GT3 Suspension Adjustment

[Pugsey]

I'm talking 997 here but would value the views of owners of prev. versions. The 997GT3 leaves the factory on 'race settings' which I presume means there is scope to raise it a little. Has anyone done this on their 996 versions and if so was the handling corrupted to any noticeable degree? I ask as the cars spoiler is currently graunching coming on and off my drive - only enough to scrape the underside of the spoiler but it's annoying and I think a tiny adjustment would do it. And stop my neighbours sniggering!

[nevetas]

Had my 996 RS done by JZM, as it was the press car it was on it's lowest setting.

Didn't notice any differance to the handling, but at the same time it still ground out on anything bigger than a rizla paper

Edited by nevetas on Sunday 26th November 15:43

[997gt3]

Might be worth getting my OPC to adjust this even before i take delivery

[nevetas]

I'd take it to a specialist and get a full fast road set up. Once you play with ride hight you may aswell get all the camber and toe sorted.

Someone like Parr will probably be better at that sort of thing than an OPC, and probably cheaper too.

[DanH]

Can't imagine it would come from Porsche on race setting?!?! That would be lots of camber all round and no ground clearance, from the reviews sounds more like it is setup for safe road dynamics? If you want it raised it is probably possible but at the cost of dynamics. Problem with being one of the first is that there isn't much knowledge yet, and those PASM dampers are a big unknown.

[fuji]

Pugsey is it possible you could tell me how many inches the lip spoiler is off the ground and how far the front tyres are from the lip spoiler so i can work out if i can get my car into my garage, hopefully my car will arrive next month but you've got me worried

Edited by fuji on Sunday 26th November 17:06

[Pugsey]

DanH said:

Can't imagine it would come from Porsche on race setting?!?! That would be lots of camber all round and no ground clearance, from the reviews sounds more like it is setup for safe road dynamics? If you want it raised it is probably possible but at the cost of dynamics. Problem with being one of the first is that there isn't much knowledge yet, and those PASM dampers are a big unknown.

There are three specific factory settings for the car, apparently, and it is most definately delivered on what they call 'race' settings - or, as the factory hand over guy said, "Walter's prefered settings". I am sure you are right though in that this probably means that these are the most extreme road settings deemed acceptable by Porsche and not what we would consider race settings. I think most reviews have majored on just how well the suspension handles indifferent road surfaces compared with previous generation GT3s and having done approaching 2000 miles across Germany and France and in the UK in mine I can vouch for this. Had a run out in the company of two MK2 GT3s and an RS today over some evil B roads and although the car has iron fisted control frankly it made them feel as if they were from another, cruder, era.

[flemke]

DanH said:

Can't imagine it would come from Porsche on race setting?!?!

Would have to agree with Dan.
The settings on mine were for normal use; totally different from what they put on Cup cars, for example, or how you would optimise the road car for track work.

Doesn't seem likely that they would release different cars with different settings.
Then, again, perhaps it has something to do with RHD.
Perhaps the boys at the factory have heard how horrible the driving environment is in the UK, and they put "race settings" on the car to create the illusion that it's going fast, in the knowledge that it's not allowed to go fast in real life.

[Pugsey]

fuji said:

Pugsey is it possible you could tell me how many inches the lip spoiler is off the ground and how far the front tyres are from the lip spoiler so i can work out if i can get my car into my garage, hopefully my car will arrive next month but you've got me worried

Edited by fuji on Sunday 26th November 17:06

41/2" and 3'(from lip to front of contact patch). Next?!

[Pugsey]

flemke said:

DanH said:

Can't imagine it would come from Porsche on race setting?!?!

Would have to agree with Dan.
The settings on mine were for normal use; totally different from what they put on Cup cars, for example, or how you would optimise the road car for track work.

Doesn't seem likely that they would release different cars with different settings.
Then, again, perhaps it has something to do with RHD.
Perhaps the boys at the factory have heard how horrible the driving environment is in the UK, and they put "race settings" on the car to create the illusion that it's going fast, in the knowledge that it's not allowed to go fast in real life.

See my reply to Dan. And don't let's go down the LH/RHD road flemke - we've been there before!

Edited by Pugsey on Sunday 26th November 17:20

[flemke]

Pugsey said:

See my reply to Dan. And don't let's go down the LH/RHD road flemke - we've been there before!

What road might that be? I was merely trying to shed light on this vexing question.

Seriously, I don't know what Hans Bloggs at the factory told you, but there is no way that - at least on mine - the delivered settings (camber, toe, ARB, ride height) were at their most extreme.

I wonder if he meant "Race settings for the Nordschliefe"? My car's settings weren't as aggressive as they could be even for there, but at least at that place you tend to run things softer than you would at any other circuit.

[Geneve]

DanH said:

Can't imagine it would come from Porsche on race setting?!?! That would be lots of camber all round and no ground clearance, from the reviews sounds more like it is setup for safe road dynamics? If you want it raised it is probably possible but at the cost of dynamics. Problem with being one of the first is that there isn't much knowledge yet, and those PASM dampers are a big unknown.

