Weird report from alignment shop.

[catuck]

I don't know if someone else mentioned this - but upgrading to SC struts will allow you to install larger brakes. Your stock struts have 3" o.c. caliper bolts, the SC has 3.5" which will allow you to chose from a huge selection of brake options. With your stock struts, you're stuck with the small brakes. Now, this really isn't an issue for street driving but...

[dipso]

OK, Rwebb and Boba, you talked me into it. I just found a place that does unibody straightening and they are not too far from here. I'll give them a call and see what they charge to check out the body.
That is probably a good idea.
Maybe they can even tell me if my A arms and struts are straight.

[dipso]

Originally Posted by catuck

I don't know if someone else mentioned this - but upgrading to SC struts will allow you to install larger brakes. Your stock struts have 3" o.c. caliper bolts, the SC has 3.5" which will allow you to chose from a huge selection of brake options. With your stock struts, you're stuck with the small brakes. Now, this really isn't an issue for street driving but...

No, nobody mentioned that. But I am curious about all the differences between the 2 suspensions.

[Trackrash]

Originally Posted by dipso

Trackrash, Elephant will do it for 350.00. Elephant Racing | Struts and strut services | Porsche 911/912/930 As far as why, I don't exactly know. I just always heard it was better for a car as low as mine. I am 23 3/4" rear, 24 1/4" front.
Maybe I'm wrong. It was just a thought and figured i could get them raised and straightened cheaper than buying new ones.
What are the negative consequences?
Could I have Bilstien inserts in my Borge struts? It's been 20 years but I could of sworn they were Bilsteins. I have painted the calipers black.

Dan J, Maybe i should start with some used Bilstein struts, 4 shocks because I read you should always change all 4. And then do a complete bushing refresh from front to back.
The shocks have about 85,000 on them. I would just use stock bushings I think.
If control arms are cheap, it might not be bad to just change those out.
I don't know.

It appears you have the older style Boge struts. If you look carefully at the top of the strut tube you will see it stamped in. If you look carefully at the strut tube, you will notice that the tube is larger in diameter above where the spindle mounts, which makes raising it problematic. No one will do the spindle raise on these, at least not a few years ago when I wanted to do mine. Now the newer Boge struts are a different story, so I think that's where the confusion lies. I ended up raising my own spindles, since everyone told me they wouldn't do mine, which by the way look identical to yours.

If you raise the spindles you will have to somehow correct for the bumpsteer caused by raising the steering arm either by having the arm bent or installing a bumpsteer kit. (the rack spacers won't do it) It will also change your roll stiffness, so you will have to adjust that by stiffening the rear suspension.

Up to this point it is all conjecture, since we really don't know exactly what struts and calipers you have.

I would first measure your wheel base on each side and see if there really is a 1" difference.

Then jack up the car, take off the wheel and measure the spacing of the caliper mounts, it's either 3 or 3.5". Also the struts should have the manufacture and date stamped near the top. While you are in there make sure the gland nut is tight. I bet the alignment guy never checked.

Have you had any tire wear problems?

[dipso]

I just measured cap to cap. I had my wife eyeball the middle of the cap and I held the other end. The caps are recessed so it is not exact, but it looks like 89 1/4" on the passenger side and 89 1/2" on the drivers. That's weird?

[Trackrash]

Here is a shot of the struts I have on my car now. They are Konis and you can see the name KONI stamped tword the top. There is a manufacture date there as well. I raised the spindle 22mm and added gussets. You can also see my bumpsteer kit.

[dipso]

That looks nice. Mine sure is filthy.

[Trackrash]

Assuming you had the wheels pointing strait ahead, 1/4" difference is probably within acceptable limits.

Check carefully the tightness of the struts, inserts, and wheel bearings, as they will affect the camber measurements.

So pull the wheel and let us know what you find.

BTW, that's and old picture of my strut, it's not as nice looking now.

[dipso]

The wheel wasn't exactly straight. I turned it left about 16th turn and that moved the right up and the left side back. I'll bet that was the 1/4".
What the heck was that guy talking about something being 1" off?

