Lowering with H&R...To lower or not to lower
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Hi guys, I really love to just marvel at my cars. I'm proud of them, and I have a romance with them. However the only thing I can find wrong with my newly acquired Porsche is the wheel gap. It's getting on my nerves. I haven't been able to find much threads on this, but some have said it was too stiff, others said it was just right. I didn't buy a Porsche for it's luxury ride, but that being said how involved is this? I don't want it to ride horrible, but slightly stiffer would not be a issue. My other concern is, how long is the install usually. Is it much more involved because of the rear engine set up?
#2
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicagoland Area
Posts: 26,141
Likes: 0
Received 5,413 Likes
on
2,516 Posts
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Someone just did this within the past 2 weeks on a 991. Let me see if I can find the thread.
#3
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I can't answer on the 991 but I did lower my 1988 Carrera 3.2 and 1992 carrera2. I had problems with both including a cracked sub-frame and rubbing on the inner fenders. I will never do anything like that again. The new cars are very complex and no one will be altering my 991. Caveat emptor. Do it at your own risk. I ordered my 991 with the pasm sport suspension. You should have ordered the lower suspension from the factory. Actually, from all your posts you should have waited for the GT3. No matter what you do it won't be a GT3 so my advice is live with it. I understand what you are looking for---been there done that---but I learned from my mistakes. All of the systems were engineered as a package. Other than minor exhaust modifications I would change nothing. If you do go ahead I would be very interested in your experience. Maybe wheel spacers would suffice.
#4
Race Car
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
You can obviously safely lower the 991 to the ride hight of Sport PASM suspension. Porsche sells cars at that ride hight, with lower and stiffer springs than non Sport PASM springs and shocks (and with stiffer roll bars to match). There are no rubbing and minimal chance of scraping issues, and ride quality remains supple. And the new GT3 goes down another 10mm. I would guess that below that you are likely to be in the area of compromised handling and ride quality geometry, and am certain that you will trade off looks for front spoiler vulnerability. I would also guess that the H&R folks or competent installers would give you good advice about spring rate and hight issues.
#5
Three Wheelin'
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
[QUOTE=Pazzo009;10842854]Hi guys, I really love to just marvel at my cars. I'm proud of them, and I have a romance with them. ...
Dude....you need to get out more often...
Dude....you need to get out more often...
![thumbup](https://rennlist.com/forums/graemlins/thumbup.gif)
#6
Pro
Thread Starter
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
[QUOTE=cole328;10843241]
I get out plenty...I just love cars. They are functional art to me. I also love the curves of a women and I marvel at that too.
![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#7
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Chuck brings up a valid point about front spoiler vulnerability. Be careful. My advice about modifying any new car is to speak with your dealer service guy. Make sure you are not nullifying the warranty. Many Porsche dealerships will aid in modifications---I know my dealer sure does. They should steer you in the right direction. They many tell of the problems that might/have happened with H&R lowered cars. H&R is a company like any other to make sales. Just be careful. I believe there is more to lowering a car than just springs. Do you need to adjust castor/camber? alignment? etc.
Trending Topics
#8
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicagoland Area
Posts: 26,141
Likes: 0
Received 5,413 Likes
on
2,516 Posts
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
True, but as long as Pazzo lowers to about the SPASM ride height (another 10mm lower than where he is now) he should be fine. Bottom-line, the front spoiler lip is only abou $160 (SPASM lip.....the regular lip is slightly more). Not bad by Porsche pricing standards.
#9
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicagoland Area
Posts: 26,141
Likes: 0
Received 5,413 Likes
on
2,516 Posts
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Pazzo, here is the recent thread I was remembering:
https://rennlist.com/forums/991/7762...rformance.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/991/7762...rformance.html
#10
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
You should have ordered the lower suspension from the factory. Actually, from all your posts you should have waited for the GT3. No matter what you do it won't be a GT3 so my advice is live with it. I understand what you are looking for---been there done that---but I learned from my mistakes. All of the systems were engineered as a package. Other than minor exhaust modifications I would change nothing. If you do go ahead I would be very interested in your experience. Maybe wheel spacers would suffice.
You can obviously safely lower the 991 to the ride hight of Sport PASM suspension. Porsche sells cars at that ride hight, with lower and stiffer springs than non Sport PASM springs and shocks (and with stiffer roll bars to match). There are no rubbing and minimal chance of scraping issues, and ride quality remains supple. And the new GT3 goes down another 10mm. I would guess that below that you are likely to be in the area of compromised handling and ride quality geometry, and am certain that you will trade off looks for front spoiler vulnerability. I would also guess that the H&R folks or competent installers would give you good advice about spring rate and hight issues.
#11
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicagoland Area
Posts: 26,141
Likes: 0
Received 5,413 Likes
on
2,516 Posts
#12
Burning Brakes
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
If you want to lower your car, do ride height adjustable coil overs instead of just springs. You can corner balance it and it will have correctly valved shocks for the compression range and spring rate. It is more expensive but if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.
Last edited by 008; 10-20-2013 at 03:33 PM.
#14
Pro
Thread Starter
![Default](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I appreciate all your feedback and it's likely to have deterred me from doing it. I bought the car off the showroom floor so I couldn't have gotten the PASM. My sole motivation to lower the car is for visual purposes. However I know the pros and cons generally speaking when lowering a car. I have lowered pretty much all my previous cars. I am leasing this car so I would have to return it to factory spec when handing it in so I wanted to know the amount of labor involved in this endeavor. I wasn't concerned with ride height or ride quality, but a few of you brought up something that I was thinking in the back of my head already, messing with design. Coilovers are the best way to go, but costly, hence why I was just going with springs. In my mind I feel that Porsche engineers spent a long time with the design and geometry, so maybe I shouldn't molest it. I bought this car for the handling accolades it has received so do I wanna tempt the hand of fate and screw with it?
I guess I will have to live with it, or put a 300 pound piece of lead in the trunk to even out the height
I guess I will have to live with it, or put a 300 pound piece of lead in the trunk to even out the height
![Smilie](https://rennlist.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Last edited by Pazzo009; 10-20-2013 at 06:46 PM. Reason: a