Calling all 986 Geometry Experts!!!!

[BTfd2e93]

Hey folks ...

so im in the middle of my suspension overhaul .. really looking forward to it once its done!

Got all my parts from Pelican .... etc etc.

After installing all the new parts .... trying to do the geometry and something is not right at the REAR!


Even at minimum .... the LEFT REAR toe-in is 4Degrees! (couldnt go any less)
RIGHT REAR is a more reasonable but still off 2Degrees.

On the Camber note:
really weird. ....on the RIGHT .....at Max setting RIGHT REAR camber is -2Degrees
while on the LEFT REAR .... to try match .... it required MIN setting to reach -2Degrees camber. So what happens is that everything looks way off... when the Camber were in-sync.

All the new parts were installed properly ... the car has not been in any accident. We even measured the chassis to see if it was bent .. but it was off by only 1mm... which means its in great shape!

Im totally at a loss why its like this! ...Any ideas anyone?

Thanks in advance!

[Ian c]

Stock parts ?

[BTfd2e93]

yes .. or equivalent OEM ..... all from pelican.

The only thing that was not stock was the bilstein damper set ... that is for 986.

however, I do not believe the damper would have any effect on the toe-in anomaly.

any ideas?

[Topless]

Originally Posted by BTfd2e93

yes .. or equivalent OEM ..... all from pelican.

The only thing that was not stock was the bilstein damper set ... that is for 986.

however, I do not believe the damper would have any effect on the toe-in anomaly.

any ideas?

Recheck your installation. Something is installed ass-backwards. Before and after pics would quickly reveal the problem.

[Ian c]

DEFINATELY recheck , but the only things I can think of would be top mounts , and tightening up whilst still in the air ....

Is the car sitting level ?

[Highlander]

Replacing with stock or stock equivalent? Have you dropped the car at all?

[thstone]

Please post up a list of all of your new suspension parts.

If you lowered the car, you may be exceeding the limits of the stock non-adjustable toe arm. The fix might require a set of aftermarket adj toe arms to get everything properly aligned.

[Highlander]

Originally Posted by thstone

Please post up a list of all of your new suspension parts.

If you lowered the car, you may be exceeding the limits of the stock non-adjustable toe arm. The fix might require a set of aftermarket adj toe arms to get everything properly aligned.

Yup. Even with stock parts, I was having trouble getting a decent alignment with the stupid cams Porsche decided was a good idea for alignment.

[BTfd2e93]

Originally Posted by thstone

Please post up a list of all of your new suspension parts.

If you lowered the car, you may be exceeding the limits of the stock non-adjustable toe arm. The fix might require a set of aftermarket adj toe arms to get everything properly aligned.

1 986-331-043-07-M80 2 Control Arm Link Track Arm, Rear Suspension, Left and Right,

2 987-333-059-00-M100 2 Rear Shock Absorber Mount, 2 Per Car,


4 996-341-043-06-M80 2 Control Arm Link, Front/Rear Suspension - Front Lower, Left and Right
5 996-341-053-17-M80 2 Control Arm, Front/Rear Suspension - Lower, Left or Right

6 996-343-515-05-M100 2 Front Shock Absorber Mount, Lower Rubber Bushing, 2 Per Car,

7 997-331-045-04-M80 2 Control Arm Link, Rear Suspension - Rear Lower, Left and Right,

8 997-343-018-01-M69 2 Shock Mount Flange with Bonded Rubber Bushing and Studs,

9 999-053-041-04-M34 4 Wheel Bearing

2x bilstein dampers (dont have the part number with me at the moment)

[BTfd2e93]

Originally Posted by Highlander

Replacing with stock or stock equivalent? Have you dropped the car at all?

no drop .... i am re-using my original springs

[BTfd2e93]

update guys!

Complete! Man ..... im so happy .... i love this car all over again.

Gone are the clinking & clanking ..... steering is precise .... the rear is firm & planted .... even when I force it to oversteer - it quickly tries to recover itself.

I have nearly forgotten how good handling a car the boxster is !! ...... money well well spent

So what happened was .... after more diagonal measuring on different point on the car & suspension connection points .... finally found the cultprit. I found that the downward "U" thing (i dont know what its called) that mounts onto the bottom sides of the engine, which the lower control arms connect to .... was slightly out. It may have been due to a big pothole or something ..... cos it seems it may be susceptible to torsional displacements.

Everything is now ship shape ..... -1.5degree camber both sides & 0.5degree toe-in both sides.

soooo happy....

[thstone]

Congrats! Yes, a new suspension can make the entire car feel brand new. Glad it all worked out!

[woodsman]

Originally Posted by BTfd2e93

update guys!

Complete! Man ..... im so happy .... i love this car all over again.

Gone are the clinking & clanking ..... steering is precise .... the rear is firm & planted .... even when I force it to oversteer - it quickly tries to recover itself.

I have nearly forgotten how good handling a car the boxster is !! ...... money well well spent

So what happened was .... after more diagonal measuring on different point on the car & suspension connection points .... finally found the cultprit. I found that the downward "U" thing (i dont know what its called) that mounts onto the bottom sides of the engine, which the lower control arms connect to .... was slightly out. It may have been due to a big pothole or something ..... cos it seems it may be susceptible to torsional displacements.

Everything is now ship shape ..... -1.5degree camber both sides & 0.5degree toe-in both sides.

soooo happy....

So what did you do to the " u" shaped sub frame- replace it?