Do you still think i need to take it to the frame straightening shop for checking? Or at this point can I assume it is a bent strut?

Did you check out the link in post 10? Elephant Racing | Struts and strut services | Porsche 911/912/930 it says Boge struts 69 to 89.
I don't see the diameter difference in my strut that you do.

I'll pull the wheels and take some pictures. Then I can check for inserts too.
Thanks.

[rusnak]

I would toss the Boge and go Bilstein, especially if you're spending money on modifying the struts.

[dipso]

Originally Posted by rusnak

I would toss the Boge and go Bilstein, especially if you're spending money on modifying the struts.

I may have Bilstein inserts in Boge struts. I don't know yet. It also depends on the cost of a couple of Bilstein struts.
In the back my shocks are green. That's Bilstein, right. I had them all replaced at the same time.
If I have Bilstein shocks in Boge struts, will the existing shocks fit into a Bilstein strut.

My head is starting to hurt.

[RWebb]

I also did the light Al parts thing to my 911 - worthwhile IMO. IIRC, the Bilstein struts are inverted and help with wt. being down low.

could be ball joint time for you also - on mine I just "did a Grady" i.e. injected some heavy oil - there is a pic on my suspension thread I think

what you really want is digressive valving

what you really want to pay for is...

[Trackrash]

Originally Posted by dipso

The wheel wasn't exactly straight. I turned it left about 16th turn and that moved the right up and the left side back. I'll bet that was the 1/4".
What the heck was that guy talking about something being 1" off?

Do you still think i need to take it to the frame straightening shop for checking? Or at this point can I assume it is a bent strut?

Did you check out the link in post 10? Elephant Racing | Struts and strut services | Porsche 911/912/930 it says Boge struts 69 to 89.
I don't see the diameter difference in my strut that you do.

I'll pull the wheels and take some pictures. Then I can check for inserts too.
Thanks.

If Elephant will do those struts, great, but I have my doubts. Look here on your struts, they "neck down" in size at the arrows, the older Boge and Konis do this. Unless there is distortion in your photo they look exactly like older Boges. The newer ones, like on Carreras, are one diameter.

I personally have had bad luck with alignment "specialists". Like not checking for loose or worn parts. 1" off sounds weird, especially if you haven't had any problems with tire wear or handling.
Bent struts are fairly common, however.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I also did the light Al parts thing to my 911 - worthwhile IMO. IIRC, the Bilstein struts are inverted and help with wt. being down low.

could be ball joint time for you also - on mine I just "did a Grady" i.e. injected some heavy oil - there is a pic on my suspension thread I think

what you really want is digressive valving

what you really want to pay for is...

Actually, the Bilsteins have the weight up top (inverted). They reduce the unsprung weight but raise the cg.

Dispo, I wouldn't bother raising the spindles. That is only for extremely low cars and when you do it you need to add a bumpsteer kit. I have the A-arms horizontal, standard spindle height, and no complaints about handling that I think a higher front roll center would help. Also, when you raise the spindles you limit yourself to using larger diameter wheels depending on how high you raise them.

[CalPersFatCat]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I would get that car onto a Celette and see if the clip is on straight(!) .

Is there a shop in southern california that has Celette (and fixtures) for the 70's 911 ?

[avi8torny]

My bet is that your spindle is bent slightly.

[BK911]

Your a arms have the under the body sway bar attachment. The Ts have a through the body sway bar attachment. Not sure about the rest of your stuff.

[dipso]

So maybe struts, balljoints,bushings. Don't raise spindles?
My front is at 24 1/4". I'm on 16's.

[dipso]

Just talked to a local used parts supply house.
350.00 a piece for Bilstein struts. 1200.00 for a complete SC front suspension.
I would say the complete suspension idea is out.

I'm going to call the unibody frame straightening place and see if they can put my car on the rack and tell me if my struts or A frames are bent.

[rusnak]

I would go with Bilstein struts and SC rebuilt calipers, which will require SC rotors. You can re-use your old stuff. I seriously doubt that your tub is welded in 1" off, but who knows.