Kolshak

Hi,
I have a couple questions and I’m hoping to get a few opinions (Renn-ions?).
My MY01 C4 came with full Gemballa suspension, strut bar, pedals & exhaust installed by the dealer prior to delivery. (Dealer invoice says Gem 996-4 sus $2,250, Gem strut $312, Gem exhaust $1,500, Gem pedals $250)
Dealer set it up so it sits slightly almost an inch lower in the back – measured from the top of the fender lip through the wheel, the front end is 25.25 in and the rear is 24.375 in. (Gratuitous pics included).
Does anyone know if this is normal for a Gemballa suspensions or possibly just O/O’s personal preference?
Not complaining because I’m happy with the way it looks, & the handling is beyond superb - just curious if anyone else’s car sits lower in the back or if anyone thinks this is odd? Do all P dealers offer Gemballa Parts as an option? (Mine came from Jim Ellis in Atlanta).
Thanks

earlyapex

Rear engined Porsches are generally set up to have a slight forward rake. My car is set up that way.

programmatore

It is worse for a cabriolet -- the convertible top mechanism adds more weight in the back.

Ray S

Agreed, Porsche genrally puts a slight forward rake on the suspension height. My X74 set-up has this "rake"

Is the Gemballa system height adjustable?

Tippy

Isnt it the US spec, the Euro spec sit lower in the front?

gota911

Kolshak - like earlyapex said, Porsches generally have a slight forward rake.

BTW - nice looking C4! What colot is it? I am guessing Lapis Blue, but some of the pics also look like Midnight Blue. Either way, very nice!

1999Porsche911

What are your tire sizes, front and back?

newport996

How does it ride? Maybe you have worn shocks....if they are stock then i almost GUARANTEE they are shot....lowering springs will cause the stock shocks to wear prematurely....get some Bilstein's designed for lowered cars...

Kolshak

Thanks for the responses -
Here are the answers and a couple more questions.
Color in pictures depends on how my camera is acting on any given day but in person it's always Lapis.
Tires are 225/40 & 285/30R18.
I think I have the Gemballa adjustable sport suspension & I've consider changing it. Would I need an alignment if I brought the back end up 1 inch?
Ride is "good" & car only has 19K. Is 19K with the lowered suspension enough to wear out the stock shocks? During my one year and 12,000 miles of ownership, it does seem it have gotten slightly lower.

newport996

Well this is puzzling....if its adjustable...perhaps you have a coilover system...in which shocks and springs are one unit and in that case you just need to adjust the height and have it aligned. Adjustable could mean adjustable sway bars as well, having nothing to do with the ride height. Also...when a lowered suspension is installed, it will "settle"...this may take a month or so...I have heard of some systems, never quite settling and always "drifting" lower and lower....maybe its shock wear, or spring wear...who knows...

Kolshak

http://www.gemballausa.com/suspension.asp

Newport - these are the 996 suspensions Gemballa offers and looks like they are height adjustable. I do have the front & rear strut bars.
I have a lot to learn about suspensions.

Ray S

Like Newport said, if it is an adjustable coilover systems just adjust the height and have the car re-aligned. You can then adjust the "rake" to your liking.

This a how Porsches stock X74 looks;

earlyapex

Your car is very nice looking.

newport996

There are a few different ones on that page...there are springs only...adjustable height...looks like H&R rebadged coilovers...there are 9 position adjustable, look like PSS9 rebadged coilovers. If you got the H&R rebadged ones, those are the ones I have heard to never settle....so if you got the adjustable, or 9 position adjustable, you can have the height set to where YOU want it and they should have asked you where YOU wanted it when they installed it. If I were you, find a good tuner/aftermarket shop in your area and do all your upgrades there....not the dealer..you will get better price, and better service, and better advice on mods...the strut bars you have are said to be almost useless on the 996....so EXACTLY which suspension did you get?

Ray S

Thanks!!

It looks a bit different now since I added an Aerokit front spoiler and a Misha GT2 wing.