Ultimate How-To - Elephant Racing 991 Street/Track Suspension Program
09-25-2014, 09:57 PM
#1
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Ultimate How-To - Elephant Racing 991 Street/Track Suspension Program
Fine folks of Rennlist, without any further ado we present you this sexy 2014 Carrera S.
We ripped its guts out! But don’t worry; we did put it back together. We made it stronger, faster, better.
This car got the full Elephant Racing Street/Track suspension program treatment. Control arms, bushings, tie rods, coilovers, we’ve upgraded it all. And while we were at it, we have documented everything. So please sit down, grab yourself some popcorn and enjoy the show.
Objective
This 991 Carrera C2 S is an impressive machine. Handling, power and styling make this a fun road car. Capable as this car is, the balance between comfort and performance is asking for more; more road feel, more grip, more control, more precision.
We want to make it a car that performs great at the track on the weekend, and slips discreetly into the parking lot at work Monday morning. A true driver's car with the appearance and features of the 991. A car that handles like the GT3 but without the big wing perched out back beckoning attention like some bejeweled codpiece.
Don’t get us wrong, we love the GT3. But with its raised element rear wing, no manual transaxle, no sunroof, reduced sound deadening, and other track-oriented compromises, the GT3 isn't for everybody.
Our objective is to build a package to take this production 991 and ‘un-compromise’ the suspension performance. We want to make it handle much more like the GT3, and to accomplish this we set out to:
- Lower the car to GT3 ride height
- Add ride height / corner balance adjustability
- Provide a choice of spring rates
- Retain PASM functionality.
- Enhanced precision and driver feedback
There are fundamental differences between the 991 Carrera and GT3 suspensions that prevent simply retrofitting most 991 GT3 parts to the Carrera. So to achieve our program objectives , we’ve developed a slew of products for the 991 Carrera that will get us there.
Here’s a list of parts used in this 991:
Front Coilover Sleeve Conversion Kit
Rear Coilover Sleeve Conversion Kit
Adjustable Front Lower Control Arms
Bump Steer Adjustable Front Tie Rod Ends
Adjustable Rear Lower Control Arms
Lower Control Arm (Rear) Concentric Monoballs
Upper Control Arms (Rear) Concentric Monoballs
Track Rod (Rear) Concentric Monoballs
Our sleeve conversion kit allows us to convert regular PASM or non-PASM shocks into fully functional height adjustable coilovers. With this kit we can install firmer springs, lower the car to the GT3 height and corner balance it, while retaining the PASM functionality.
Our adjustable lower control arms and wishbones provide extended range of camber and caster adjustment, while providing smooth, low-friction and non-deflecting control arm action.
The Monoballs replace rubber bushings in all other locations. Rubber compresses and deforms under stress causing the alignment to wonder unpredictably, causing precision and feedback to suffer.
For spring rates we opted to use 300in/lbs front and 550in/lbs rear. This is about 20% and 25% stiffer than the stock springs and will make a noticeable difference in performance and driver control - without being to harsh for street use. Other spring choices can be used.
We ripped its guts out! But don’t worry; we did put it back together. We made it stronger, faster, better.
This car got the full Elephant Racing Street/Track suspension program treatment. Control arms, bushings, tie rods, coilovers, we’ve upgraded it all. And while we were at it, we have documented everything. So please sit down, grab yourself some popcorn and enjoy the show.
Objective
This 991 Carrera C2 S is an impressive machine. Handling, power and styling make this a fun road car. Capable as this car is, the balance between comfort and performance is asking for more; more road feel, more grip, more control, more precision.
We want to make it a car that performs great at the track on the weekend, and slips discreetly into the parking lot at work Monday morning. A true driver's car with the appearance and features of the 991. A car that handles like the GT3 but without the big wing perched out back beckoning attention like some bejeweled codpiece.
Don’t get us wrong, we love the GT3. But with its raised element rear wing, no manual transaxle, no sunroof, reduced sound deadening, and other track-oriented compromises, the GT3 isn't for everybody.
