Raised spindles ??

phunt · 02-13-2025, 04:37 PM

How do I measure to find out if and how much my spindles have been raised? I have Bilstein RSR. I was told they are raised 19mm. Bilstein doesn’t make them that way. They make standard or 0mm raised and 10mm raised.

r lane · 02-14-2025, 05:28 AM

Compare them to a stock strut. I am assuming you have a stock strut. If not I can send that dimension to you. Bob

phunt · 02-14-2025, 06:42 AM

Thanks Bob. I do not have a stock strut. This is the only one I have. When installed it doesn’t seem to have very much travel. I thought raising the spindle helped with that. So that is why I am questioning whether the spindle is really raised. Thanks again

LJ851 · 02-14-2025, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phunt

Thanks Bob. I do not have a stock strut. This is the only one I have. When installed it doesn’t seem to have very much travel. I thought raising the spindle helped with that. So that is why I am questioning whether the spindle is really raised. Thanks again

Raising the spindles does not change the travel of the strut, it only moves the spindle up on the body of the strut. This allows the wheel to travel further up into the chassis before the strut bottoms out.

75 911s · 75 911s's Garage

you can tell just by looking at it usually, look at photos here of struts and then look at yours. The collar will be higher visually on the tube. Measure the distance from the bottom to the spindle collar and get back to us.

Is it yellow? is it new looking? Might be Elephant Racing or other, if so they raise them 19mm or a custom amount to your desire.

gled49 · 02-14-2025, 08:40 AM

From the centerline of the wedge pin to the bottom of the spindle casting, approximate measurement. Stock 70mm, RSR 78mm, 935 85mm. These are store bought parts.

phunt · 02-14-2025, 11:32 AM

nobody said change the travel of the strut. however, if you lower your car 19mm you would loose 19mm of strut travel. so if you moved the spindle up 19mm you lower your car with everything else being at stock height so strut travel would be unaffected. that is why i asked the question. i will measure as soon as i can. thank you for those measurements. the struts are new bilstein RSR. the place i got them not elephant advertised them as raised 19mm. bilstein only makes 10mm and 0mm i can't find the part number so i cant check that way. when i made my car a roller and set it up at what looked like a good height. the travel is not a lot. i thought there would have been more. thanks again

winders · 02-14-2025, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJ851

Raising the spindles does not change the travel of the strut, it only moves the spindle up on the body of the strut. This allows the wheel to travel further up into the chassis before the strut bottoms out.

It obviously doesn’t change the travel of the strut. What it does do is alter where you are in the travel of the strut at any given ride height. If you lower the car 19mm without raising the spindle 19mm, you lose 19mm of travel. If you also raise the spindle 19mm you lose no travel at all.

LJ851 · 03:04 PM

To me “doesn’t seem to have very much travel” is different than doesn’t seem to have very much UP travel, hence my response.

I’m glad we all agree on what a raised spindle does.

If I remember correctly Elephant offers a short height gland nut that will also improve the available up travel situation. Not sure if that applies to your RSR struts though.

..

LJ851 · 02-14-2025, 02:56 PM

Here

nickelplated5s · nickelplated5s's Garage

There are a lot of threads here about raised spindles. Search 'roll center' and/or BillVerburg. The math for the RC I get but am a little skeptical. For one with a lowered car and a stiff suspension you will never hit the top or bottom limit. In other words raised spindles allow for use of stock shocks. Custom shocks with stock spindles work just fine. Yes, I know about the RSR and why. If you have them use them. Think about Koni Sports or Von's for the front.

Didn't know there were many pheasant in CA

Steve W · Steve W's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJ851

Raising the spindles does not change the travel of the strut, it only moves the spindle up on the body of the strut. This allows the wheel to travel further up into the chassis before the strut bottoms out.

