gonz911

That looks really great! I'm starting to like 20" on the 997.

Aerokitted

Don't mind the banter. Do what YOU want. You get all types on the internet and this is part of the fun.

i'm on your side. I'm definitely in agreement that stock height is way too high and if I had a Carrera, I'd go get the following things done:

-Adjustable coilovers or more specifically the Bilstein PSS10s as others have advised. If you compare the Bilstein units to the KWs, you'll see that the former uses higher quality, better engineered parts (at least in my eyes). for the price of the H&Rs and your needs, i think you'll be 100% happy.

-Perfect fitment wheels - I'd only resort to spacers if I ran stock wheels because they're very conservative (i.e. sit inboard a great deal). If you get aftermarket wheels, only get ones that are hubcentric with the right width and offsets so it'll have that perfectly flush look and won't rub even when lowered aggressively. i'd even go so far as to demand that they work with stock bolts as i don't trust aftermarket ones (easier to source too in case you lose one?). Any reputable P-car vendor will guide you down the right path. I have zero idea why people run aftermarket wheels and put spacers on it. It defeats the purpose of getting customized wheel$ to car. just know that the ruf replica wheels you referenced are going to be pretty darn heavy as even the authentic ones are pushing high 20s, low 30s. i think there are better options out there, but it'll likely cost you a bit more.

-You'll probably need some sundry suspension bits to get clearance like others have mentioned. Any reputable p-car indy should be able to give you good advice and competitive pricing installed.

Make sure you get a teensy bit more aggressive alignment than stock to seal the deal.

Looking forward to what you end up with because it's going to make your 911 look magnitudes better in both looks and the ride. gl

sandwedge

Because some of the best aftermarket wheels (Champion for example) come with stock offset which means they require the exact same spacers as stock wheels to bring them flush with the fenders.

gonz911

Thanks for the input.

I opted for H&R coilovers and purchased them from TireRack given a special they were running. I think the PSS10s are good. I ran KWv2 on my M3 for 5.5 years and I loved them. I had friends with PSS9 and 10's and although they were good, I preferred mine. I don't know how the H&R coilovers will compare but I'm certain to find out.

I originally ordered H&R springs (ran them on my 996), but after receiving them I had second thoughts. I oftentimes find myself being compulsive and I wish I had thought about that further. Same thing happened with the E46 M3 I had whereas I ordered springs, had them installed, then in a short amount of time I found the springs didn't match the dampers and then I bought the coilovers. At least I didn't go through the expense of installl - they're still sitting in the box.

The one thing I did with the M3 was addressed the balance of the suspension. I added beefier front/rear sways, front camber plates, and adjustable rear control arms. This helped a lot. I want to do the same with the 997.

Regarding the wheels, yeah, original RUFs are boat anchors, and the replicas are lighter, still heavy. The car will not see a lot of tracking, however, inasmuch as I do, I plan on keeping the OEM 18" for this purpose. I just like the look of the RUF wheels (I know some don't like reps - but they'll have the Porsche logo just the same),.

I need to figure what other suspension items I need - I suspect for proper range of camber (?).

Thanks again.

Aerokitted

Not completely true as what's deemed "best" is relative. with that said, you gave what i regard as good advice when you speak of considering spacers to give it a much better stance to push the wheels further out in the corners... but only if the owner wants to run stock wheels.

The top shelf vendors come with non-stock offsets and widths as the stock wheels run inboard much more so than say the Champion RG5s I run which sit a bit closer to the fender and almost stick out at stock height.

My stock wheels are 19x12s so there's no way Champion or any other vendor is going to sell 19x12.5s or 13s simply because going wider than 12s is just crazy steamroller land. You can have this done through bespoke houses like HRE, but the question is why?

On both the narrow and wide body carreras, you can fit 12s all day with the right offsets and it'll sit beautifully flush to the fenders when lowered. I like to go as wide as possible within reason. 12s are, imho, well within reason on a 911.

So if someone's shelling out hard earned cash to buy aftermarket wheels with stock offsets and widths... well... all the more power to you. It's not my money.

Aerokitted

I'd never recommend to anyone to match aftermarket springs to stock shocks. That's just a band-aid approach to lowering because eventually, you're going to want to treat yourself and your 911 to the full meal deal. The Bilstein PSS10s are definitely the higher quality kit, but again, for your needs, I think you'll be just as happy with the cash savings sitting comfortably in your wallet.

sandwedge

I have the same exact wheels as you do (RG5's) and need the exact same spacers as the stock wheels require. Do you have widebody rear wheels on a narrow body car by chance? That would explain what you're describing.

Aerokitted

Champion makes GT3 specific width/offsets. Mine's an '08 narrow. Stock wheels come with spacers in the rear. Champion eliminated the need for them. They also make RS wide specific fitment which features an even bigger lip - again, no spacers to the best of my knowledge. If they made me re-use the spacers, I would've ordered a truly bespoke multi-piece set from either HRE or Formula43.

Spacers or not, if you'd be so kind to indulge me with some more pics of your 4S with RG5s, I'd greatly appreciate it. It's gotta look incredible esp in person! You are a gentleman and a scholar to have picked them out. They're class.