Yes I know....needs to be lowered.

But quite frankly, I like the ride, and I don't have any rubbing or camber issues this way. And she still corners MUCH better. At the very least, I guess I should try a 1 spring pad.

Unless you guys can tell me what spring/shock setup would work best with these, and how I can avoid any rubbing issues.

 

Looks good. What are the sizes?

 

I see you have a 911...a common Porsche setup is H&R sports with Bilstein HD's.
Just did my suspension with the above components along with sportline swaybars and 225/40-18 Falken FK452's on 18x8 ET35 rims.
No rubbing or bottoming out and the handling is as good if not better then late model AMG suspensions.

Consider doing a full sport line conversion if you can find the parts at a reasonable price

 

Looks really good.

once you drop it, it'll look like a entirely new car. Keep up the good work.

 

the standard 17X7.5 front ET 37 17X8.5 rear ET 30. 225 45 17 front 245 40 17 rear. I had the rear arches flared by a body shop just in case I decide to lower it later.

 

Nice! Would you mind posting profile pics of your rear fenders? I.e. down the side of your car? I'm curious how flared they can get them!

Your car looks fantastic. A drop would definitely help as you said. I would recommend Eibachs if you don't want to go too low, or H&R's if you want a more significant drop. Those seem to be the biggest crowd pleasers.

 

Looking really SEXY V9!

keep it going!

 

that looks good! but definitely at least do the #1 pads... the wheel gap in the front is horrific...!

 

yeah..it looks bad.

What do you guys think? Vogtland Springs with Bilstein Sports?

 

I dont know about that....alot of people have been complaining about the vogtlands lately...some drops have been lower than others...

 

As per my previous post....

H&R sports with Bilstein HD's with sportline sways.
Typical Porsche performance set up !
You'll get about an 1.5" drop and it will handle without sacrificing ride quality.
Works for me, couldn't have a better chassis/engine match...

No interference, no rubbing, no bottoming out, no need to roll your wheel arches even with 225/40-18's....just exceptional handling

 

My 911 is lowered to euro height. It has torsion bars so does not require a lowering coil spring. Just ratchet it down....gotta love Ferdinand. In fact, to lower the front, just get under the car with a screwdriver...!!! It has Bilstein sports on it factory originals.

I like H and R. I know they are a bit harsh. But i've used them on my M3's and liked them.

I will probably go with Bilstein Sports rather than HD.

Thanks for the tips!

 

Yeah...

Bilstein Sports with H&R Springs would be the way to go... I wouldn't even think about getting HD's....

 

RBYCC, that coupe sits PERFECT! How does it handle compared to the OE Sportline setup?

 

V9, the sedan looks to be in amazing condition. Is the paint original?

 

thanks! Yes its original 94 E320 black paint. I bought this car from a patient of mine who had cataracts and stopped driving it....like 8 years ago. It sat in the garage since then. It has 57k miles on it.

 

Curious...why do you believe that the HD's with H&R sports are a combination that you wouldn't even consider?

Have you tracked a car with this combo and your comment is from personal experience in a competitive motor sports situation?

Always open to learning more about the technical aspects of suspension setups !

 

Preach on brotha!

 

Can't compare to the OE Sportline as I have never driven a W124 sportline version.

Must compare to other vehicles that I have raced.
I've tracked early DB Aston Martin Vantages with 6" wide knock off wires and running 7.50 x 15 bias ply Avon turbo Speeds....
With tires and suspension like this and you drift or slide through the corners.
I've got a C6 Corvette that is more like a slot car.

I would liken my modified coupe more in the league of my AMG C43 in power and overall handling performance.

Suspension geometry and tires will vary from vehicle to vehicle, but the proof of a more then adequate setup is how balanced the vehicle is and how well it enters and exits a curve.

The setup I have is as close to perfect as I can desire !
Suspensions aren't subjective as they must be proven by performance.
Corners very flat, and most important no noticeable weight transfer in cornering.

I find humor in those that believe you must "slam' a vehicle and use a short stroke strut/shock that is really not intended for street use.
I've owned my coupe almost as long as some members have been alive and was fully content with the original suspension as it applied to a stock M103 engine.
Modified the suspension solely because I added over a hundred lb-ft of torque.

If you have to roll fenders, add suspension components to correct camber settings then your fooling with mother nature.

Note that the majority of "optimal set ups" according to many forum members seem to have some problems in daily driving.

I'm probably putting out almost 500E power in a chassis that was designed for inline six power, hence the upgrades.

 

well, dude in the other thread blew his HD strut after two years on eibachs...
to me it makes sense that if you are using shorter springs, you would use shorter struts, at least if you want them to last a long time, since the strut will not be under additional compression 24/7.
not that i know a lot about anything, but i'm just saying.
as for having to adjust camber etc., this is a car designed about two decades ago, before modding a mercedes sedan, for example, was as common as today. if you look at even newer benzes, you don't have to jump through burning hoops of fire to lower them, or tune them, they all already come with 17"+ wheels as OEM, etc.
i don't see how rolling fenders to put on wider/bigger wheels is more 'fooling with mother nature' than putting a turbo on an engine not designed for one? to each his own, as long as the owner is happy!

