Ride height and shock travel

[Scott77]

78 930

After reading through the archives, I figured I could solve my front suspension shock travel problem. The shocks appeared to be sitting on the bump stops so as I read simply take the shocks out and cut the bumpers down to increase travel.

Before getting started, I measured to static heights of the front and rear; 24" and 24.5" as measured from floor to fender, through wheel center. Uh oh, this is lower than the Euro spec I read to be 25" and 25.5".

So using my new Porsche project book, I read I could raise up the rear and front suspension fairly easily and potentially improve the situation.

After raising up the rear suspension and putting a wrench to the two large nuts, I decided this was not going to happen.

On to the front.

Well, after taking out the shocks there were no bumpers! I did find and removed the 1/2 inch spacer and removed it. I then bolted it up not too happily. Drove around the block to reset the suspension and took measurements:

Rear: 25" Front 25.5"

What's going on here? Does the car sag over time? Why didn't the PO simply buy the Bilstein shocks with the appropriate working range to prevent this problem? Now what? Buy a new set of shocks? Or have the shop increase the travel to Euro specs? But then this only gives 1" of travel on the front. Seems a bad solution.
Scott

[rusnak]

You might consider raised spindles on the front. It's either buy RSR struts, which is what I did, or you can have the stock ones modified and reinforced. I sometimes scrape the front spoiler in turns on city streets. But having the car ride on the bump stops is too "ricer" for me. If you need to raise the rear, then you gotta do it. I have no idea what the fender measurements should be, but you know if you're bumping along that is too low.