From: Jay Kempf [jkempf@mail.tds.net]
Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2000 11:17 AM
To: 928
Subject: [928] RE: Raising Car/Suspension Settling

Mark,

The front suspension of the car is very heavy and is cantilevered off of the
inner fender walls(sides of the engine compartment). When you lift the car
all of this weight flexes the top of the walls and delivers a twisting load
at their rear edges where they are one with the firewall and windshield
frame. Believe it or not bonded windshields actually carry some shear loads
from their frames. The reason there is a warning in the (my) manuals is that
this flexing can and will flex the windshield frame enough to damage the
glass! The purpose of the bar is twofold. First and foremost it is in
compression during cornering and transfers the bending load created by
rolling into a corner transversly to the other side to keep things from to
stiffen the front subchassis. Second when the car is lifted it goes in
tension to keep the inner fender walls from flexing outward.

I would strongly recommend you not remove this bar with the car on jack
stands!!!!! You might get lucky but why take the chance. If you search the
archives from about two years ago you will find a post from someone (can't
remember the name right now) who took the chance you describe and had to
replace his windshield as a result. Look for "CRAAAAAACK! in capital letters
in the subject line.

When I pulled my motor I disconnected all from below (as I have said) and
then dropped the car back on it's tires. Then and only then did I remove the
bar for the motor extraction. There is no need to do what you are
suggesting. With a little planning it just isn't an issue.

Also, about removing the lowers. I have never encountered a warning or heard
anyone say that they have had trouble doing this. The lower front frame
members are very large compared to the stiffeners in the upper fender wells.
Maybe this is a factor.

Jay Kempf