Raising the spindles does change the travel of the strut, increasing by exactly the mm you raise your spindles. Imagine, the car and wheel/spindle keeping at a fixed height from the ground, while if you could, drop and slide the angle of the A-arm down as it slides through the spindle bracket. This increases the distance before the top of the shock hits the bump stops.

Most owners don't realize when you drop a 911 down to 'euro ride height' on the stock shocks, there's almost no travel left before you hit the bump stops. So on rough roads it slams into the stops all the time and the car ride is very harsh. It's very obvious when you have a car with raised spindles and ride in someone else's car without, and they don't realize it. Raising it 19mm makes a huge difference.

Jonny042 · Jonny042's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by phunt

when i made my car a roller and set it up at what looked like a good height. the travel is not a lot. i thought there would have been more. thanks again

Even with raised spindles, the travel is not much, what you are seeing is normal. There are a lot of cars running around on the bumpstops, even though they are set to what is known as "Euro" ride height.

It's common to cut one of the three nubs off the internal bumpstops to give a bit more travel at the front before the bumpers come into play.

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

I'm surprised that no one has ever actually measured the fronts, or if they did it's still a secret.

here's the rear

ride height measure obviously depends on the specific vehicle's specs

stownsen914 · 02-15-2025, 08:39 AM

There are a few advantages of raising spindles on a lowered car. Usable shock travel is one. Bringing the suspension closer to its intended range of motion helps avoid the extraneous wheel movements that occur at the upper and lower extremities of travel - bump steer and scrub (side to side movement of the wheel/tire) are two. And for the 911 strut front suspension, you lose some camber change that naturally occurs during suspension compression. For a lowered car, raising the spindles can bring the suspension back to its optimal range of motion.

phunt · 02-15-2025, 09:38 AM

Hey thanks all. I know the advantages and the why’s to raising the spindles. I do not have anything to compare mine to so I can not just look to see if mine are raised. That is why I am asking for the dimensions and how to measure them to see if in my case the spindles are indeed raised. I got them from what was supposed to be a reputable shop, but??? Just trying to finish my car and things look a little?? Thanks again. Hopefully I will measure mine later today and I will post what I find

LJ851 · 02-15-2025, 10:55 AM

Phunt, another way to verify if the spindles are raised would be to install a 15 fuch wheel at ride height. There should be close to zero clearance between the lower ball joint and the inside of the wheel. 19mm is the “maximum” spindle raise to fit inside a 15 inch wheel.

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by stownsen914

There are a few advantages of raising spindles on a lowered car. Usable shock travel is one. Bringing the suspension closer to its intended range of motion helps avoid the extraneous wheel movements that occur at the upper and lower extremities of travel - bump steer and scrub (side to side movement of the wheel/tire) are two. And for the 911 strut front suspension, you lose some camber change that naturally occurs during suspension compression. For a lowered car, raising the spindles can bring the suspension back to its optimal range of motion.

scrub will always be present, the further above or blow ground the instant center is the more scrub, for other reasons you don't want the IC to be at or below ground level
Instant center location

scrub

wheel path due to scrub

nickelplated5s · nickelplated5s's Garage

Oy Vey! Phunt there are enough pictures here for you to figure it out. Listen to LJ851 and dry fit everything including a 15" rim. We still don't know which car you're talking about.

SW - just noticed PV in your sig line. Have friends who used to live there....

phunt · 02-15-2025, 02:31 PM

WTF???? Oy Vay. I asked a question about how to measure to very if my spindles are raised or not. simple. I did not ask about the advantage or why. I did not ask about scrub roll center bump steer nor suspension geometry. just what the dimensions are. I have dry fit everything which led me to my question. does not matter what my car is or what I intend to do with it. they are Porsche 911 front struts Duh. I do appreciate all the help people are trying to give. I do not appreciate "Phunt there are enough pictures here for you to figure it out." there are not pictures nor information for my question. even BillV says nobody measures the fronts and post pics of the rears! at least gled49 took his own pictures and posted them for me to go off of. Thanks!! I do appreciate it.