Our objective is to build a package to take this production 991 and ‘un-compromise’ the suspension performance. We want to make it handle much more like the GT3, and to accomplish this we set out to:
- Lower the car to GT3 ride height
- Add ride height / corner balance adjustability
- Provide a choice of spring rates
- Retain PASM functionality.
- Enhanced precision and driver feedback
There are fundamental differences between the 991 Carrera and GT3 suspensions that prevent simply retrofitting most 991 GT3 parts to the Carrera. So to achieve our program objectives , we’ve developed a slew of products for the 991 Carrera that will get us there.
Here’s a list of parts used in this 991:
Front Coilover Sleeve Conversion KitRear Coilover Sleeve Conversion KitAdjustable Front Lower Control ArmsBump Steer Adjustable Front Tie Rod EndsAdjustable Rear Lower Control ArmsLower Control Arm (Rear) Concentric MonoballsUpper Control Arms (Rear) Concentric MonoballsTrack Rod (Rear) Concentric MonoballsOur sleeve conversion kit allows us to convert regular PASM or non-PASM shocks into fully functional height adjustable coilovers. With this kit we can install firmer springs, lower the car to the GT3 height and corner balance it, while retaining the PASM functionality.
Our adjustable lower control arms and wishbones provide extended range of camber and caster adjustment, while providing smooth, low-friction and non-deflecting control arm action.
The Monoballs replace rubber bushings in all other locations. Rubber compresses and deforms under stress causing the alignment to wonder unpredictably, causing precision and feedback to suffer.
For spring rates we opted to use 300in/lbs front and 550in/lbs rear. This is about 20% and 25% stiffer than the stock springs and will make a noticeable difference in performance and driver control - without being to harsh for street use. Other spring choices can be used.
09-25-2014, 09:58 PM
#2
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Tutorial Overview
While installing all these parts may sound daunting, it really isn't. Luckily, the suspension of the 991 Carrera is surprisingly simple to work on. We’ve created the following tutorial to demonstrate exactly how we’ve overhauled the suspension. This tutorial covers complete suspension overhaul Including replacing suspension bushings and full coilover conversion.
We do recommend you have access to a shop manual and use all factory specified torque settings when re-installing fasteners.
Begin by raising the car and removing the wheels. While a lift certainly makes this project easier, the entire project is readily doable using a jack and jackstands. Regardless of how you raise the car, be sure to use proper safety techniques. Never go under a car that is not safely supported.
Strut Removal
Let’s remove the front strut
First, support the lower control arm on a stand, once the strut or the camber plate is disconnected, the lower assembly will want to droop down and possibly pinching or kinking hydraulic lines.
Disconnect the brake line support bracket to prevent the line from getting kinked.
Using an 18mm socket, disconnect the PDCC drop link if the car is equipped with one.
Using and 18mm socket, loosen up the bolt that clamps the strut to the wheel carrier. If the car is not equipped with PDCC, this bolt also holds the drop link.
Disconnect the PASM cable if your car is equipped with PASM shocks.
To disconnect the strut from the camber plate a special tool needs to be purchased or fabricated.
We’ve made the tool by using a flat bar with a hole drilled and a 21mm socket welded on.
The shock rod has to be held in place with a dog-leg 10mm wrench in order to rotate the 21mm nut. The PASM cable prevents the use of a regular socket.
With the rod disconnected from the camber plate, carefully lower the assembly or raise the car to separate the strut from the camber plate. Be very careful not to lower the assembly too much and put excessive pressure on any of the lines.
Removing the camber plate will make the extraction of strut and springs much easier but it will affect the camber settings and a re-alignment will be required. The camber plate is held in with three nuts. To remove the camber plate, use a 13mm socket to remove the 3 nuts.
With the camber plate removed, the spring and strut insert can easily be removed by passing up through the camber plate hole in the chassis.
If you wish to retain the camber settings, it is possible to keep the camber plate in place, and use a spring compressor to get the spring and strut out.
However, removing the camber plate makes this process much easier. The opening is large enough to thread the spring straight out and pull the strut out without compressing the rod.
The strut is out and we can move on to the coilover conversion.
