Finally got my car back from my Porsche tech with the Bilstein and H&R sways installed. Although there is definitely a clearance problem and associatd annoying clunk with the rear bar, I chose to put it on instead of having an H&R front and stock rear...
I have never done a write-up before so the language might be a bit subjective. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. I lowered my car to a bit higher than Ken's car (I think my tech, Mr. Bob Fitzgerald - many thanks for an excellent job -, dropped it 30mm all aorund - will post pics on my Hobbystage when it stops raining and I can wash my car).
The first thing I ntoiced was the steering was a lot tighter and more precise. It needs a bit more effort than before but I think that's how a sports car is supposed to feel. You just point the wheel and the car goes there as if it is laser guided. A lot of the flimsiness from the stock suspension is gone.
Secondly, I took the car on a road with many rotaries and what I noticed was that there is a lot less body roll. Before, I owuld have to keep adjusting for the car being pushed out from the turning circle whereas now it holds itself very steady as if it was on rails!! There is a turn on my way hme that is a bridge over a river and is at a slight angle. The car usually drifts towards the upper/outer part but today, it gripped like never before. I am really impressed.
Another point I noticed is that usually, after you take a bump with the stock suspension, the car rebounds/recoils a lot!! The nose bops up and it is sometimes annoying. With the PSS-9, after the initial hit, the car does not recoil nearly as much - I guess waht I am trying to say is that the suspension absorbs the impact a lot better.
Last point to mention is that I was hoping the car would stop the 'bopping action' on WOT (see sharkster's signature for the effect I am talking about) but I guess there is no fix for that!!

 

msindi,

What are the sway bar/shock settings currently set on your car? You have quite a few possible combinations to choose from. I plan on doing some serious experimenting with it myself this weekend and will document what I come up with. Right now, my bars are both on the loosest setting with the shocks at 6 in the back and 4 in the front. FYI I am running Sport cups at the moment. I have only tried this setting for a day but I like it -- seems to be great for the street. It is a much better ride than stock with cornering ability also much improved.

When I was at the track two weekends ago, I had it set-up much more stiffly. For the first time I could induce oversteer with the throttle. Friends of mine commented that it finally handled like a real 911, especially after I spun it for the first time. They loved the way they could rotate the car. This is something that I need to get more used to. Anyway, for the track it was fine but it was a bit wearing to drive on the street so that is why I have the car setup the way it is at the moment.

Bob

 

Bob,

FYI - I tried a few firmness levels and settled on #3 F&R for an everyday street comfort setting. You may want to start your weekend experimenting at 3 and see what you think. I preferred the more direct feeling of #2 F&R, but it was a little too jarring on rough roads. There is quite a difference between 2 and 3.

 

Mansoor,
Congratulations!!! I am glad to hear you are happy with the install and performance increase. The bobbing effect you describe is also what I was trying to describe in my past post. It is gone! I hated it so badly. The "bobbing" term you chose is perfect to describe the stock suspension. It felt like a fishing "Bobber" that bounces on the top of the water. I can't wait to see the photos! Please provide your measurements from the ground to the top of the wheel arch (12:00 position front and rear) since I have created a database of some of the Rennlister cars for comparison and would like to add yours to it.

 

John - I have mine set at 3 all aorund. Sway bars are both on middle out of 3 settings.
KPV - will take my measuring tape later and get you those numbers...weather still bad so pics will have to wait.

 

John,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll start out with 3's all the way around and go from there. Looks like I'll be doing it tomorrow. Today I went to a Ferrari sponser DE event. Saw some amazing cars including one 996 TT, a 993 Turbo S and a early 90's Cup Car. Oh ... there were a few "other" cars there as well, but I'll post it under a different topic. Anyway, tomorrow will be suspension day so I'll get my impressions up on the site soon thereafter.

Ken, You can add my numbers to your data base. My fronts measure 25", the rears are between 25 7/8" and 25 15/16" (how's that for being **** about it?!). I'd like to see the results of your survey when you are done.

Bob

 

Bob,
It sounds like you are driving a jacked-up a 1970's street rod!!! Just kidding!!
Actually, you do have the greatest disparity between the front and rear heights. It probably makes it look pretty mean. Do you have a photo that I can see?

Here is what I have so far:

John D II:
F25.625, R26.375

dpblessing:
F25.125, R25.25

ArnaudWeber:
F25.3125, R25.375

cjv:
F25.125, R25.125

Bob M:
F25, R25.875

KPV:
F25.11, R25.26

Msindi:
F25.625, R26.375

Factory USA Turbo:
F26.6875, R26.25

Hope that gives you some data points to digest.

 

Ken,
If I can figure out how to post a picture, I'll let you see my "street rod!"

Originally, I had it equally "slammed." I am not sure what the measurement were from the ground to the wheel well, but from the ground to the bottom of the car using the line created where the plastic "aero" side panel is attached to the bottom of the metal body panels, it was level. It was so low, that the top of tires disappeared into the wheel wells. It looked very aggressive and if you referenced the line I described, it was level, but overall it looked low in the back. Maybe because that lower plastic aero panel dips down just before the back tire. I think that I have some pictures of it set up this way somewhere. Again, if I can figure out how to insert a picture into these threads, I'll be happy to post it. Maybe someone can walk me through the process. John? Based on how everyone else has their ride set-up, maybe I should lower the back 1/2#. Maybe this is why my car over steered seemingly so easily, though I got used to it at the track and was able to make it more stable by lowering my rear tire pressures.

I am going to try and hook up with the guru of suspensions in these parts, Jeff Cole and let him at it. He races at the national level and his cup car is usually in the top three. This year, I seem to recall that he has the engine out of his car and ... Anyway, many of the local club racers use him to set up their cars, so he has a following from a pretty picky bunch. Hopefully he can help me out too. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, could someone tell this Rennlist, Photo uploading challenged TT guy how to post or insert a picture?

Thanks,

Bob

 

Bob,
The photo must be located on a web accessible server. If so, all you need to do is type photo address/photo name.jpg with appropriate img and /img in brackets as a prefix and suffix respectively.

Incidentally, my car's specs match those of the GT2 precisely. I figured that was the safest way to go.

 

Let's see if this works. If it does, here is a rear quater view of my "hot rod!"

 

OK, since that worked here is a side view.

 

And finally a front quarter view.

 

Bob,
She is a beaut! Is that black or blue?

 

If speed was a color, BLACK would be it! At least in my case and for now it is!

Bob

 

I will have the height specs of my TT later tonight...
Just so you know I could have lowered more but did not want any rubbing and left the front some extra height for the Techart front II GT (coming soon!! after im done with engine mods...)
Also, my rears are 295/30 which makes it a gbit higher