WildBill

Hello all, recently purchased my first Porsche and I am loving it. What a great car! I am considering lowering the car and would like advise of those in the know. What are the best springs that come closest to maintaining the factory ride and who is the best installer in Southern Cal? My car has PASM with 19" Carrera Classics. Thanks!

2005 987S
6 Speed
Triple Black

Chris C.

I have H&R springs installed on my non-PASM car - they are excellent. The ride is approx 10% firmer then my car was with 19" wheels, but the handling and looks are 1000% improved!

WildBill

Chris, your car is georgous! I agree that the 987 looks much improved when lowered. I guess I could live with a firmer ride to achieve the desired results. I just want to ensure that whatever I do works with PASM and does not cause any other problems.

Porky

Chris, could you share some details of which H & R equipment you actually had installed. I can only find a kit that lowers the car by 30mm here in Japan. If you have the product codes even better! A few detailed shots would be really appreciated : )

ELUSIVE

Chris -
I'd like some information on your H&R's as well.
Where did you get them from?

987bs

Hi everyone, I also had my car lowered a week and a half ago. I used Cargraphic springs, my car is a 987 Boxster S with PASM. It works great, ride is about 10% harsher also (I have 20" wheels though) so maybe mine is harder than Chris. Cargraphic springs are made by H&R to cargraphic's specifications. Great overall product, very happy with the ride quality, performance and most of all, looks!

Hope this helps.

Alan

Chris C.

I purchased the kit from Turner but there may be Board Sponsors who will match their $319.99 price.

Find em here Tuner - Allsprings.com

H&R sports lower the car 1.4" in front and 1.2 in the rear. I found the stock 987s suspension with 19" wheels was very stiff, and I like a firm sports car ride!

I added Champions 19" wheels (4-5 lbs lighter) and the H&Rs and the result was a similary stiff ride with no harshness at all, greatly reduced body roll, and a noticeably lower center of gravity. I have tracked this setup (OEM PS2s) and the handling was amazing, nicely damped with no bottoming out on the shocks.

3 tips for anyone considering lowering:
1. Unless you change the factory eccentrics, you will be just out of factory specs (more aggressive) on negative camber in the rear (approx 2.8 degrees). if you don't track your car, you will experience greater wear on the inners of your tires. I never expect more than 6-7K from rear tires, having owned 2 911s!, so that's not a biggie for me.

2. You may want to consider replacing the stock shocks with Bilstein sport shocks while you're at it. There's no additional labor since they have to R&R the shocks anyway, and some believe you will wear out the OEM shocks faster with lowering springs. Bilsteins are better shocks and the Sport version is made for lowered cars. If I were to do this over again, I would likely change the shocks, but I may also go to PSS-9s at some point

3. You WILL scrape those silly black plastic front pieces everywhere. I believe they are mostly for aero benefit around the front tire. No biggie as they are supposedly cheap to replace.

I also added as strut brace to hopefully offset any long term effects of a lower and stiffer suspension on squeaks and rattles. (So far, she's perfect!)

I will find and post before and after pics, but overall I HIGHLY recommend this switch for anyone who wants a FAR better looking and performing ride height (and likes a firm, ultra sharp handling ride ).

Chris C.

Before lowering


Before lowering with wider track from Champion wheels



After lowering


All jacked up from the factory



Ahhh....much improved (before settling)


My favorite angle

WildBill

What are the advantages of going with a coil over system such as the PSS9 vs lowering springs and shocks? BTW Chris, your car looks rightous!

Chris C.

Thanks! I like it and get a lot of stares around town.

Full coilovers are a matched set of springs and shocks and are generally a higher performance configuration in that they typically offer ride height and compression and rebound adjustability (i.e. PSS-9). Some have tender springs or more progressive rate smaller springs that make the little bumps less jarring in initial suspension travel.