Strut Coilover Conversion
Remove rubber seal from around the strut
With a cutting wheel cut off the lower perch.
Make one complete cut on the ridge of the perch.
And make another partial cut to weaken the perch and use it as a hinge to bend the perch off.
Using a screw driver, pray the perch apart and remove.
Next, put the sleeve base on by clamping it right above the drop link bracket.
Pull the sleeve on and thread the lower perch on.
Insert the helper spring and the spring divider. On top of the spring divider, place the seat bearing sandwiched between two bearing thrust washers.
Inset the main spring, bump stop and the camber plate. If you wish to retain the OEM boot, it will fit inside the spring as well.
The strut is ready for installation.
Strut Installation
Bring down the upright assembly. Be careful not to stress or pinch any lines. Insert the bottom of the strut into the upright, and bolt the top camber plate in place.
Raise the upright until the strut seats itself. There should be only about 8mm space between upright and the PASM drop link bracket if so equipped.
Bolt back the strut clamp and the drop link and torque back the strut to camber plate bolt.
Stay tuned, we’ll continue to post more in upcoming posts. Thanks!
While installing all these parts may sound daunting, it really isn't. Luckily, the suspension of the 991 Carrera is surprisingly simple to work on. We’ve created the following tutorial to demonstrate exactly how we’ve overhauled the suspension. This tutorial covers complete suspension overhaul Including replacing suspension bushings and full coilover conversion.
We do recommend you have access to a shop manual and use all factory specified torque settings when re-installing fasteners.
Begin by raising the car and removing the wheels. While a lift certainly makes this project easier, the entire project is readily doable using a jack and jackstands. Regardless of how you raise the car, be sure to use proper safety techniques. Never go under a car that is not safely supported.
Strut Removal
Let’s remove the front strut
First, support the lower control arm on a stand, once the strut or the camber plate is disconnected, the lower assembly will want to droop down and possibly pinching or kinking hydraulic lines.
Disconnect the brake line support bracket to prevent the line from getting kinked.
Using an 18mm socket, disconnect the PDCC drop link if the car is equipped with one.
Using and 18mm socket, loosen up the bolt that clamps the strut to the wheel carrier. If the car is not equipped with PDCC, this bolt also holds the drop link.
Disconnect the PASM cable if your car is equipped with PASM shocks.
To disconnect the strut from the camber plate a special tool needs to be purchased or fabricated.
We’ve made the tool by using a flat bar with a hole drilled and a 21mm socket welded on.
The shock rod has to be held in place with a dog-leg 10mm wrench in order to rotate the 21mm nut. The PASM cable prevents the use of a regular socket.
With the rod disconnected from the camber plate, carefully lower the assembly or raise the car to separate the strut from the camber plate. Be very careful not to lower the assembly too much and put excessive pressure on any of the lines.
Removing the camber plate will make the extraction of strut and springs much easier but it will affect the camber settings and a re-alignment will be required. The camber plate is held in with three nuts. To remove the camber plate, use a 13mm socket to remove the 3 nuts.
With the camber plate removed, the spring and strut insert can easily be removed by passing up through the camber plate hole in the chassis.
If you wish to retain the camber settings, it is possible to keep the camber plate in place, and use a spring compressor to get the spring and strut out.
However, removing the camber plate makes this process much easier. The opening is large enough to thread the spring straight out and pull the strut out without compressing the rod.
The strut is out and we can move on to the coilover conversion.
Strut Coilover Conversion
Remove rubber seal from around the strut
With a cutting wheel cut off the lower perch.
Make one complete cut on the ridge of the perch.
And make another partial cut to weaken the perch and use it as a hinge to bend the perch off.
Using a screw driver, pray the perch apart and remove.
Next, put the sleeve base on by clamping it right above the drop link bracket.
Pull the sleeve on and thread the lower perch on.
Insert the helper spring and the spring divider. On top of the spring divider, place the seat bearing sandwiched between two bearing thrust washers.
Inset the main spring, bump stop and the camber plate. If you wish to retain the OEM boot, it will fit inside the spring as well.
The strut is ready for installation.
