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Ride Height

bennyboy

bennyboy

New member
Ok, I want to avoid starting another mahoosive suspension debate, but I am investigating my options and wondered what ride height you guys are running? I've always thought I would stump up the cost for KW's, but I'm really not sure I can justify it. Gaz Gold for £755 looks like a pretty good option and I'm told the best set-up would achieve a lower sill height of about 4 inches off the ground. I have to admit to being rather keen on going as low as poss, as I'm a sucker for the looks. I'd be really interested to know what sill heights that Appleton has on Bilsteins and Hilux has on KW's - both look pretty low in the pics. Thanks chaps.
 
Can't comment on the ride height as such but if you're lowering substantially it's wise to budget in a geometry correcting pin kit for the front wishbones just to be on the safe side. It's wise to remember that if you're going low on relatively soft suspension then very hard braking will cause the front end to dip even lower, possibly to the point where binding occurs which is what I can only assume happened to mine.
 
As someone who tried to go the cheap suspension upgrade route (and ended up spending lots for an inferior solution) I would suggest pay the extra and get the KW set up. It will be cheaper in the long run. KW's are tried and tested on 944's and I haven't heard a bad word about them. I agree with Peter on the extended pin - or modified lower wishbones (Charlie Bars etc.) I have the extended pins and the only issue I have experineced is an increase in bump steer and tram lining.
 
My turbo is set reasonably lower than standard and ball joint pins are exactly perpendicular to the wishbones when stationary. Cup cars were low to a certain point yet they did not require longer ball joint pins. Both these points lead me to believe any position requiring longer ball joint pins would be too low and the chassis won't work as it should.
 
Just had a look at mine - Sill height is around 4 inches F&R (not counting the black plastic trims). The lower ride height just looks "right" on 944's.
sills001.jpg
This is on Leda suspension & 968 front arms. The car has been sprinted & used on trackdays for 5-6 years now. I get the ball joints checked regularly. It does squat a bit under acceleration...
DSC_2318Large.jpg
 
You do know. That to lower it properly, youl have to re-index the torsion bars.. In fact, if you fit ANY coil over kit youl have to do it anyway....
 
Thanks for the replies guys. Yeah I do know I'll have to re-index, but going Gaz over KW will save £500 alone in product costs! (for other goodies....erm holidays luv!)
 
Ben, mine is about 5in from metal sill to floor - the 18in rims on mine obviously add a bit of height, but although I could drop it further on the adjustable f/r platforms, it is currently a decent compromise for me on road (speed bumps etc [8|]) and track. It was also reindexed at the rear. Ed's car is seriously low, but doesn't half go round corners![:D]
 
Yeah Ed's car looks really good, I wonder if my 18's might rub at the back with similar squating? I'll have to adopt your camber rates Nick! Have searched for your suspension Nick but can't seem to find a UK supplier/fitter?
 
Time for some gratuitous pics of mine. I don't know the height, am not in a position to measure it (I'm guessing sill height is approximately 72 inches just now) and the 968 trims alter the look. The arch to wheel relationship will give an indication how it compares to Ed's. Mine is KW BTW. I'd echo what John said though until someone has tried GAZ I think we have to keep an open mind. I would say that if £500 matters to you then your budget to track prep a 944 isn't big enough as I know I got incrementally into the "it's only another grand / fifteen hundred / £2k" mindset when I was doing mine. Lasly I agree with Peter etc. about the pins, which still not disagreeing with Thom, but it's something you definitely don't want to break. I'd put Charlies or some sort of billet arms on mine before running it again; after all "it's only another grand". Anyway, the pics...
ygbnie.jpg
ybimde.jpg
 
ORIGINAL: bennyboy Yeah Ed's car looks really good, I wonder if my 18's might rub at the back with similar squating? I'll have to adopt your camber rates Nick! Have searched for your suspension Nick but can't seem to find a UK supplier/fitter?
Click to expand...
I have 18" road wheels and they don't rub. Well, not after I took a lump hammer (carefully!) to the already rolled lip to completely flatten it up inside.
 
Ok and a few of my S2.. The first one is with 968 Club Sport front springs fitted + the torsions index after removal of the KW kit, The excentrics are at there upper most limit.
 
I wouldnt regard GAZ as an 'unknown'. They have all of the important staff from Leda and theyve now taken Leda's place in the market (and Im confident that no one would say: "Mmm Leda, Im not sure"). Further to that: GAZ now rebuild Leda products, something that Leda have refused to do, despite lifetime service being part of their appeal when new. The company now based in Ashbourne has little in common with the company that we know, beyond the Leda name. Id suggest that 'that company' was GAZ. Simon
 
Actually I said "mm Leda; no thanks" though to be fair it was their sales approach that put me off rather than technical issues. They did have a reputation for possible knocking rears on the 944 however and that didn't help. It was a 40% increase over the originally quoted price that was the killer however.
 
edh, it seems to me your car could do with either a bit further lowering at the front or some highering at the rear. Al least that's what the last picture of it suggests.
 
Do you mean the pic at Oulton park? - that's hard on the power exiting the shell oils bend. It's more to do with the (relative) softness of the suspension making the back end squat under power. you can see how much the body moves around on the track... the car sits pretty much dead level when it's static.
DSC_2394Large.jpg
and one at Silverstone
SGT070807225-1.jpg
 
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