Rear Ride Height Idiot

[ikarcuaso]

A wrench already reset the splines on the rear torsion bars when the car was lowered a few month ago. I just need to raise the rear a little bit, like 1/2", to prevent wider tires from rubbing. So I...

- jack up the car
- support the car w/jack stands on the torsion bar covers
- loosen the nut & bolt closest to the torsion bar
- rotate the eccentric adjustment bolt to desired height
- tighten the bolt closest to the torsion bar
- lower car and drive off

That's it? Am I missing anything? For the adjustment bolt, do I turn it clockwise or counter-clockwise to raise the car?

Any other "gotchas" I s/b aware of up front?

Yes, I've searched. Some of these answers I found, some I didn't. Thanks.

[ZOA NOM]

It might not help to have the t-bar resting on the jackstands. It may make the adjustment harder to turn. As for the direction, I believe the adjustment bolt is turned CW as viewed from the outside of the spring plate. Regardless, the half of the plate connected to the trailing arm should angle downward to raise the car.

[Todd Simpson]

You'll want to loosen both nuts closest to the torsion bar to do the adjustment. Scribe the outline of the outer part of the springplate in pencil so you know where you started.

When done they both need 181 ft/lbs of torque, that can be a little difficult given the space.

I'd avoid the torsion bar covers as jackpoints, using the torsion tube section of the chassis instead.

[POKDUB]

Just did this adjustment recently.

Dont put jack on the bar covers, use the inner tube to support the car as already directed.

I didnt have the special flat spanner to adjust the eccentric bolt so I did the following
- under support of second jack I released the control arm
- loosened the four plate cover bolts
- (removing the lower left bolt and spacer completely)
- loosened both lock nut and eccentric nut
- prised the spring plate out a smiggen, enough to get the thicker spanner in behind.
- ensuring the splines are still engaged, keeping index
- adjusted eccentric bolt
- tightened and reassembled.

Maybe this is not by the book but it worked for me.

[ZOA NOM]

A couple minor issues with POKDUB's method:

> releasing the trailing arm will change toe and camber

> no need to loosen any plate cover bolts, the plate is supposed to move freely. the only time the lower bolt needs to be removed is for reindexing the t-bar

[rusnak]

The original intent was to keep the wider tires from rubbing on the fender.

I think stiffer torsion bars and maybe negative camber might be needed, as the car will eventually squat in the rear after all of this work. Also perhaps wheels with more offset toward the inside.

[mark '87 930]

ikarcuaso,

you're not missing anything. Just make sure you grind down your 24mm wrench to fit between the tub and the plate.

[ikarcuaso]

Great...thanks for the helpful replies.

I'll be heading to a bike shop this weekend to get the thin wrenches I'll need, and then I'll tackle this. Thanks again!

[vash]

while your shopping, pick up a 12mm allen socket or key. honk at the snap on guy, he will pull over.

you are going to need it.

[nesslar]

My shop (?) has dicked aroun' with my TBs twice now, and I think they must just have bad eyesight. How long should it take a competent wrench to raise/lower left/right rear, '86 Carrera, 1 inch or so? I mean just to "make it look right?" Not lookin' right now for track specs!! Do they just smell the labor cash?
:

[Quicksilver]

Originally posted by nesslar

My shop (?) has dicked aroun' with my TBs twice now, and I think they must just have bad eyesight. How long should it take a competent wrench to raise/lower left/right rear, '86 Carrera, 1 inch or so? I mean just to "make it look right?" Not lookin' right now for track specs!! Do they just smell the labor cash?
:

The 'rake' of a 911 isn't approximate. It is a rather exact measurement. If your shop misses by more then 1/4" then they aren't a 'shop'. John Walker's place is just a little north of you in Seattle. He is well known as a real encyclopedia of information and I have never heard of him having a complaint. (which is pretty rare on this board!)

