RonCT

Here are a few photos of the installed product. What you'll see is:

GT3 Cup control arms with GT3 air ducts (previously installed).
Damptronics.
Front GT3 adjustable sway bar w/ TRG drop links (oem was too long).
Rear H&R adjustable sway bar (OEM GT3 was not a good fit and required additional parts - H&R was compatible and direct fit).

Suspension feels fantastic on the street, the only issue is a "Sproing" noise when the front springs bind on the perch and release. Lubricated with Silicone, which helped, but it's still there. Only 1 teflon disc was provided for the top between the perch and the spring - wondering if a 2nd to create a "bearing" would help (friction would be disc to disc instead of spring to disc which binds). Starting the sways at full soft rear and 2nd position from soft front. Will see how things are at LRP on the 24th.

Suspension alignment settings:
Ride height lowered about 20mm rear, 15mm front for slope of 0.80 degrees.
Camber front -2.3, rear -1.9
Caster front 8 degrees.
Toe front 0.05, rear 0.20.
Corner weight: Left Front 625, Left Rear 1011, 622 Front Right, 998 Front Rear
Total weight: 3256 including 3/4 tank of gas, 165 lb driver


Wheels: Volk 37s in 19x8.5 and 19x11 (new)
Tires: PSC 19" 235/305 (new)
Pads: PFC 97
Fluid: SRF

MrBonus

Very cool, Ron. I too get a similar noise on certain bumps but I've just learned to live with it.

Deanski

Ron,

I'd contact FBL who does many of these Damptonic installs and may be familure with the problem you have. Call and ask for Kip. I'm sure they have a resolution.

Deanski

RonCT

Kip handled my car for the Control Arms, but when I called asking about the Damptronics and sways he was at MSRP for parts and 4 weeks out for install (vs. internet match on parts and 1 week for install everywhere else) - so I'd feel funny asking him. We're tracking this down through the Bilstein and I thought maybe somebody here had the same experience and perhaps solved it (ie: Through a 2nd teflon disc to create what is known as a "Torrington Bearing"). Thanks for the thought though Deanski!

mglobe

Ok, I officially hate you now. I'm really eager to hear how this works on the track. I'm particularly jealous of the front camber you've got. I've got my stock suspension pushed out to -1.0, & that's all we can get out of it. Still chewing through front tires.

996toomey

Thank you. Please keep us posted. When you have time will you take a picture of the car with the new wheels and ride height?

Thanks.

Nine9Sixer

very nice. eager to hear your thoughts after LRP. any pics of the entire car, with damptronics and volks?

also, if you don't mind divulging, who did you trust with the install? if not FBL.

mdrums

Ron, any particular reason you went with 19" wheels for the track? Also why just 235's up front? I see guys with 997's at the track with 19's and 265's up front.

I have positive thoughts that you will love the Damptronics at the track. I bet you will need to play with sway bar set up some.

RonCT

A few answers. Dan Jacobs / Hairy Dog Grrage did the install and I think Dan's team did a great job balancing things. It looked to us like the Sproing is a non-issue other than the fact I'd like it to be quiet and we think we can solve that fairly easily.

Regarding 19s... I had a set of 18" Fikses last year with RA1s. A couple of things moved me into the 19" format... One was the tire selection. I didn't care for RA1s as much as I liked PSCs. RA1 is very heavy, especially the rear tire (over 30 lbs I think) where the PSC is about 5 lbs lighter (don't quote me on actual weight - just giving you the idea of magnitude). I like the idea of the "reformulated" 19" PSC, where it has a little more rain channel to it and is a little better in the cold. I used to use my PS2s in the early spring or if it was raining because regular PSC were not that great in those situations. I don't need the last 10th of a second on a lap - I'm seeking that "do everything" car, where I can drive my wife to dinner at night, swap pads and wheels, and drive Lime Rock in the morning. I also wanted TPMS this time around because even though it's not totally accurate (though I'm luck and right now it's pretty much right one the money), it does give me some idea of what's going on - such as as if I had a failure (I had a valve stem failure a few years ago and if I had TPMS, maybe I would have known earlier). Yes, the system will beep, but not at an inopportune moment like it was when I had no TPMS sensors (ie: In the left hander of the Esses at Watkins Glen - not a good place for beeps).

As to rubber width - 235/305 should be plenty for what I'm after, especially with the alignment dialed in nicely. We'll just have to see at LRP next week.

No photos yet - Volks will probably go on Tuesday night when I put the PFC 97s back on and heat cycle the tires (sit all Wednesday and on track Thursday).

Deanski

Dan Jacobs should be able to assist, but I'd kep after Bilstein on this. Maybe you have a spring set that was not correct for this Damptonic shipment. Maybe get the numbers off them and provide that to Bilstein to be sure.

Or, the spring perches are not set correctly after they were installed.

It could very well be something simple. I'd still ask Kip if they've heard or know of it and if what they say corrects the problem, I'd find some way of thanking him. Some shops will offer solutions, some won't. Can't hurt to ask though?

I hope to get up to LR one day, it's been very busy for me.

Now, I'm switching tires soon for street use, I may go to the Bridgestones as I hear they seem prety darn good. I'm kind of on the fence as they Lexus SC430 had Bridgestone RFT's (first gen) which were known as "run craps" as they road like stones. Totally different tire and first generation, but the experience made me think again before I ever go with Bridgestones. Still have the P-Zero's on now. I'm also going to 305's for the rear, front stock.

I'm sure Dan can find the gremlin in the Damptonics and front end area.

If they cannot nail it down, Danbury Porsche has the new remote microphone systems that can mount in different locations as they drive and listen to the problems. I think it's a six mic system. I know Jeff (Service Mgr) is in Germany this week, but you can call and ask about this. Another great way of finding hard to locate noise/problems.

Regards,
Deanski

RonCT

Just swapped out pads and wheels, so here are some photos of the setup...

jhbrennan

They look great!! I've had Volks/Rays on a 350Z and loved them. Will the 37's take a standard Porsche 60mm center cap?

RonCT

The offsets and alignment are incredibly well matched.

Hmm, don't know for sure, but the caps that came with the Volks are here on my desk and they measure about 65mm outside and 60mm inside.

MrBonus

Volks are such fantastic wheels. I love your setup, Ron.

996toomey

Looks good. Do you have the weights on the wheels?

Thanks.