Ride Height Adjustments - Two Questions

[OK-944]

First, thanks for the info about helping me to make my 85.5's ride relatively "soft." And as my head did not roll for my asking this - I'll up the ante and ask two more questions, one of them potentially offensive to 944 afictionados (everyone on this forum, including me!).

Question 1: How do I check to see if my car measures out at the "factory" ride height...even if the old suspension might be sagging somewhat?

Question 2: I've heard lots of questions about lowering ride height...but what about raising ride height?

I live in Vermont, and driving on dirt and other uneven surfaces is pretty much a given. With this in mind, I'd like to see about raising my car - at least to the extent that safety and performance would not be overly compromised. While I do like "spirited" driving, I plan to make this car my daily driver, and long-term practicality, given my driving environment, is also very important.

At any rate...thanks in advance for any advice - and for those who might want to flame...hey, I can take it - so go for it! : )

[Cocacolakidd]

Well phooey - I had a hot-dog on a stick and was waiting for the flames - hum.

As far as raising the 944 there is always the ride height adjustment on the rear swing arm that can be adjusted, but that is only for the rear ride height. Seems like to raise the front you may need special springs that are taller to raise the ride height.

A few years back I was using a spring spacer to raise the front of my 85.5 that had lowering springs. The lowering springs took the car down about 2", which to me was to much. Plus I wanted to even out the difference from front to rear height as the front was 1" lower then the rear, which was at it's max. So at the time and because I had the 1" spacers hanging on the garage wall I installed them. I ran with them for about 6 months before getting, correct for me, new springs. They worked well enough on the bad dirt roads here in Oregon, for the time I used them. Now for the life of me I cannot remember who the seller or manufacturer was to report the facts, but I do know they are out there.

As far as what it does to the struts or quality of suspension geometry I do not know. My 944 was just fine for the short time I used the spacers, but what about extended lengths of time on the bad roads............What happens when the ride height is raised beyond OEM specs ??? Good question

OK now for more flames - still have my hot-dog ready.

[Rasta Monsta]

[944Spec_bound]

A lifted 944 huh? I'm sure some rally types have done it.
I have a ground-control coilover kit on the front with 10" springs. They are as low as I can get them and the front is 4" up. The threaded adjusting sleeves that go over the strut housing are 4" long, so I guess you could get 4" of lift if you adjust them to the top, making it 8" up. That ought to be high enough!
Back can be raised about an inch or so using the eccentric, otherwise it's t-bar reindex time for more.
But, go too high, your out of your shock/strut rebound range.

[OK-944]

The amount of lift I'm considering wouldn't be more than one inch or so. And before this...I need to see just how the car sits on even pavement - because it may be lower than spec due to possibly being lowered by a P.O. and/or the age of the existing suspension may have the car sitting lower.

So if I need to raise this car at all, it looks like I could use the eccentric for the rear, and perhaps some strut-spacers in front...to get just enough to help prevent this car from bottoming out on uneven dirt.

[Rasta Monsta]

Originally Posted by 944Spec_bound

I'm sure some rally types have done it.

[ernie9944]

LOL ride higth

[Cocacolakidd]

Ha - That car needs more down force or the air suspension is not tuned properly. The traction on that one is suffering from ride height...and no tail hook.

[Schumi]

Originally Posted by Cocacolakidd

Ha - That car needs more down force or the air suspension is not tuned properly.

You know where that photo is taken right? That is the jump on the Nordschleife after Hohe Acht.

Down force isn't the issue there, and that car doesn't have "air suspension".

[OK-944]

Thanks for the input! And who knows...maybe with just a little refresh of my 85.5's suspension, the only rise I'll actually need is the one I already get every morning...from the C-kidd's avatar! : )

[The Glademister]

Originally Posted by OK-944

Question 1: How do I check to see if my car measures out at the "factory" ride height...even if the old suspension might be sagging somewhat?

All the 924S, 944 and 951 were shipped to the U.S. with the trailing arms set at a height to get the rear bumper elevated to safety standards. Not sure exactly what that elevation is but on the cars I've had that hadn't been altered - the trailing arms were about 1/2 way between upper and lower limit.

[Mark944na86]

Adding these to unlowered suspension will raise your front height (effectively giving you longer springs):

Porsche 924, 924S, 944, 944S and 944 Turbo Weltmeister Lowering Springs 1"Spacer Set.

Simple idea: you could get a set made up to the correct diameter for your springs if the Weltmeister size isn't suitable.

[Mark944na86]

It's going to look seriously unsexy though. It's going to look as if your car has a permanent "wedgie".