944 Cab mass damper

[J4CKO]

That huge hunk of weight in the boot on the drivers side, anyone dared to remove it and what happened ?

 

[zcacogp]

Your car is a little lighter and therefore goes, stops and handles better. And uses less fuel.

Oh, and the earth stops rotating on it's axis. Apart from that, nothing much.


Oli.

If it's not immediately clear from the tone of this post then please be reassured that I haven't a clue! []

 

[J4CKO]

Lol, will the DME divide by zero ?

Might whip it out and see what happens, guessing it goes back in easy enough.

Surprised more people have waded in with comments about this mass, as I keep getting told that Porsche owners are definitely Mass debaters.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I keep getting told that Porsche owners are definitely Mass debaters.

Lol []

Getting back to the OP, I'd wonder why Porsche would go to the effort of fitting it unless it was going to have some benefit?

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: J4CKO
Lol, will the DME divide by zero ?

No - it divides by infinity and we all disappear!

Serious answer tho' - I've always wondered what it does, and would be interested to hear what happens (if anything) if you remove it. Yes McNulters, I see your "It must have a function" logic but the purpose it serves may be subsumed by other things. (It may reduce vibration when driving on millpond-smooth German roads, for instance, but on the disgrace that passes for the British road network it makes no difference whatsoever.)


Oli.

 

[colin944]

Can some one put a photo of the mass damper on please as i have no idea what you are all talking about.

 

[J4CKO]

Colin, it is a huge black cylinder about 18 inches long and about eight across suspended the other side from where the battery goes, apparently it weighs about 45 pounds, it is meant to cancel out vibration but I cant say it is doing its job that well judging by my car.

 

[GlennS]

According to Wikipedia it will prevent your 944 from experiencing structural failure in the event of an earthquake. Those fiendishly clever Porsche engineers think of everything!

 

[Joss Walker]

I always thought this was a form of 'corner weight' to counteract the weight of the battery in the opposite corner. Since Porsche went to these lengths because they thought it was so important to ensure this balance was correct with these cars I have purchased a shop dummy that is suitably weighted to counteract me and I ensure that it is strapped into the passenger seat before any spirited drive.

 

[GlennS]

ORIGINAL: Joss Walker

I always thought this was a form of 'corner weight' to counteract the weight of the battery in the opposite corner. Since Porsche went to these lengths because they thought it was so important to ensure this balance was correct with these cars I have purchased a shop dummy that is suitably weighted to counteract me and I ensure that it is strapped into the passenger seat before any spirited drive.

The suspension is allegedly setup to allow for a 75kg driver. I hope your dummy is correctly calibrated to preserve this offset?

 

[Joss Walker]

ORIGINAL: GlennS
The suspension is allegedly setup to allow for a 75kg driver.

No way! Now I don't know know if you're feeding me BS or not! - I guess that I can ditch the dummy and I've put the trifle back in the fridge!

 

[GlennS]

ORIGINAL: Joss Walker

ORIGINAL: GlennS
The suspension is allegedly setup to allow for a 75kg driver.

No way! Now I don't know know if you're feeding me BS or not! - I guess that I can ditch the dummy and I've put the trifle back in the fridge!

The instructions for adjusting the headlamp levels state that you should ensure that the driver's seat is weighted to 75kg.

 

[zcacogp]

Same for adjusting the geometry as well, I think.


Oli.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Porsche have form for "corner weights " they put 2x25kg lumps in the front corners of SWB 911s to tame them a bit and called them bumper reinforcements.

 

[os951]

ORIGINAL: J4CKO

That huge hunk of weight in the boot on the drivers side, anyone dared to remove it and what happened ?

[

Do not remove it ! It will effect directly to cabs body's torsional stiffness. It is there for a good reason. All ASC made convertibles have it, check out for example F-bodied Camaro or Firebird cab's or Chevrolet Cavalier cab etc etc. ASc made cabs for many brands, like Seat, Nissan and many others. Most of these had this "weight" added.
It has nothing do do with battery. Just RHD cab's have battery in the trunk.

 

[J4CKO]

ORIGINAL: os951

ORIGINAL: J4CKO

That huge hunk of weight in the boot on the drivers side, anyone dared to remove it and what happened ?

[

Do not remove it ! It will effect directly to cabs body's torsional stiffness. It is there for a good reason. All ASC made convertibles have it, check out for example F-bodied Camaro or Firebird cab's or Chevrolet Cavalier cab etc etc. ASc made cabs for many brands, like Seat, Nissan and many others. Most of these had this "weight" added.
It has nothing do do with battery. Just RHD cab's have battery in the trunk.

Would be interesting to see what difference it makes and I am excited to learn my cab has some "Torsional stiffness" !