Instead of messing/guessing with it let him take a look at it. If they blew the height of it that bad then I would suspect that the corner balance is out to lunch anyway.

John Walkers Workshop
7613 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 789-6800

[nesslar]

Thanks!
Bottom line is they fell off the boat and I should think they drowned. Not that I wish for such things to happen, but if this kind of work is beyond them, they should at least 'fess up and not pretend to know their .....stuff! They are in fact a reputable shop, and do lots of great things for lots of (maybe too many?) "cahs." As he said, "Time to unpimp ze auto, ja?".......???
Always have loved that one...............
Thank You for the contact. I have already told this suspect outfit that I expect the right and fair "rebate." And I'll go from there to elsewhere.

You guys are the greatest.
By the way, I made the wife a bit uncomfy last night by "drivin' the snot out of it" about 15 miles down to the waterfront for a really fine dinner! My son in back thought it was the ultimate! The thing just loves to rip..................

About all she had to say was
Happy (soon) Sunday, Pal

[rusnak]

nesslar:

I think your shop may just lack the right reference material. If you bring in a copy of Wayne's book or the Bently manual, then maybe they might see that they have experimented too much on your car, I don't know. But lowering the rears on a 911 can be very complicated. Once the torsion bars are out, if they have not made themselves any reference marks, then it can be an all day job to get it right. I follow the procedure outlined in the Bentley Manual, which differs from others in that it has you support the rear with a floor jack before removing the torsion bar support plate. Fortunately my 3.2 was set up by some sort of guru before I bought it, so it has some very useful markings on the tub, which I still use to this day.

I have not had reason to buy the bicycle wrench, but you never know I might need one some day, as well as the 12mm allen that Vash mentioned.

[nesslar]

Thanks!
I have let them know that experimenting and trial and error are not acceptable when I'm paying an hourly shop rate.
They shouldn't be doing the work, I figure, if they don't have it down pat. They are good, no doubt, but like anyone, I guess, they don't know it all.
They used up four hours, which I feel is plenty. I'm telling them that now it's time for them to allow a "free" adjustment so I can live with it.
Now that my partner and I finished second yesterday in our Golf Club's three round Calcutta tournament, I'm going to have to find a way to spend THAT cash............. BIG LOL

[rusnak]

Good luck, Nesslar. If it helps, about ten years ago I took my 911SC to THE best alignment and brake shop in town, and they took two days to get it right. They ended up charging me like $700, which was ridiculous, but they had more business then they could handle.

I now take it to a local frame shop for about $100, and I get a before and after computer printout.

[nesslar]

rusnak!
Thanks again! All I want from the present outfit is another 1/2" up on the left rear. I want it at no charge, as I said, and if not, then I will deal with a long standing, very reputable body shop that has a frame and alignment division that according to everything I've heard is quite capable.
At least the people in question here have done nicely with the other work they've tackled, though nothing too complicated. I think they take on too much, too, and I don't doubt that my car sitting there for four hours is actually worked on for two or three.
I'll get my lift in my garage eventually and I'll start to "DIY."

[ninesixfour]

Originally Posted by ikarcuaso

Great...thanks for the helpful replies.

I'll be heading to a bike shop this weekend to get the thin wrenches I'll need, and then I'll tackle this. Thanks again!

Old thread but did this work? Did raising the ride height help with the rubbing or did you have to go to stiffer torsion bars?

[jrobb911]

I need to adjust just the right rear of my car by 1/2 inch also. Does anyone have a couple of pictures that would help? I have never played with my suspension yet but don't think it could be that hard. I have 1/2 drive rachets and but no open end wrenches bigger that 7/8, and I have the factory jack and a roll around. Do I need anything else? I can bring home an impact wrench but need to do this monday or tuesday or bring it to a shop. I am trying to elliminate tire rubbing around left turns.

[jrobb911]

By the way its an 83 and the tire rubs, and this side is about 1/2 lower than the other side