Strut Installation
Bring down the upright assembly. Be careful not to stress or pinch any lines. Insert the bottom of the strut into the upright, and bolt the top camber plate in place.
Raise the upright until the strut seats itself. There should be only about 8mm space between upright and the PASM drop link bracket if so equipped.
Bolt back the strut clamp and the drop link and torque back the strut to camber plate bolt.
Stay tuned, we’ll continue to post more in upcoming posts. Thanks!
09-26-2014, 02:10 AM
#5
Former Vendor
With PASM in Sport mode you have additional damping, and we can go stiffer than the 20% and 25% we setup on this car. In this case we opted for the 20/25% based on intended use and this customer's desire to maintain a comfortable street ride quality.
One of the great things about the coilover sleeve conversion kit we developed is the ability to retain the PASM functionality, which is a very popular option.
For non-PASM cars we'll be putting the shocks/struts on our computer shock dyno to evaluate their damping curves and determining what spring rates would work well. We can also custom valve these dampers to support higher spring rates, so we really have the flexibility to do what we want and get the desired performance / comfort tradeoff the customer is seeking.
One of the great things about the coilover sleeve conversion kit we developed is the ability to retain the PASM functionality, which is a very popular option.
For non-PASM cars we'll be putting the shocks/struts on our computer shock dyno to evaluate their damping curves and determining what spring rates would work well. We can also custom valve these dampers to support higher spring rates, so we really have the flexibility to do what we want and get the desired performance / comfort tradeoff the customer is seeking.
09-26-2014, 03:01 AM
#6
Ahh, I've wondered about that. Conventional fixed dampers and springs are matched as you do on a shock dyno. But PASM dampers self-adjust across a range. Since spring rates are fixed, then the stock setup has to be something along the lines of the shocks being over sprung at the soft end of their range and under sprung at the firm end. In other words, with the stock setup most of the Sport firmness is balanced towards being more shock than spring. The shock is having to over-control the spring, so to speak. (I don't know what terms are used to describe this on a dyno.) So if I understand correctly, what you are saying is that your higher spring rate will still fall well within the PASM Sport setting range. In fact, and correct me if I'm reading too much into this, but it sounds like what your setup really does is shift the point of optimal shock/spring performance from where Porsche has it right in the middle, to be more optimized nearer the high performance end of the range. Does that sound about right?
09-26-2014, 11:47 AM
#7
Three Wheelin'
Very nice! Cost?
Now get rid of those Pirellis so you can use that new suspension!
Thank you for adding to the potential of our 991s.
I am conflicted, I love the compliance on the street with my PASM sport suspension, but want more cowbell on the track/AX. Would it be worth it to do all your mods and keep the PASM Sport spring rates?
I have ridden in the 991 GT3 (LOVE IT) but I could not imagine driving anywhere except to and from a driving event.
Thanks again!
Eric
Now get rid of those Pirellis so you can use that new suspension!
Thank you for adding to the potential of our 991s.
I am conflicted, I love the compliance on the street with my PASM sport suspension, but want more cowbell on the track/AX. Would it be worth it to do all your mods and keep the PASM Sport spring rates?
I have ridden in the 991 GT3 (LOVE IT) but I could not imagine driving anywhere except to and from a driving event.
Thanks again!
Eric
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09-26-2014, 12:59 PM
#8
Former Vendor
Ahh, I've wondered about that. Conventional fixed dampers and springs are matched as you do on a shock dyno. But PASM dampers self-adjust across a range. Since spring rates are fixed, then the stock setup has to be something along the lines of the shocks being over sprung at the soft end of their range and under sprung at the firm end. In other words, with the stock setup most of the Sport firmness is balanced towards being more shock than spring. The shock is having to over-control the spring, so to speak. (I don't know what terms are used to describe this on a dyno.) So if I understand correctly, what you are saying is that your higher spring rate will still fall well within the PASM Sport setting range. In fact, and correct me if I'm reading too much into this, but it sounds like what your setup really does is shift the point of optimal shock/spring performance from where Porsche has it right in the middle, to be more optimized nearer the high performance end of the range. Does that sound about right?
