ColoradoMark

Went shopping for installation quotes today.
Best quote was 10-14 hours labor, variable is whether they need to install GT3 control arms in the rear to be able to get the negative camber I would like.
Other shop was $2500. And they would need to trailer it to the Porsche dealer for the alignment as their rack was down. They claimed that we need special tools for an alignment, is that true?

I will do sway bars and end links myself sometime soon. But are there parts I should have the shop do while they are installing my new shocks, springs, front lower control arms and camber plates?

awfilms

Wow. You could do it yourself in probably 8 if you've never wrenched on a car and watched videos online tbh.

Any alignment shop can align to specs you want. If their rack was down, atleast they are honest enough to tow it. I would just drive it to there without an alignment if it wasn't that far.

nwGTS

Have them do the front sway too. You need to drop the front subframe to get it in. I was quoted about $2k for the following install in Chicagoland at a very reputable race shop:
Front GT3 LCAs
Front LCA rubber to solid puck
Eibach Springs
Rear adj toe arms
Front and rear GT3 sways
front and rear adj drop links
Alignment

Hopefully that gives you a good measuring point

Bruce In Philly

If you can to the sway bars and links, it is not that much more difficult to do all the other stuff yourself as awfilms notes. I did all four shocks on my 2009 although I was slow and did most of it by myself... and had to run out twice for additional wrenches and to rent a tie rod end puller and spring compressor (for free!) at Autozone. 8 hours is probably correct but I took longer... I am very careful and cautious. I did break out into the OMG-sweats a few times but got though it.

If you do sways yourself, you will need to get it up on stands, and if you can do that, you might as well tackle the whole job.

As awfilms notes, driving the car to an alignment shop is not going to cause the car to explode or your tires to blow up.... Just take it easy. I drove about eight miles to the alignment shop after I pulled out the suspension in my garage. I just wouldn't get on the highway and drive to Cleveland at eighty MPH.

Regarding special tools for an alignment.... I never heard of that. I had alignments done at dealerships of course, but at BMW and a Corvette specialty shop with no issues. I don't understand their comment.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

Dan GSR

Wtf, 3 hours if you suck at wrenching

semicycler

+1 on having them do the front sways. The lower sub frame needs to be loosened at a minimum to replace the front. The rears are super easy. Just be sure to get both wheels on that axle off the ground.

I doubt you will need rear split style LCA's unless you are really going extreme negative camber. Fronts will likely need them.

And as Bruce said you could DIY this. Plan for a long weekend and bond with your car.

nwGTS

^^^^ 3 hrs? You're high.
So many parts need to be removed and you need to disassemble the coilovers. With PASM cables it's not easy. With two people, amateurs could get this done in maybe 6-8 hours not including alignment. There are quite a few nonstandard bits and sockets you need too. Like Bruce said. I was lucky that the lift garage I used had all the random bits and sockets or I would have needed to run out like he did.

We did a quick string alignment to make it drivable and nearly had it perfect after my race shop showed me the before and after alignment specs. I had to drive it 50 miles on the highway too. No problems. Don't be scared about alignment if you can do a quick string alignment first.

Also note that if you have X51 headers you need to remove the header on the left bank in order to get the left adj toe arm in. Otherwise, the inboard bolt won't come out.

And as mentioned above you don't need rear LCAs if you have adj toe arms. Plenty of rear camber there.

ColoradoMark

Thanks all, I am still going to have the shop do it. This car came from Toronto so I expect there will be some difficult rusty bolts to deal with, plus I just don't have the time to deal with it right now.
I had not gotten sways as I wasn't sure which ones would be best to get. Any thoughts on this?

nwGTS

Get 997.2 GT3 sways with BBI spacer for rear sway (Carrera and GT3 rear sub frames are different). You'll find it on BBI's site.

Otherwise, TPC sells custom adj sways that fit without spacer. If buying new, I'd go that route. Otherwise GT3 sways are good if you can find them used. You'll also need adj drop links no matter which route you choose.

Dan GSR

I did mine in 2 hours

ColoradoMark

30 minutes a corner? Call me skeptical.

I can believe 8 hours, maybe a bit less.

So, I ordered new bars and end links from Tarrett. I'll have the local shop do the full install - their hourly rate is less than mine.

Next up? Exhaust? Seats and roll bar? Trailer hitch for a tire trailer?

Quadcammer

Just total bs

Dan GSR

Shocks and springs, easily. If you're also doing control arms and swaybars. That adds more time

hockenheimr

I put gt3 coilovers on my c2s, lots of extra parts and I ended up paying for 8hrs.

scorcherjf

I was quoted about $2000 when I did my B16 install (with sways and camber plates) so I don't think the quote you got is too far off. The PASM cables add quite a bit of extra work since the front shocks have the wire coming out from the bottom and it has to be routed back through each wheel well to the controller. I don't think you'll need GT3 LCA's in the rear. Fronts probably unless you can get enough camber out of the plates. Probably need adjustable toe links in the rear, though.

No way you can do all of that in 2 hours...