FLIEGEN

I am thinking bout lowering my 87 S4. It has Koni adjustables on it now, and the dealer that installed em, lowered the rear to German Specs, but the front is stock heighth since the front is not coil over. What is the best way to put it in the weeds without giving up any ride quality. I would like to lower the front about 1.5-2 inches and the back about 1-1.5. thanks to anyone who can help!

Shane

Front is coil over

SharkSkin

Maybe others will chime in here if I'm wrong... but IIRC there is no "German spec" for ride height. There is only "THE spec". Lowering the car that much is going to really mess up your handling unless you compensate for it... and maybe it will despite efforts to compensate.

Also... what do you mean, no front coilover?

Shane

You can lower the front the same as the rear with the adjusting nut that threads onto the shock.

Nicole

The best way to lower your shark is to load it with luggage and go on a nice trip with it. The extra miles might lower the value of the car a bit, but the extra smiles will compensate!

Do a search here on lowering - you might learn more than you'll ever want to know...

FLIEGEN

Thanks Nicole!

I dunno, the dealer said the front was not coil over, and he told me the German Spec was about 18 MM lower or something, which was about 3/4 of an inch. If it has coil overs in the front, than I am set, I'll just lower it and stiffen up the shocks.

I don't care about what it rides like, it already rides softer than my Benz, I just want it down low... The Vette is LOW from the factory, and it handles just fine. I am sure the 928 has a better suspension on it.

sweanders

If your shocks are already bad and you plan on lowering the car you will kill them very quick. Get a proper setup and parts to match.

ErnestSw

If you're into macho go get yourself a ricer and put a bean can on the end of your exhaust and fart around the neighborhood. If you want a 928 for what is is, and should be, put your ride height at the (only) factory specs and take a few DEs and find out why the engineers ar Porsche designed it that way.

FLIEGEN

LOL thanks, I'll stick to a riced out 928...I had a ricer with a bean can in HS... and it was like you figured, about 2 inches off the ground... lol...

sweanders, I know this, it has adjustable Konis on the car already, with about 5K miles... It would be lower already, but my pop's just gave me the car, and he likes to run over curbs and speed bumps at speed.

Parnelli Joneser

I was driving on I-5 the other day and I came upon a Volvo 740 Turbo(early 90's?), one of the really square ones. It looked like the springs had been removed, literally. It was pounding back and forth and the kid driving it could barely keep it in his lane. It was going about 50 and hit a couple of potholes and threw the car clear into the wide right shoulder violently and traffic around him started giving him a wide berth. But it was in the weeds and looking sick, yo.

onebad928s

i did the bilstein coilovers and eibach springs set up from 928 specialist. My adjusting perches are all the way down. The rubber bump stop i trimmed as specified by eibach but also a lowering technique so you dont have a earlier bump stop. Car handles somewhat like a go cart except when im sliding but hey no big deal. Bad part is my oil pan is about 3 inches off the ground so i pay alot of attention to the road surface. Never mind the bumper cover but as you can see from the nose of how low it is and plus the car just came off a jack so it didnt go all the way down.

Lou
83 928 5speed

p.s.
ill get a better pic of the lowest point of my vehicle and tire size the pic was taken with

Mike LaBranche

As already mentioned, you should have adjustment collars on all 4 corners. It will take you several iterations to get the heights you want at each corner since changing one corner always affects the rest. You have to adjust, drive, measure, adjust.... until you've got the heights you want. Then, you _must_ get an alignment or do one yourself. Absent this step, you'll chew up front tires in a few hundred miles.

Lowering the car does give you better handling but there's a bunch of downsides including killing the block when the ac compressor meets the pavement; be berry, berry careful if you go real low.

Jim R.

Be very carefull going too low due to poor engine clearance. Try to lower it to maybe the low end of the spec range before putting it "in the weeds". I had to replace the AC compressor bracket and fix a broken ear off the compressor due a PO's ride height, etc. Luckily it was only the bracket, and the block was intact. If the block takes a hit, just call 928 Intl for a new motor. Different story on lowering a track only car, but it sounds like yours will be a street car.



Jim R.

Garth S

The lowest I've had a 928 to maintain good handling is 165mm all around - 170mm is better, as measured on the 4 machined pads for that purpose at each corner: The suspension is far superior to most vetts - if you stay within the allowable geometry provided by the Designer - set height is critical to everything, especially camber changes.
You cannot stiffen the compression on the Konis! The rebound can be stiffened easily to the point of overpowering the spring: in a lowered car with high rebound settings, you will have precious little suspension compliance, and will bounce around like a go kart. BTW, I too have seen some ugly welded-up alternator brackets resulting from lowering. If the hit occurs on the AC, as mentioned - it could be the block that gives.
If you are set on making a rice-kart, why not sell the S4 to someone who appreciates it ? - and get a Porsche later when/if you have grown through this phase.

onebad928s

ok heres a better pic, bottom of new bumper is the lowest point on the car as you can see from the measurements. the tires on there now are 205/50/17 (winter tires)the front bumper comes under the car enough to cover the alternator brackets but i also do not have the a/c compressor installed (weight reduction)

Lou
83 928 5speed