd, and so on.

Changing tyres, geo settings, etc., can also help but can also obviously make things worse. Manufacturer standard settings tend to err towards safety, i.e. a bit of understeer.

Spacers (within reason) shouldn't really affect things.
 

riano

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Yeah id been reading about the trail braking but I was just a bit shocked at the understeer as every review I've read or watched have said about the 911 handles amazingly etc so I didn't expect this level of understeer and this is after I've reduced the front pressures a bit which in theory should give a bit more from end grip 8-(
 

svensktoppen

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It's not "better or worse" - it's just different and needs a different driving style compared to a RWD saloon. And it's not just Porsche either, it's a general mid-rear layout thing.

It will also be very different with, say, a Carrera 2 set up for safe cruising, or an out and out GT3 track special set up for flat out hot laps.

Tyre pressures - unless you are on hard-walled trackday tyres you will probably be better off increasing the pressure if you want to play around with that...

Lowering the pressure works on hard walled track tyres as the side walls can take the load and you essentially get a bigger contact patch. For example R888 and the likes, they're basically run flat tyres with re-enforced near-solid walls.

A road tyre will have softer tyre walls. Reducing the pressure just makes them flex more and you essentially end up driving on the outside side wall instead. Which has the opposite effect to what you wanted!

If you take a road tyre track side, or just push hard, then you actually want more air pressure to stabilise the tyre wall.

Either way, you do need to get to grip with trail braking. Nothing silly, you don't want to trail brake yourself backwards through the nearest hedge 😇 Think of it as a string connected from the steering wheel to the pedals. Keep the brakes on as you go into the corner, but as you turn the wheel (increase the lock) gradually come off the brakes. And then as you unwind the wheel again get gradually back on the throttle.

All about being smoooooth :cool:
 

riano

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Thats very interesting thanks, I thought by reducing the tyre pressures down to the Porsche comfort settings I would actually have got more front end so I'll put them back up.

I'm pretty good at trail braking as I've done a lot of karting since I was about 8 years old and I've always braked with my left foot, I think it will just take me a while to adjust my style to the 911 but thanks for all the info - its very helpful for a Porsche novice like myself.
 

gixermark

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Are you driving on track? I find the front end grip and bite on mine unreal! But I may be driving like miss daisy! Mine is road only.

Compared to my old m3, I find the steering feel phenomenal.
 

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riano said:
Thats very interesting thanks, I thought by reducing the tyre pressures down to the Porsche comfort settings I would actually have got more front end so I'll put them back up.

I'm pretty good at trail braking as I've done a lot of karting since I was about 8 years old and I've always braked with my left foot, I think it will just take me a while to adjust my style to the 911 but thanks for all the info - its very helpful for a Porsche novice like myself.
Click to expand...

Just noticed your avatar says GTS, nice choice that :cool:

Another thing, on road, especially our back roads, stay out of the "sportier" suspension modes and stick to "normal". Should give a bit more grip on our bumpy roads.

A karting man, lol, good stuff, that's proper 👌
 

stevyg

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riano said:
Random question to anyone that's ever driven a 911 but do they noticeably understeer? I've read that due to the lack of weight over the front axel they tend to and so far I've found that I definitely can't carry as much speed into a corner in the 911 as I could in the M4. Mid/corner exit speeds are much faster but on entry I've def felt it on the brink of understeer and wondering if this is the norm or its something to do with the type of tyre (N1 P Zero)/ tyre pressure/narrower front tyre (245 v 255) compared to the PS4S I had on the M4 and the fact I had 20mm spacers on the M4 so had a wider track up front.
Click to expand...
Like Sven said, it's a completely different technique driving a Porsche fast. It's not that it under-steers more, you're making it under-steer by under or over loading the front. A bit of practice and you'll get the balance nailed, keeping weight over the front without unloading the rear. You'll know when you get it right :grinning:
 
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