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Hello - I am going to awaken an OLD post because there are a few discussions going on that are related to this, and not only does it contain great information, needs some further clarification for those that are working on setting their 964 ride height.
First: THE FRONT.
The front measurement point is easy to see and to get to, and you can use a piece of pipe and a long threaded bolt/washer/nut to build yourself a measuring tool. Parking the car on a level surface, you measure from the ground to this point:
(Photo credit to some other dude - which I found on the forums)
As mentioned, the front is easier and from having conversations with those that have an array of brands of suspension (I, myself with PSS10 Bilstein) the adjustment is 1:1 (raise 10mm, car raises 10mm). Meaning, you measure from the adjustment nut on the coil over to a known point on the shaft (there is a lip on PSS10's just below the threads that is helpful, if you do not have a digital caliper that expands more than 100mm). When you raise that nut 10mm, the car raises 10mm. Likewise, you lower it 10mm and it will lower the car 10mm. Being mindful that it is possible (I learned the hard way) to lower the nut below the ability of the coils to compress, which is bad.
In short - you loosen the lock nut, raise or lower the adjustment nut and off you go. The charts earlier in this thread with the ride heights in mm's is applicable, no need to repeat. I was shooting for RS, @ 125mm in the front.
Last....I wanted to point out that the measurements of the locking rings/height of the PSS10's were not the same to achieve the same ride height at the measurement locations. Here are my results of both the first (indicated with 1) and second (after setting) measurements.
*** This is the DRIVER side - note that initially, the locknut to groove on the coil over measurement point was 25.5mm with a ride height measurement of 117mm - and by raising to 34.5 that lifted the car to 126mm. Ground to fender lip 25 5/8".
*** Oddly - the passenger side was already at (spring measurement) 35mm!? However, the ride height was 117mm? I guess this is why Porsche recommends measuring at the ground - its the actual ride height. Going off the 1:1 rule, I raised the coil over lock nut 10mm to 44, which raised the car to 126, just over RS height. Fender to ground measurements on both sides within an 1/8". It is also important to "set" the springs after an adjustment (i just put a piece of carpet on my spare tire and gently stepped my 190 pound *** into the car and back out).
Job done - front set at 126mm, RS ride height.
Now onto the rear. This part sucks because in contrast to the previous message - you DO have to remove the "Sharkfin" (two philips and two 10mm plastic trim retaining nuts) when you have the car up and the wheel off. You do not otherwise have access to an accurate reading to this notch (Red Arrow is the measurement point). I don't see how, even with that notch in the "Sharkfin" do you have a vertical unobstructed path to measure this. Further, going off the front behavior (springs are not identical in measurement to get the correct ride height), I wanted to ensure that I was level by measuring each side.
(Again, photo credit to some other dude on the forums) What is neat - I built my measurement tools using this photo :-)
I have a few questions here, which I am having trouble with.
1. Do any of you have information/documentation on if you don't have the "A" arrow as indicated on the body of the car in Porsche literature and using this point (Red arrow in the photo), if the numbers for measurement is the same?
2. Am I missing something obvious, in that others have said you don't have to remove any trim/panels (Sharkfin) to take an accurate reading?
3. Last, I am having a hard time equalling out the rear - have you all also indicated the rear is a 1:1? (Raise 10mm, car raises 10mm?). I am having a hard time getting the rear to settle and my readings are all over the place - outside of driving the car around the neighborhood between each setting, sans shark fins. (Annoying and time consuming).
Thank you - I am hoping this thread can be found via search when a DIY'er is setting ride height. Some of these bits are not obvious (or maybe its just me!)