 

So correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a sport type shock tend to create too much compression dampening of the spring?

So you conclude that shorter springs equate to shorter shocks, and based on that conclusion then you don't have to consider spring rates and compatible shock valving/dampening.

The proper shock actually will dampen spring oscillations and manage weight transfer during cornering and braking.

This is a street/track tested conclusion by a prominent Porsche tuner:

Quote:
Stage I: Lowering Springs & Bilstein HD Shocks

This is a simple, but very effective change to H&R Sport Springs that are compatible with the Factory shock valving. This will lower your 993 to the European Carrera RS ride that is approximately 1 ½" lower than USA-spec cars. This firms the ride up without being uncomfortable and really makes the car feel much tighter in lane changes as well as being more stable when driven quickly. This is about ½" lower than the Factory Euro M030 kit and slightly stiffer. Bilstein shocks replace the short-lived OEM Monroes and match the H&R springs very nicely.
Unquote

 

The W124 was modded more in its early days then now, by such famous tuners as AMG.
Was much easier to get performance parts in the late eighties then today.

I'll stand by my comment "fooling with mother nature" when one attempts to change a well thought out suspension geometry and lower a vehicle to the point where it does not handle.
Wide tire/big wheels work if you have the power to turn the added unsprung weight.

As far as the engine not designed for a turbo, I must challenge you once again.
The M103 was a perfect candidate for a turbo.
Reliable, cast iron, low compression, inline six, couldn't be more perfect.
Just remember what ***** Mosselman launched his career on....
Probably more turbo m103's still running then you would imagine.

Agree to each his own, but some mod without knowing why and the mods are problematic.....

 

Looks great, I think you should keep the current height, since the wheels dont really rice up the car, they are a perfect non-ricy modification that still leave's the car it's original look.

 

you're right, like the guy who blew one of his HD's with his lowering springs. crazy.


how? if you use a longer shock, then when it is paired with a shorter spring, the shock is already under extra pressure just sitting there. if it's already under pressure, it will cause more compression dampening when compressed, whereas a shorter shock DESIGNED to be paired with a shorter spring will not have that effect to that degree.
the HD's were not designed for shorter springs, and so are under constant pressure from the lowered ride, and they'll be constantly operating with a shorter throw, which probably means they will fail quicker.

at the end of the day, bilsteins are bilsteins, so they will take more abuse regardless. but over time and with hard driving, a longer shock paired with a spring it isn't designed for will fail quicker (moreso when the drop is closer to 2 inches or lower, from my experiance).

cool, rennsport used h&r and HD's on a 993, so that MUST mean that's the perfect setup for W124's.
anyway, you've done your research, please explain to me why you chose the HD over the sports, i would love to get the actual numerical values of what your spring rates are, as well as the figures on your HD valving/dampening. what calculation did you do based on spring rates and the valving/dampening of the shocks to show the HD was a better choice than the sport, especially since Bilstein specifically states that the sport is specially designed for special springs and suspension upgrades? they designed it for performance, not hauling, so call me crazy, but that would probably mean they have better valving and damping for performance type driving. would love to see the calculations though, good for future use, maybe i should have gone with the HD's too. i'll use your formulas to calculate for my springs.
thanks.

SPORT (S)
For the performance-minded driver, Bilstein “Sport” shocks deliver absolute mastery of the road surface.
Designed to push a car’s suspension to it’s performance peak, these shocks are well suited for use with special springs, antisway
bars or other suspension upgrades.

HEAVY DUTY (HD)
For most vehicles including full-size sedans, SUVs and trucks. These shocks provide improved handling and stability without
sacrificing ride comfort. They offer super damping ability that makes them ideal for heavy hauling for occasional off-road use,
while maintaining an exceptional “street” ride.

 

I have been wondering about this with my W124, ever since I installed my Eibach with Bilstein HD set-up. My 1995 sat way too high when stock, not unlike the sky-high 1994 that initiated this thread. It was like they chose to put the car on stilts to meet some USA crash standards related to bumper height. Even older W124s here in the USA do not look as high as my 1995 was before the drop. I have wondered if my car is actually sitting at the original design height, now that it has the Eibachs and Bilsteins. I've thought, hey, I can just think of my mods as simply restoring the original Euro spec. If something like that is true, then I really didn't "lower the car" and a standard stroke shock, like the HD, is actually appropriate. Do you think I am ?

My car is definitely not slammed. Now if you do the slam with even more aggressive springs designed for the track, then I'm sure the Bilstein Sports would be appropriate.