Which 986 Lowering springs go the lowest? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

markzeronine · 03-17-2009, 06:44 PM

I really hate the 4x4 stance I have. Handling aside, do the H&R's or Eibach prokit go lower? And are the Gemballa springs by H&R the same as regular H&R's?

Thanks in advance!

ps, Pics of your 986's with lowering springs would really help.. I did a search and found a few things that have had me going back and fourth a few times?

jrdiesel01 · 03-17-2009, 07:50 PM

H&R Springs is the way to go.

I think the H &R Springs have a more even stance then the eibach application. To me it appears that the eibach sags a bit more in the rear. No proof of this just an opinion.

What I do know is, a friend of mine with eibach springs and 19 inch wheels says tire and wheel well (front fender) do make contact and occasionally in the rear during extreme conditions. I too have 19 inch wheels but with H&R Springs and I have not experienced any rubbing at all, also while hitting some nasty pot holes.

Here's a pic.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Junior

ChrisZang · 03-17-2009, 10:04 PM

I have Eibach springs and I'd guess that the car lowered by about 1" in the front and 1.25" in the rear (had to re-adjust the headlights as they were lighting up the Moon)
IMHO this is borderline in affecting day-to-day driveability as every driveway and speed bump now posts a challenge to me.
But then again the car looks much nicer and handles much better on the track

And my front left tire rubs a little when I have complete steering lock

Lil bastard · 03-17-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markzeronine

I really hate the 4x4 stance I have. ...

That's a bit of an exageration isn't it?

IMHO, really slammin' a Boxster makes it look like any other Ricer - all that's missing is the coffee can muffler.

Lowering some for performance/aesthetic is OK, but I have seen some I consider too low. Again, IMHO, if you're rubbing that's too low.

Also, too low, and you need to change control arms, and such to maintain the proper geometry... it's a slippery slope.

crios · 03-17-2009, 10:35 PM

I have Gemballa springs with 18 inch rims, stance is really nice.

NO rub, NO adjustable rear toe arm installed. Simply changed out the springs and took in for an alignment.

You can find more pics of my car here:
To de-amber or not to de-amaber...that is the question

23109VC · 03-17-2009, 10:53 PM

how do the aftermarket springs compare to the M030 setup for ride height? My car has the US M030 setup factory installed. I know it does NOT look as low as the cars with aftermarket springs or coilover setups. I dont' know if the ride height on my car is the same as a car with stock suspension.

if/when my car requires new shocks - i will replace the shocks and springs and had thought of doing he ROW M030 which I do believe lowers the car MORE than what I have - but I don' tknow HOW much more, nor do I know if it lowers the car as much as Eibach/H&R/etc...

does the Porsche ROW M030 lower the car as much as aftermarket springs? I really like how my car handles - it feels very stiff, virtually no body roll - yet it is NOT so stiff to drive me nuts for driving on the streets for everyday trips to the store, for fun, etc. it's a nice blend of practicality and performance... i'd just like it a tad lower...

suggestions?

cvhs18472 · 03-18-2009, 02:53 AM

I have a 98 base Boxster with 55K on the clock. The ride has deminished to the point where I know I need to get new shocks. I did a bunch of reading and research about coilovers, Bilsteins with H&R coils and such. I live on a back country road and will be doing only an occasional DE. I guess that I have decided to go with an M030 ROW as the best setup and the most cost efective ( springs, shocks, swaybars and bushings ) Does anyone disagree or am I on the right track. Thanks, Ed

Ofishbein · 03-18-2009, 05:17 AM

Lower isn't always the best - that's why a Subaru WXR can usually smoke a Ferrari or Lamborghini on public roads with potholes, off-camber corners, etc.

I have found the ROW030 (pictured) to be a good compromise for spirited daily driving. Coilovers would be a better option if you are going to track the car and need to adjust the ride height occasionally.

jmatta · 03-18-2009, 06:12 AM

I have H&R Sport springs which lowered my '02 S by about 1.5". I also couldn't stand the 4X4 look. The car handles more precise and though the ride is firm, it is not harsh. Check out this link for the various options:

http://www.hrsprings.com/products/springs/

releese78 · 03-18-2009, 12:36 PM

I have B+G Springs (bought from Drivewire.com for cheap!). It lowered mine about 1.5", maybe a little more. I'm slightly tucking 19" wheels.

renzop · 03-18-2009, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ofishbein

Lower isn't always the best - that's why a Subaru WXR can usually smoke a Ferrari or Lamborghini on public roads with potholes, off-camber corners, etc.

I have found the ROW030 (pictured) to be a good compromise for spirited daily driving. Coilovers would be a better option if you are going to track the car and need to adjust the ride height occasionally.

Love those C10s

markzeronine · 03-18-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil bastard

That's a bit of an exageration isn't it?

IMHO, really slammin' a Boxster makes it look like any other Ricer - all that's missing is the coffee can muffler.

Lowering some for performance/aesthetic is OK, but I have seen some I consider too low. Again, IMHO, if you're rubbing that's too low.

Also, too low, and you need to change control arms, and such to maintain the proper geometry... it's a slippery slope.

It is of course an exageration, but not by much lol.

Lowering springs won't go very low, I've had many cars on fully adjustable coilovers that had the oppertunity to lower the car 3-4 inchs.. I'm just looking for a nice compromise for my daily driver boxster.

