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You can get a pretty good idea of the spacer thickness you want by laying a non-scratching straight edge across the wheel opening, fender lip to fender lip, at the point you'd like the tire to be flush, and then take a ruler and measure from the straight edge to the tire, and you'll have your spacer thickness dimension.
There are no spacers on centerlocks. Not going to happen. Your way to fix the craptastic offsets is to buy new wheels. Its a great opportunity to get some lighter and wider wheels on the car.
There are no spacers on centerlocks. Not going to happen. Your way to fix the craptastic offsets is to buy new wheels. Its a great opportunity to get some lighter and wider wheels on the car.
This is correct.
You may be able to achieve the ride height you like with SPASM springs, 10mm lower than PASM. The ride will be slightly stiffer vs. PASM.
As others have said, no spacers on CL wheels. My configuration is H&R springs and Forgeline wheels with offsets 50 up front and 46 for the rears. Front offset is perfect but the rears could stand to be brought out another 2-3mm but now I'm nitpicking. Bottom line is that you need to find after market wheels where you can specify the offset. Custom offset wheels = spacers on CL cars.
As others have said, no spacers on CL wheels. My configuration is H&R springs and Forgeline wheels with offsets 50 up front and 46 for the rears. Front offset is perfect but the rears could stand to be brought out another 2-3mm but now I'm nitpicking. Bottom line is that you need to find after market wheels where you can specify the offset. Custom offset wheels = spacers on CL cars.
OP is looking for a slight drop, can you post a picture with your H&R springs?
very slight drop = SPASM springs (-10mm from base 4x4 height)
Slight drop = Eibach (-30mm). The eibachs basically mimic stock stance for better or worse depending on your opinion (i.e. 30mm lower no change in how car sits otherwise IMO, the the rake seems the same).
more of a drop = H&R (claimed -30mm...but they level out the stance IMO, so they are technically lower than a 30mm drop. So, lower and level to my eye).
lower than H&R, I would argue = coilovers.
I am open to more specific corrections.
I have had all of these options on various cars and all are solid choices depending on what you want. I would argue the H&R springs are definitely lower than the Eibachs. In my opinion, this is because the rear is level with the front, so the front drop may or may not be the same but the rear on the H&Rs seems definitely lower to me.
If you really want something super specific, you should get coilovers and wheels to get what you are asking about. However, just getting some springs will probably give you a cool result and satisfy you for a little while. It is a cheap and easy to reverse mod.
very slight drop = SPASM springs (-10mm from base 4x4 height)
Slight drop = Eibach (-30mm). The eibachs basically mimic stock stance for better or worse depending on your opinion (i.e. 30mm lower no change in how car sits otherwise IMO, the the rake seems the same).
more of a drop = H&R (claimed -30mm...but they level out the stance IMO, so they are technically lower than a 30mm drop. So, lower and level to my eye).
lower than H&R, I would argue = coilovers.
I am open to more specific corrections.
I have had all of these options on various cars and all are solid choices depending on what you want. I would argue the H&R springs are definitely lower than the Eibachs. In my opinion, this is because the rear is level with the front, so the front drop may or may not be the same but the rear on the H&Rs seems definitely lower to me.
If you really want something super specific, you should get coilovers and wheels to get what you are asking about. However, just getting some springs will probably give you a cool result and satisfy you for a little while. It is a cheap and easy to reverse mod.
I've run coil overs on many cars and have also used H&R and Eibach springs. The last H&R I had were on a 996tt way back in early 2000 and they hit the bump stops bad. Said never again and pretty much just did coil overs since then. Ran Eibach on my wife's 997.2 cab we sold in December juast because she did not need coilovers the way she drives.
I am really just curious about what the guys are running on their GTSs and want to leave it stock except for a slight drop at this time and would love to see pictures of the different springs on a GTS.
...not to stir the pot but if you ever get a chance to get some OEM GT3RS coilovers, that would be pretty cool if it is a simple fit like how I can use GT3 coilovers on my C2S...but I get what you are saying.
I've had coilovers on a few cars as well as one car that had H&R springs. I hated the ride with the H&R so I got Eibach on my GTS. I wish I had gone with the H&R's to be honest simply as the drop is not to my liking more so on the rear of the car. Also, I've never really cared for PASM, it's very harsh and I don't think it does well on poor road surfaces which is pretty much the norm in CA. The springs didn't make this much worse if at all to my knowledge. I've been looking for electronically adjustable coil overs lately but haven't heard great things about the bilstein option. They've also had some serious production issues the last year or two, so I'm not sure they're even available. A company in the UK called RPM technik makes, or sells, coilovers with electric adjustable dampening for 997's. They are not cheap but that is another option. I think I will be purchasing wider rear tires next though before coil overs, currently have the OEM 305 tires but will get 325's. I already have 245 up front.
I am really just curious about what the guys are running on their GTSs and want to leave it stock except for a slight drop at this time and would love to see pictures of the different springs on a GTS.
Also, I've never really cared for PASM, it's very harsh and I don't think it does well on poor road surfaces which is pretty much the norm in CA. The springs didn't make this much worse if at all to my knowledge.
I've had coilovers on a few cars as well as one car that had H&R springs. I hated the ride with the H&R so I got Eibach on my GTS. I wish I had gone with the H&R's to be honest simply as the drop is not to my liking more so on the rear of the car. Also, I've never really cared for PASM, it's very harsh and I don't think it does well on poor road surfaces which is pretty much the norm in CA. The springs didn't make this much worse if at all to my knowledge. I've been looking for electronically adjustable coil overs lately but haven't heard great things about the bilstein option. They've also had some serious production issues the last year or two, so I'm not sure they're even available. A company in the UK called RPM technik makes, or sells, coilovers with electric adjustable dampening for 997's. They are not cheap but that is another option. I think I will be purchasing wider rear tires next though before coil overs, currently have the OEM 305 tires but will get 325's. I already have 245 up front.
OP is looking for a slight drop, can you post a picture with your H&R springs?
How is the ride with those springs? Thanks
Best for slight drop would probably be Eibach/Techart. Same thing, different brand but I think the Techarts are more expensive. 1" drop on both those as opposed to 1 1/4" for H&R's. Doesn't sound like much of a difference but it's noticeable when installed. As for ride quality, I've driven a 997 GTS with stock springs, my current car had Eibachs when I bought it and then I swapped the Eibachs for H&R's which I still have.
As for ride quality, this must be a highly personal/subjective thing. To me, I would be dishonest if I said I could tell the difference between the three configurations mentioned. The ride is firm with stock springs and if it changes with either of the lowering springs it takes a better man than me to tell the difference.
My avatar picture is with Eibach springs and have another one with H&R's. Both attached. The lower H&R picture is not great for comparison but if you look at the wheel gap on the front wheels you can see the difference.