susp.job is done, but height?

[Olivier 3.0]

OK, everything (shocks, ball joints, tie-rods, front and rear bushings) is done and the car is on its wheels... I had to adjust front bushings as well, on inner and outer diam.; what a shame !

On the first ride (before any alignment), the car seems ok, but there's a 'clonk' on bumpings at the front of the left A-arm. I think bushing is still to tight ...

My question is: when you put the front height adjustment screw, it is said in the Porsche book that you have to left "as little clearance as possible" between the torsion bar housing and the top (a-arm rested). But this means that there will last only a few threads for lowering the car ??

I think my car is now too high... What do you think of it (pic)? I don't want a track car, and don't want to be bothered with wheels rubing the wheel arch, but I want a cool look... And I have to decide before going to alignment !!

Last: when you're talking about 24' and 24'5, does it mean that front is higher than rear, and where do you take your measures?

Thanks...

[ChrisBennet]

Olivier,
Yes, it looks a little bit on the high side. Not quite Paris-Dakar but high. The fender lip measurement for the later cars with flares refers to the height to the fender lip measured from the ground at the center of the wheel. The usual numbers are 25.5" front and 25.0" rear. (This sounds backwards but it really is a larger number in the front because iof the fender shapes.) From this I would conclude that the front should measure 1/2" more than the rear to preserve a 1deg downward rake.
-Chris

[RoninLB]

I agree w/Chris 100%. Level, very level ground, 3/4 fuel tank, driver weight in driver seat, 3 ft. wooden ruler, carpenter level at 3 ft. ruler. That will get you in the ball park. A more involved measured height can be done later using a different measuring technique. Tire pressure should be correct. IMO, start with being within 1/4 inch.....your picture appears to show the 911 sitting excessively high...You can do a string technique for doing a ballpark wheel alignment...Wheel alignment/911 ride height is a personal, interesting, educating, and exciting game. You have proved your worthy to perform the remaining tweaking...I assume you have stock tire diameter..

[Olivier 3.0]

thanks, Ron ... Yes, it's the stock tire diam., and since I do not plan to do the "Paris-Dakar", I'll lower it... But I'm a bit tired, and doing once again all the stuff...

Anyone has a clue for the position of the t-bar adjustment housing, before contrain ?

[RoninLB]

oliver.....I believe "widebody911" has some excellent info. Thom is usually very informative and his research is excellent, IMO....Ron

[Eric Coffey]

Olivier-

IMO, you should set the initial (lower) ride height by re-indexing the torsion bars, keeping both the rear eccentric bolts, and front T-bar screws in the middle of their range. Then you can use the eccentrics and T-bar screws to obtain the correct corner-weight balance. Note: Sometimes a properly balanced car will have (slight) discrepancies in fender heights. Also, To make it easier, and provide a little more aggressive (desirable) forward rake, you can use a common fender lip measurement all the way around (like 24" for example). Lastly, when you get it aligned, you may want to consider adding a degree or so to the (negative) camber settings. Along with better handling, slightly more negative camber will also provide better fender clearance, allowing you to go lower with your ride height. My car has been set up in the exact manor described, and handles great, with even tire wear. Just my $.02

[Olivier 3.0]

thanks Eric, but since my car is a '76, there is no eccentric for the height (appeared in '77), and I kept the original spring plate angle, but with the new shocks, it looks like a grasshopper ... So I assume I'll have to lower it.
about the t-bar front screw, I've read in the Porsche specs book that it has to be as near as possible to the top , and not in the middle of the range, as I thought... Anyone can confirm?

BTW, I removed this evening the "clonk" bushing on the front of the left A-arm, to increase it inner diameter, and it's ok now...
To do so, I used a brake cylinder hone (pic); very helpful !

[Eric Coffey]

Ahh yes, forgot about the non-adjustable spring plates. About the front T-bar screws though: I still can't see why Porsche would recommend setting them all the way to the top. Maybe I am missing something here, but it would seem that setting them near the top would leave you with zero ability to raise the car if/when your front T-bars start to sag. Maybe it has more to do with the T-bar pre-load?

[Olivier 3.0]

yes, maybe... This information was on the 75-69 book, so it may have changed for later cars... Who knows?