I wouldn't say PASM is over-sprung or under-sprung, but rather PASM creates two positions to let you tailor performance/ride to your needs of the moment, based on the changing variables. With an increased spring rate, you will find the sport position on PASM more often strikes the best balance.
09-26-2014, 02:22 PM
#9
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Control Arm Replacement
Let's complete the front suspension with the control arm replacement. For this part we've used our adjustable control arm.
Now that the front upright is being supported by the strut we can remove the lower control arm.
Take off shield by prying off two tabs on the other side with a flat head screw driver. Pull to the side so it's out of the way.
Detach front lower control arm. Caster arm to control arm bolt. Both nuts are 21mm.
Once out. Pull the caster arm out if the way.
Detach height sensor from control arm.
Loosen the nut with an 18mm socket. Remove the nut.
Disconnect inner bolt and let the control arm hang loose. This will give enough clearance for the ball joint separator.
Use a ball joint separator tool, separate the ballpoint from upright and remove the control arm.
The arm should pop out with ease.
Reinstall the new control arm in reverse order. However instead of using the spreader, simply torque the ball joint nut and the control arm will seat itself properly.
Insert center bushing spacers and bolt down the caster arm.
Make sure that all bolts are torqued down.
We'll post more soon. Thanks.
Let's complete the front suspension with the control arm replacement. For this part we've used our adjustable control arm.
Now that the front upright is being supported by the strut we can remove the lower control arm.
Take off shield by prying off two tabs on the other side with a flat head screw driver. Pull to the side so it's out of the way.
Detach front lower control arm. Caster arm to control arm bolt. Both nuts are 21mm.
Once out. Pull the caster arm out if the way.
Detach height sensor from control arm.
Loosen the nut with an 18mm socket. Remove the nut.
Disconnect inner bolt and let the control arm hang loose. This will give enough clearance for the ball joint separator.
Use a ball joint separator tool, separate the ballpoint from upright and remove the control arm.
The arm should pop out with ease.
Reinstall the new control arm in reverse order. However instead of using the spreader, simply torque the ball joint nut and the control arm will seat itself properly.
Insert center bushing spacers and bolt down the caster arm.
Make sure that all bolts are torqued down.
We'll post more soon. Thanks.
Last edited by Elephant Bart; 09-26-2014 at 02:57 PM.
09-26-2014, 05:02 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
Thanks for all the info Bart. I think everyone loves what you do. I have a C2S that has seen a decent amount of hard track time in it's short 9 month life. I noticed recently that the top of my Sport pasm dampers are leaking. Doesn't seem to be a lot but I'm going to have the dealer take a look when I bring it in for the annual but I'm concerned that they wouldn't holdup long term. So my question is why sleeve the stock dampers instead of working with Bilstein, or the like who have put out pasm compatible heigth adjustable dampers that you can valve to match the spring rates for your different applications?
09-26-2014, 05:54 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
This is compatible with PDCC?
09-26-2014, 09:42 PM
#12
Rennlist Member
09-27-2014, 02:22 AM
#14
Addict
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
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This is just black magic to those of us who dont race or track alot. By posting this and simplifying the problem into an easy to understand How To, you should be able to grab quite a few more customers that are just afraid of the Magic of suspension!
09-27-2014, 06:34 PM
#15
Rennlist Member
As the owner of this 991 I am happy to address any questions fellow Rennlist members have. The short story is it is exactly what I wanted. I debated ordering a GT3. They are awesome cars as we all know. But for me I wanted a backseat, didn't want the longer front facia and didn't want the attention the wing and 'bling' bring. So I went with a X51 package, no sunroof, deleted as many options as I could and then contacted Chuck and his team regarding how we could take my car to the next level. They came up with the strategy and its worked out really well. Here in Los Angeles the streets are known for being pretty bad. Even with these sometimes rough roads the car still isn't harsh while at the same time its a lot more involving to drive. I am not a suspension expert and so I let the Elephant work their magic on the car and I am 100 percent confident they can do the same for many others. A big thank you to Chuck and his team. I am really happy with my 991.