When mine was delivered I asked my OPC about the set up.

I was told that it comes out of the box with, what is described as, 'Track Set Up'. They said there was no advice on alternative set ups, but they could adjust the camber if I found it too much.

Well, after nearly 1000 road miles I've got no complaints. It seems near perfect. There is none of the tramlining or deflection I recall from the 996 GT3, and the car's behaviour on the Cups has been faultless, even in the recent poor weather.

The front spolier is about 11cm off the ground (about the same as the sump on my Caterham), so about the height of a housebrick. It's also made of a fairly resiliant polythene type plastic. Scraping the bottom of it is inevitable though.

Only things I would change are the lack of protective grilles on the front intakes for the rads, and the position of the 'Sport' switch, which is not very convenient for rhd cars. It is hidden behind the gear leaver and isn't easy to see or reach in a hurry.

Otherwise, the new GT3 is a class act, whether you get a 'Touring', 'Club Sport' or 'RS'.

[flemke]

Geneve said:

...and the position of the 'Sport' switch, which is not very convenient for rhd cars. It is hidden behind the gear leaver and isn't easy to see or reach in a hurry.

You see, Pugsey?

Am I the one who continues to point out the further shortcomings of the inferior RHD machines?

[Pugsey]

flemke said:

Pugsey said:

See my reply to Dan. And don't let's go down the LH/RHD road flemke - we've been there before!

What road might that be? I was merely trying to shed light on this vexing question.

Seriously, I don't know what Hans Bloggs at the factory told you, but there is no way that - at least on mine - the delivered settings (camber, toe, ARB, ride height) were at their most extreme.

I wonder if he meant "Race settings for the Nordschliefe"? My car's settings weren't as aggressive as they could be even for there, but at least at that place you tend to run things softer than you would at any other circuit.

Have a quick look at my reply to Dan again. I think the problem is one of semantics and perhaps it was my mistake to use the same words as the factory used. I don't doubt for one minute that much more extreme settings lie within the cars suspension - I certainly hope they do! Perhaps the factory should say that there are three road settings - soft, medium and hard for example - rather than using words like race? Incidentally what to you think of the 'stiffer' of the two PASM settings and the 'sport button' function?

[Pugsey]

flemke said:

Geneve said:

...and the position of the 'Sport' switch, which is not very convenient for rhd cars. It is hidden behind the gear leaver and isn't easy to see or reach in a hurry.

You see, Pugsey?

Am I the one who continues to point out the further shortcomings of the inferior RHD machines?

He's right you know!

[Geneve]

flemke said:

Geneve said:

...and the position of the 'Sport' switch, which is not very convenient for rhd cars. It is hidden behind the gear leaver and isn't easy to see or reach in a hurry.

You see, Pugsey?

Am I the one who continues to point out the further shortcomings of the inferior RHD machines?

Actually, it just needs to be swaped with the TC switch.

[Pugsey]

Geneve said:

DanH said:

Can't imagine it would come from Porsche on race setting?!?! That would be lots of camber all round and no ground clearance, from the reviews sounds more like it is setup for safe road dynamics? If you want it raised it is probably possible but at the cost of dynamics. Problem with being one of the first is that there isn't much knowledge yet, and those PASM dampers are a big unknown.

When mine was delivered I asked my OPC about the set up.

I was told that it comes out of the box with, what is described as, 'Track Set Up'. They said there was no advice on alternative set ups, but they could adjust the camber if I found it too much.

Well, after nearly 1000 road miles I've got no complaints. It seems near perfect. There is none of the tramlining or deflection I recall from the 996 GT3, and the car's behaviour on the Cups has been faultless, even in the recent poor weather.

The front spolier is about 11cm off the ground (about the same as the sump on my Caterham), so about the height of a housebrick. It's also made of a fairly resiliant polythene type plastic. Scraping the bottom of it is inevitable though.

Only things I would change are the lack of protective grilles on the front intakes for the rads, and the position of the 'Sport' switch, which is not very convenient for rhd cars. It is hidden behind the gear leaver and isn't easy to see or reach in a hurry.

Otherwise, the new GT3 is a class act, whether you get a 'Touring', 'Club Sport' or 'RS'.

Geneve - spot on. Aren't the MSCs a suprise? I'm pushing and pushing in seriously wet condtions and so far they're superb. I do believe that PASM helps enormously too. Any thoughts on stiffer PASM setting (can't see me using it save for visits too extremely smooth circuits) and sport switch functions?

Edited by Pugsey on Sunday 26th November 18:01

[fuji]

Pugsey said:

fuji said:

Pugsey is it possible you could tell me how many inches the lip spoiler is off the ground and how far the front tyres are from the lip spoiler so i can work out if i can get my car into my garage, hopefully my car will arrive next month but you've got me worried

Edited by fuji on Sunday 26th November 17:06

41/2" and 3'(from lip to front of contact patch). Next?!

Thx Pugsey

[Geneve]

Pugsey,

Happy with normal PASM setting for virtually all conditions. Would only use the harder setting on track.

The 'Sport' button is very useful. Use it for overtaking and the even nicer sound.