Lianhua

I have a 997S and would like to install the GT3 lower control arms on my car to get a bit more camber in the front. I was quoted $1,300 for each control arm by Porsche -- is this realistic? Seems a bit much...

Does anybody know of a cheaper place to get these control arms (for new GT3)?

Thanks for your help!

roberga

TRG-ask for Larry.

Lianhua

Thanks, I try that!

juddtaylor

I just got a set from my Porsche dealer, and it was MUCH cheaper than that. MUCH cheaper than I even thought possible. The quote I got was confidential, but I can tell you that it was around $250/side.

I got them at Boardwalk Porsche, Plano, TX (google it)

If you want to contact them, then ask for Roger, and tell him that Judd referred you.

-Judd

himself

Judd,

Did you just get the arms? Or did you get the links as well?

BTW, I didn't catch you at MSR last weekend. Were you even signed up??

-td

juddtaylor

I ended up getting Tarett sway bar links, both F & R, but maybe you're talking about the inner part of the control arms? If that's what you mean, then yeah, I did include those in the prices above (~$60 ea).

I'm still working on the whole suspension thing... really close now. I refuse to go back to the track until I have this project finished

I just need to finish CNC'ing some JRZ rear sway mount tabs, and then I can't decide (now that I have a Tax retrurn burning in my pocket), whether I should go ahead and add rear adj upper control arms and toe links. But most everything else is ready to go (or already installed).

Here's my damage list so far:

GT3 sway bars F & R
GT3 front control arms
GT3 monoball upper shock mounts
X51 Oil Pan (going to mod w/ aluminum doors)
Tarett sway links F & R
JRZ shocks (just rebuilt)
Eibach springs (main + tender setup)
F: 550# + 175#
R: 700# + 175#

I'd like to get some needle thrust bearings for the spring sets, but I can't really find any online that will say what dia they are (I'm using 2.25" springs).

Then, I have to do some maintenance work on the car, before I can go back: brake pads, trans flush & new filter, brake flush, probably the brake piston seals, and maybe some GT3RS brake ducts.

I just signed up today for the May DE held alongside the club race at ECR. That's my goal for getting back to the track. It's been way too long...

And finally, I don't recoginze your handle (or avatar)... who are you

-Judd

himself

After some calls and some reseaerch, it appears that the 997 control arms have substantially different connections than the 996, which is the reason for the substantial price difference. You can't just get the inner and outer arms and bolt them in for a 997.

A different solution might be camber plates. The downside is you don't get the extra track you would with the control arms.

-td

GREEK-TURBO-RACER

Larry is no longer there.


Theo

juddtaylor

Ahh... I see. I woudn't think the track differnece is going to help you much. The shims are in units of mm, and I would expect the difference per wheel to me on the order of 3-5mm, which means you'd get a whole 6-10mm wider track from the control arms. I doubt an F1 (I dare not say any names) could tell a difference there.

BTW, TOM, I think I figured out who you are. You changed your handle since I last looked... it had me fooled

-Judd

Ed Newman

I'm not sure I buy into "substantially different connections". I looked on the PET and Cup CD's and it looks like the 997 cup (adjustable) control arms have bearings in them like the 996 RSR. If so, $1300 (a pair) is reasonable. The only reason to install adjustable arms is to run a camber configuration you cannot by other means. Are you sure you can't get enough negative camber without them? If you street the car at all, I would be cautious of going over 3.0 negative.

10 GT3

When you ask for a quote, make sure you get a quote on all the parts:

2 inner control arms halves
2 outer control halves
4 nuts (2 per side)
4 washers (2 per side)
1 headlight adjustment shim (to maintain the auto-headlight leveling with Bi-Xenons), note this shim is around $100
$/shim for 1mm shims
$/shim for 3mm shims
$/shim for 7mm shims

Be also weary about in stock availability and lead times on parts. If you can wait 6 weeks, order all at once. I needed mine with in 2 weeks, so I ended calling all over the country and getting parts from 3 different dealers. No one had all the parts in stock. With the inners, outers, all nuts, washers, 10mm of shim packs per side (includes the special shim for the headlights), shipping from 2 dealers and tax from 1 dealer; the total bill was close to $1000.

The advantage is using these is not just the increase in camber, but also the increase in track. Remember when you do your alignment; the greater the shim pack, the greater the increase in track. Adding shims makes the control arms longer, pushing the tire surface further out away from the chassis. This added track helps with turn-in and weight transfer.

Ed Newman

You show me any driver on here than can produce better lap times because of a 10mm wider track. Let be real.

Carefree

Ed, you bring up a good point. If you can still get the camber one desires, then just get a 5mm spacer?
Big time savings.....

va122

You can! However you will need the 997 thrust arm as well. They are different lengths then the 996

jurnes

Suncoast Porsche (a sponser for one of the other porsche forums) ask for Arron.