Oss

Lol I'm a Porsche noob, have been driving the wife's c series estate for the past 10 years, so my reference point is pretty useless!

darkblack

That's the best thing to be! This will be my first as well so hopefully asking all the right questions.

What I meant was, do you feel like it's stiff or less comfortable than you expected? Just wondering about your expectations and if the car meets or exceeds them.

Oss

Let's put it this way.... Never have I been tempted to drive the car below because the one above is less comfortable

darkblack

👍🏼 'nuff said!

moebiusone

Hi, i got the lift system on my 991, mind you its a gt3 but its a must, I also use it on my taycan.
Even for just getting in and out the garage I use it and on these speed bumps all over the place also.
I also spec it on my new 992 also.
Enjoy your car.

LandLawMan

I very rarely have to use the front lift system in my 992. Fairfax County, Va roads are pretty good. But I tried it the other day. I went over a speed bump with the axle raised. I was going slowly — as slowly as I would have gone, had the front not been raised. I noticed that the rebound was hard as hell. And I wasn’t going fast. I mean....I wasn’t CRAWLING. But certainly not what you would call ‘too quickly.’

Later, I went over that same speed bump (it’s at my kid’s school). Same speed, but without the lift. NO ISSUES and NO HARSH REBOUND. So, I have to say that using the lift, adds a very frighteningly hard WHACK after going over the bump. It’s a bit disconcerting.

Bottom line: You said you would use FAL while driving “...in some of the roads I drive down...” I wouldn’t leave it in the up position for ANY distance at all. In other words, once cleared of the bump, I would drop it like it’s hot. (My lame 15-year-old Snoop Dogg reference.)

Marantz2270

Good to know! Personally I’m more interested in greater confidence navigating inclines that would otherwise be impossible without scraping (many parking lot/garage ramps I have to use fit this category), versus driving over speed bumps more quickly than I otherwise would. In any case, glad to know that the front suspension may give up compliance when FAL is engaged.

riwu

I'm actually considering FAL partly due to being able to drive over speed bumps at greater speeds.
What is the mechanical explanation on why the rebound is harder with the front axle raised?
Does it still protects the car more effectively despite the harder rebound?

Also, could you repeat this experiment a few times to be more certain that the FAL really results a harder rebound?
Thanks!

ipse dixit

This would be a weird reason.

As FAL automatically lowers itself around 25 mph.

More importantly, why would you want to do that? Are you always in that much of a hurry? Maybe leave earlier?

riwu

But it means I could perhaps approach bumps at 15-20mph instead of 5-10mph?

I value my time as I can generate money/happiness with it, so every second saved is a win.

AlterZgo

FAL works by raising the spring perch by 40mm. When it raises the spring perch, the top part of the suspension that holds the top of the shock pulls the shock piston upwards by 40mm thereby removing 40mm of rebound or upward shock travel (think about when you see your car raised on a lift and the suspension is fully unloaded and there is a giant gap btw the fender and the tire - the shock is at max extension).

You don’t want to ram through large bumps at high speed with the FAL fully raised. It will have no problem dealing with the compression of the suspension when you hit the bump. However on the rebound stroke, it is probably not a good thing because the suspension is close to topped out so it has very little upward travel left.

As for how fast you should be hitting the speed bumps with FAL extended, that would really depend on how big and sharp the speed bump is. However, I’m sure it would be fine going over most speed bumps at 15-25 mph. I just wouldn’t ram through them at say 30-40 mph.

LandLawMan

This perfectly explains in technical terms, what I was trying to describe in my completely non-technical way. Thank you. Now I understand why I was experiencing what I was experiencing. Good stuff.

And you’re right: The FAL lowers itself at speeds in excess of [I think it’s] 35 mph.

‘I have found the ‘memory” setting for the FAL to be a blessing, and a curse. Every morning, I drive by the entrance to my grocery store. If I take that entrance, I definitely need the FAL. But when I cruise on by at 25mph (the speed limit on my little side road), the damned FAL lifts without my turning in to the store. So I end up driving for a mile with the axle pointlessly lifted. No harm, no foul. But still....irritating. I guess if it limited itself to a smaller geographic range before it deploys, wel, it would be too late to be of assistance in many cases.