Springs and spacers

[Resto157]

Looking for some advice on springs and spacers. My 996.2 has been fitted with Bilstien B6’s, which I believe are designed to run the standard springs? Does anybody know if it’s possible to fit a set of lowering springs? I’d like to drop the car around 25mm

Any recommendations for wheels spaces? Would like to bring the wheels out ever so slightly. The cars fitted with sport design wheels, 8j 52 up front and 10j 65 out back.

[Chris Stott]

Usual spacer sizes are 7 f & 15 r.

No experience with those dampers, but wouldn’t think a 25mm drop would be an issue

[GT_cars]

car would under steer more with those spacers, I normally do the reverse and put wider in the front than the back.

Why ruin how it drives ? I would not fit spacers any way, the car looks nice and spacers will just give the whole car road rash in a big way. I would rather keep my paint.

[Chris Stott]

I defy anyone to notice a 16mm relative track decrease at the front on the road, everything else being equal.

[GT_cars]

Chris Stott said:

I defy anyone to notice a 16mm relative track decrease at the front on the road, everything else being equal.

quite a big change adding front track. Porsche do it model to model every newer car has more front track to get better turn in.

Why reverse this adding 15mm more rear track ? and add more push !

I fitted 7mm front only spacers to my 987 cars, and on my Spyder I had 28mm more front track, the cars are way way better like this.
The trend is for looks over driving 90% of the time and that is fine if you don't like driving and just after how it looks.

As always it's personal choice. I always go after how a car drives myself.

[Chris Stott]

Even if it made a noticeable difference, there are loads of other variables that can be adjusted to compensate… or would simply need to be in optimal condition.

In any case, only Troy Queef can drive a car hard enough on the road to notice a 7mm spacer

[Slippydiff]

Resto157 said:

Looking for some advice on springs and spacers. My 996.2 has been fitted with Bilstien B6’s, which I believe are designed to run the standard springs? Does anybody know if it’s possible to fit a set of lowering springs? I’d like to drop the car around 25mm

Any recommendations for wheels spaces? Would like to bring the wheels out ever so slightly. The cars fitted with sport design wheels, 8j 52 up front and 10j 65 out back.

As you’ve stated, the B6 are designed to run with standard springs at OE ride heights, ergo dropping the ride height 25mm will be sub-optimal.
Neither the front or rear suspension have excess amounts of bump or rebound travel, so removing 25mm from the equation will compromise matters.

Have a chat with Ben at String Theory or Chris at Center Gravity for real some real world advice.

With regards to spacers, Porsche used 5 or 7mm spacers on the front of the Mk 1 996 GT3 (which utilised the same sized wheels) and the Boxster 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary edition also used 5mm spacers from and rear.

Fitting 15mm spacers to the front of a car not designed for them will alter the negative scrub radius :

https://www.carthrottle.com/news/what-scrub-radius...

Edit to add this video :



If you’re a driving god, you’ll just ignore this stuff and bolt on wider spacers anyway (because you know best) the reality is a 5-7mm front spacer is fine, but a 15mm spacer is less than ideal.

If you want the “wheel arch filled” aesthetic, either fit wider wheels with the correct ET numbers or use adjustable bottom arms (both coffin arms AND tuning forks) to gain a true wide track set up, doing the latter whilst retaining the OE wheels gives you the aesthetic whilst retaining the correct, factory negative scrub radius.

Here’s my car on stock wheels, Ohlins R&T along with adjustable coffin and caster arms.
No spacers front or rear.

Edited by Slippydiff on Thursday 20th March 12:10

[Slippydiff]

Chris Stott said:

Even if it made a noticeable difference, there are loads of other variables that can be adjusted to compensate… or would simply need to be in optimal condition.

In any case, only Troy Queef can drive a car hard enough on the road to notice a 7mm spacer

This ^ 100%

[GT_cars]

Chris Stott said:

Even if it made a noticeable difference, there are loads of other variables that can be adjusted to compensate… or would simply need to be in optimal condition.

In any case, only Troy Queef can drive a car hard enough on the road to notice a 7mm spacer

You like golf i see,
If I gave you 2 drivers, I bet you could tell the difference in each one, I on the other hand would have no clue what so ever.
I would not be telling you "you cannot tell one driver from another" £10 or £500 I would have no clue which was which.

[Chris Stott]

GT_cars said:

You like golf i see,
If I gave you 2 drivers, I bet you could tell the difference in each one, I on the other hand would have no clue what so ever.
I would not be telling you "you cannot tell one driver from another" £10 or £500 I would have no clue which was which.

Yes, I like golf, but I don't think I'm Rory McIlroy

I've also probably done more road miles in 996's than anyone other than maybe PPBB.

[FrancisA]

Slippydiff said:

Resto157 said:

Looking for some advice on springs and spacers. My 996.2 has been fitted with Bilstien B6’s, which I believe are designed to run the standard springs? Does anybody know if it’s possible to fit a set of lowering springs? I’d like to drop the car around 25mm

Any recommendations for wheels spaces? Would like to bring the wheels out ever so slightly. The cars fitted with sport design wheels, 8j 52 up front and 10j 65 out back.

As you’ve stated, the B6 are designed to run with standard springs at OE ride heights, ergo dropping the ride height 25mm will be sub-optimal.
Neither the front or rear suspension have excess amounts of bump or rebound travel, so removing 25mm from the equation will compromise matters.

Have a chat with Ben at String Theory or Chris at Center Gravity for real some real world advice.

With regards to spacers, Porsche used 5 or 7mm spacers on the front of the Mk 1 996 GT3 (which utilised the same sized wheels) and the Boxster 550 Spyder 50th Anniversary edition also used 5mm spacers from and rear.

Fitting 15mm spacers to the front of a car not designed for them will alter the negative scrub radius :

https://www.carthrottle.com/news/what-scrub-radius...

Edit to add this video :



If you’re a driving god, you’ll just ignore this stuff and bolt on wider spacers anyway (because you know best) the reality is a 5-7mm front spacer is fine, but a 15mm spacer is less than ideal.

If you want the “wheel arch filled” aesthetic, either fit wider wheels with the correct ET numbers or use adjustable bottom arms (both coffin arms AND tuning forks) to gain a true wide track set up, doing the latter whilst retaining the OE wheels gives you the aesthetic whilst retaining the correct, factory negative scrub radius.

Here’s my car on stock wheels, Ohlins R&T along with adjustable coffin and caster arms.
No spacers front or rear.

Edited by Slippydiff on Thursday 20th March 12:10

Is that your living room?

[braddo]

GT_cars said:

car would under steer more with those spacers, I normally do the reverse and put wider in the front than the back.

Why ruin how it drives ? I would not fit spacers any way, the car looks nice and spacers will just give the whole car road rash in a big way. I would rather keep my paint.

Or it gives more stability at the rear when trail braking.

It won't ruin how it drives. But if the OP doesn't like the changes then it's very easy to adjust with smaller or larger spacers or removing them altogether.