I have read many adds for springs to lower my 944, some costing $400. Most of them lower the car 1.5", which I think is too much. I don't want to lower my car too much and run into problems with the ball joints. Is it posible to just to cut my springs? Or what do you sugest?

Any info will be helpful.

Thanks

Peter

 

Ahhh!!!!!!!!

Don't ever cut your springs! You're car isn't a rice-burner! <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />

Seriously though, cutting your springs is a very bad idea. They were designed to be that way, so leave them alone. I'm sure you can find smaller sized ones than 1.5" drop. Cutting your springs will ruin handling performance, and sometimes the camber angle of the wheels (at least one some rice burners I've seen).

 

Have you already lowered it to the lowest level of the adjustment bolts?

 

Jason at Paragon Products should be able to set you up with some slightly lowered springs...I bought mine for 115 I believe (250 lbs). He now has 200 and 250 lbs springs which lower the car about 1 inch (I have not had any trouble with the car being 'too low'). Oh yeah, they sell for 104 (weltmeister).
-Robert D.

 

No, I have not lowered my car yet. I am now thinking of going with lighter springs and just letting the car settle lower on those. The problems that I have heard about lowering the 85.5+ too much in because of the aluminum control arms and their ball joints. When lowering it too much it can max out the travel on the ball joint and because the control arm is more brittle than the older steal control are, it can break off.
Is there a manufacture who makes replacement knuckles for the 944?

 

Drastic lowering of the car is beyond 1.5 inches - lowering by cutting or by reducing the spring weight is simply not sane.

Lowering the car drastically (&gt;1.5"), running high spring weights, using drastically stiffer stabilizers, changing to metal or other more solid bushings, etc is cause for concern that the original ball joints could suffer undue stress.

The Weltmeister 200# & 250# springs lower the car just over an inch in the front - to maintain a useful amount of rake (front to rear differential ride-height), adjust the spring plate eccentric as low as possible (up to 7/8").

You didn't say what year 944 you have?

For an increase in the spring rate without the full drop of up to 1.5", there are spacer adapters available - basically a false seat/perch.

Good Luck!

 

Never cut a set of springs....remember, the car's suspension was designed to work within a certain range of travel, generally speaking 1" isn't bad for a drop.

I'm sure we all have seen these Hondas chopped so low that the camber is waaaaay out. Not only does that cause the car to eat tires, but it ruins handling as well.

Cutting springs is an old hot-rodders trick.

 

a woman i know, the former executive vp of GE and now the president of Pratt & Whitney Power Systems used to own an S2 that was lowered... she gave me a number of horror stories about how the handling of her car was ruined after it was lowered.

 

In my case, lowering the car and upping the spring-rate has improved the cars handling...that is why shorter springs with higher spring rates are available as "upgrades". Furthermore, you may want to ask her if she had the allignment done on the car after lowering...dropping it without adjusting does horror to handling...oh, and did she also change the tire sizes from stock? I put 225/50/16's in the front and the car seemed to stick to every imperfection on the road.
-Robert D.

 

My car is a 85.5 and it sound like this is quite involved. Thanks for all the replys so far they have helped alot. One other thing; what about alingment? I will get it done after I lower the car but where. Should I go to a Porsche shop are will a local 76 station do the jod fine? Remember I only want a 1" drop.

Thanks

 

Dudes,

Many quality aftermarket springs for the front, are available from your favorite Porsche parts haus. In the rear you have to re-index the torsion bars or try to get the adjustment bolts on the spring plates loose. This is not fun even if know what you are doing. Read this..YOU MUST RE-ALIGN THE WHEELS WHEN YOU ARE DONE WITH THE LOWERING JOB. All cars are undrivable when they are not in alignment regardless if they are japanese or german.


Word to your mother

 

[quote]Originally posted by Pete K.:
<strong>what about alingment? I will get it done after I lower the car but where. Should I go to a Porsche shop are will a local 76 station do the jod fine?</strong><hr></blockquote>

You should really try to find a shop familiar with the 944.... not just Porsches. There are special tools and tricks to the 944 that the local garage may not be familiar with - they may also only allow a stock setting of adjustments - you may be looking for something a bit more agressive (more camber, more caster, less toe, etc). A Porsche shop will understand what to do with your car regardless of the suspension changes. Worth the extra time and effort to get it done right.

Good Luck!