IMO the difference of a boxster being lowered 1'' or 2'' dosn't make or brake it being a ricer or not.

Thanks to everyone who has posted the pictures, I'm still making my decision. H&R's seem like the way to go. I had an Eibach prokit on a previous car and liked the look also so we'll see.

blue2000s · 03-18-2009, 02:02 PM

I've had the RoW M030 for a couple of years and really like it. Handles even better than stock and looks very "correct". I'm not a fan of very low riding cars either from an aesthetic or dynamic standpoint. In my view, the RoW is just about perfect.

It's a factory set up, so there's an achievable alignment setting that isn't too hard on the tires and you get the correct shorter struts to match the new spring rates and make up for the reduced ride height. It's a complete package, which is nice to have.

The US M030 is the same ride height as the stock US suspension, just as the RoW M030 is the same ride height as the standard RoW suspension.

23109VC · 03-18-2009, 03:38 PM

blue2000-

your photos of the ROW M030 are nice - although I can't say it looks "lowered" vs a non M030 car... the photos of Crios car and the others who have actual aftermarket lowering springs looks VERY low compared to the M030 cars.

depends on what look you like. my car is NOT lowered, but I kinda like the "lowered' look. the lack of any fender gap gives the car a very aggressive stance.

how would a car like mine with US M030 react if I took off the Porsche springs and put in Eibach or H&R or some other brand of lowering springs? I would assume that since my stock shocks have almsot 75k miles o them, it would make sense to replace them at the same time..

anyone try aftermarket shocks OTHER than full blwon coilover setups - like Koni sports, Tokico Illuminas, etc? i think my car handles prety well and it would be a shame to spend $1000 on new shocks/springs and wind up with a car that doesn't handle any better than how Porsche set it up! i'd like to get my car looking lowered - but ONLY if it would make the car handle AS WELL or BETTER than it does now.

i don't want to drop big $$ o a coilover setup. suggestions?

anyone else have photos of more cars iwth ROW M030 to see how the ride height looks?

Sboxin · 03-18-2009, 04:47 PM

How about a used set of H&R for $??? +shipping ?
We used them for 2 years on the track with very good results along with sticky R-Compounds on 18" BBS 8 and 10s, with maximum camber.

Good luck!

Ed

JAAY · 03-18-2009, 04:56 PM

I'm using eibachs..

Lil bastard · 03-18-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC

... I would assume that since my stock shocks have almsot 75k miles o them, it would make sense to replace them at the same time...

MAJOR MISCONCEPTION!

Springs fatigue... in other words, wear out.

But shocks DO NOT! Only if they're leaking are they performing out-of-spec. If they're not leaking, they're fine

spine911 · 03-18-2009, 08:46 PM

I have the full ROW M030 suspension setup with 19 wheels(HREs)...See pics below.
BTW, Gemballa springs are made by H&R--same springs, same height, same quality(but H&Rs are waaaay cheaper--why pay more$$ for the exact same thing).
I can guarantee you that if you go the full ROW M030 set-up you wont have to worry about alignment issues, unlike the other lower springs.
Be prepared for serious $$$ when you go full ROW M030(springs, shocks, sway, etc..etc), do it right the 1st time...not a half-baked job.

blue2000s · 03-19-2009, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 23109VC

blue2000-

your photos of the ROW M030 are nice - although I can't say it looks "lowered" vs a non M030 car... the photos of Crios car and the others who have actual aftermarket lowering springs looks VERY low compared to the M030 cars.

depends on what look you like. my car is NOT lowered, but I kinda like the "lowered' look. the lack of any fender gap gives the car a very aggressive stance.

how would a car like mine with US M030 react if I took off the Porsche springs and put in Eibach or H&R or some other brand of lowering springs? I would assume that since my stock shocks have almsot 75k miles o them, it would make sense to replace them at the same time..

anyone try aftermarket shocks OTHER than full blwon coilover setups - like Koni sports, Tokico Illuminas, etc? i think my car handles prety well and it would be a shame to spend $1000 on new shocks/springs and wind up with a car that doesn't handle any better than how Porsche set it up! i'd like to get my car looking lowered - but ONLY if it would make the car handle AS WELL or BETTER than it does now.

i don't want to drop big $$ o a coilover setup. suggestions?

anyone else have photos of more cars iwth ROW M030 to see how the ride height looks?

RoW lowers the car about 1/2-1". Not much, but noticeable. You can definitely see the increase in camber. The difference in handling with springs, struts and sways is also subtle but noticeable. On the street, there's absolutely no body roll. Changing lanes quickly is pretty entertaining.

I'm sticking with the stock 17" wheels, that may be why my car doesn't look as lowered as other RoW cars. They're lighter weight, take a little more of the edge off the ride and handle just fine for my taste.

On my car, I noticed more shudder out of the chassis when I went to the harder springs. I don't know if everyone else did, but I can feel some twist and see some motion from the windshield over sharp bumps that wasn't there before. 100% worth it though, it's the way these cars should come stock.

RandallNeighbour · 03-19-2009, 10:07 AM

If you do lower the car with springs alone, get ready for accelerated rear tire wear if you don't buy some adjustable toe links to put in the back to correct the additional camber lowering the car will do to the suspension.

I was all ready to buy lowering springs and then decided to throw another $500 at the car and put Ksport Kontrol coilovers on. The car rides as if it's on rails now. No noticeable body roll like before.

It was worth the extra money.