Pelican Technical Article: Fikse Wheels & Suspension Upgrade

WARNING: This page is still a work in progress!

I am not responsible for any problems you experience as a result of trying to do anything described here. The hack documented here worked fine for me but may not work for you far any number of reasons.

This will hopefully be my last "upgrade" for some time. After getting the suspension done at Midwest Eurosport I installed my brand new Fikse FM/10 wheels from Wheel Enhancement and Yokohama A032R from Tire Rack.

I was hoping the stiffened suspension would allow me to run wider wheels all around without rubbing. Unfortunately the left front tire rubs against the fender a tiny bit when turning and hitting a bump.

I also thought I would save a lot of unsprung weight by moving to the Fikses but since the Fuchs are forged as well I found there really was no savings. The Fuchs with Potenza SO2s weighed 40lbs each for the front and 41lbs each for the rear. The Fikse FM/10s with Yokohama A032Rs weighed in at 43lbs for the fronts and 45lbs for the rears. I'm still glad I got the Fikses as cast wheels would have added even more unsprung weight.

Click on thumbnail to view full-size image
Before upgrading suspension and wheels...	...and after.
The FM/10s look pretty good.	Front wheels: The old vs. the new.	Rear wheels: The old vs. the new.
I really like how the screws are hidden in back.	The old front 205s vs. the new 235s.	The old rear 245s vs the new 255s.
I upgraded the suspension just before installng the wheels so I'm going to include a couple pics of the suspension components. I bought the Weltmeister front (22mm) and rear (22mm) sway bars and torsion bars (22mm front and 29mm rear) from Automotion. I also upgraded the rear shocks to Koni Sport Adjustable. The fronts were replaced with the same shocks last year as the originals had gone bad. I had everything installed by Midwest Eurosport in Bensenville, Illinois.
Click on thumbnail to view full-size image
Shot of the new front sway bar at the right front wheel.	Another shot from a different angle.
Right rear wheel well shows new shock and rear sway bar.	Here you can see the whole rear sway bar.
So why did I do this? Well, first of all the car rolled like a Lincoln as a picture below shows. When I get pictures of my car on a track with the new suspension I'll put them here as well. With the stiffer suspension, especially the stiffer torsion bars, the amount of wheel travel is greatly reduced. I can now stand on the bumper (either front or back) and the car moves up or down just barely. It doesn't feel THAT stiff on the road. On normal Chicago streets, it's a little bumpy, but not uncomfortable. It is only annoying when going over those rumble strips that are around to get you to slow down.
Click on thumbnail to view full-size image
Look at all that body roll BEFORE!	And see how much less now!
Look how little the front wheel now moves when off the ground!	The rear moves a little more but still far less than before!

	Find out about ordering new and used Porsche parts...
		Select here to find out about ordering information, shipping options, and our money-back guarantee on all parts.
	Email us with your comments & questions...
		Send us feedback on our web site - We're constantly trying to improve.
	Return back to our home page.

Pelican Guest Technical Article: