Lowering my targa

Chakka71 · 05-04-2009, 07:10 AM

I'm looking for some handling upgrades I can do without too big of an expense. I have new bilstein(green back, yellow front, strut brace, targa brace inside) Only planning on keeping it for another year or two and don't want to sink alot of money into it, but I notice on the track that I seem to lose time in corners. My porsche mechanic friend had mentioned that lowering it is a labor only type job that can be done in a couple hours and would only cost the price of the labor. He's thinking that it would be relatively easy way to help handling for mininal money. Thoughts? Is there more to it than just lowering it that would have to be done as well, if I do lower it?

911Freak · 05-04-2009, 09:01 AM

Your definitely on the right track~
Lower ride height, corner balance, alignment and shed as much weight as possible...

You should be able to see a marked improvement

Chakka71 · 09:10 AM

I had it corner balanced last summer and currently going to remove the spare tire and go to a lightweight batt(odyssey). I think that will save something like 40-50lbs. After I lower it should I have it corner balanced again? Also, thinking of a front valance. I had seen one on here before that bolts under the front bumper, but can't find it......

the · 05-04-2009, 09:19 AM

"Lowering is only a couple hour job," let me be the first to give that a LOL.

On your '85, it's going to take a lot more than a couple of hours to do any significant lowering job on it. For the front, you probably have some room in the adjusting screws to lower a half in inch or so, but for the rears, you have to take the spring plates off.

Like most mid 80s 911s, your rear spring bushings are probably shot, so it would be silly to not replace them while you have the plates off the car.

To reindex the front and rear, and get it so that the ride height is roughly the same - I suppose could be done in 2 hours if you were trying to set a speed record, and the circumstances were just right (i.e., the bushings were recently replaced, the bolts are all easily removed, etc. etc. etc.), and you've done it before. Even then, still doubtful.

Doing a complete lowering is one of the most unpredictable jobs on these cars, IMO. You are often going to run into at least one problem, usually a few. Such as getting the spring plates off the car, torsion bars seized in the tubes or plates, etc.

You also need to have the special thin wrench to do the fine adjustment on the rear (not a big deal, pelican sells it, around $35 I think).

If you are going to DIY, I'd set aside a weekend to be sure.

BUT, if your mechanic friend is saying he'll do it for 2 hours labor, sign him up!

911Freak · 05-04-2009, 09:19 AM

[QUOTE=Chakka71;4643755]I had it corner balanced last summer..... After I lower it should I have it corner balanced again? QUOTE]

Absolutely, save the corner balance for last, after the battery swap, after the weight reduction etc.

As for the valance, have you check the used parts classified here?

Cheers

bklyn · 05-04-2009, 12:38 PM

I get hammered everytime I post pics of my 87 Targa, I would love to lower it but I was told then you need a bump steer kit, turbo tie rods and like all have said a re-alignment and corner balence, is this true?

Chakka71 · 05-04-2009, 01:04 PM

I've hold him to 2 hours and tell him he pays for the beer if it's more..........he might change his tune. Even if it's a full day I don't care, just so it's done right. He has done it numerous times on mid 80's porsche's, so I'm confident in his gestimate.....give or take a few hours..

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

Lowering, corner balance and performance alignment is one of the best things you can do for your car.

Unless you go crazy one of the $10 steering rack washer kits is going to be adequate to correct bump steer.

after that max tire/wheel widths.

gshiwota · 05-04-2009, 02:38 PM

c'mon guys.. lowering isn't that tough to do. I lowered the rear of my 82 SC in about 3 hours. It was my first 911 and I'm certainly no genius nor do I possess any super hero mechanical abilities. Perhaps I was lucky that nothing was frozen and nothing broke in the process.

The front was easy as pie... just turning of the screws and in about 20 minutes the front was down.

I took the car into the shop for corner balancing and alignment and it turned out great!

I went from super-high US ride height (circa 1982, which I believe was the highest) to slightly below euro ride height.

Good luck and don't be afraid!

Gabe

---------------
'82 SC Targa
'61 356B Notchback

MOMO3.2 · 05-04-2009, 03:42 PM

It took more than a couple hours for TRE to lower, align, and corner balance my 87 Targa. It was a pretty pricey affair if my memory serves me. I brought my car to them after replacing my ball joints, tie rods, shocks, putting 9" Fuchs on the rear and 7" on the front. I also stripped approximately 400lbs off the car!

So, after all the changes combined with TRE's work, my Targa felt a lot more lively with very nice turn in and grip

Mike

Chakka71 · 05-05-2009, 05:43 AM

I'm looking forward to the project. Thanks for the encouragement. Heading to The Glen the end of June, so the handling will be put to the test! I guess after this I can't blame it on the car's handling............I feel like i'm slowly but surely getting into that "grey zone" of mod's. I think lowering and a front valance will make a marked improvement!

vanwyk4257 · vanwyk4257's Garage

It will definitely make a noticeable difference. I just lowered my '87 targa to 1/2" below euro spec and installed 22/29mm torsion bars, neatrix rear bushings and elephant racing polybronze front bushings along with new turbo tie rod ends and ball joints. I had my car out on a race track on saturday to do some touring laps during lunch time at a vintage race I was corner working and I couldn't believe how much more composed the car was than before. I have the camber set at -2 degrees front and rear and it seems like a good compromise. Good luck with your project!

FinallyGotOne · FinallyGotOne's Garage

I noticed a big difference in the way my car drives after it was lowered to euro height, and aligned. The alignment is CRITICAL. But I still question corner balancing. Unless your racing at a full on motorsport speedway it does not seem to really make a difference, so i am told by many Porsche mechanics. So my question is how many really notice a differnce by corner balancing? And be sure that the change is not from the alignment.

froggyporsche · froggyporsche's Garage

hi guys, i like this post but notice that everyone has 1980's 911s. i have a 1973 targa and i am considering turbo-tie-rods and lowering. could anyone offer info regarding early 911 lowering ??
thanks