So it started off as a good day, dropped the car off at the alignment shop- which made me nervous as hell- and still got to work on time. Did alittle work between trips to the computer to see if the cite was up again yet. Shop calls me and says "hey, the car sits higher in the back than int he front, do you want to raise it or leave it?" I say "make it an inch lower in the front than than the rear, should be ok" Alright, time to pickup the car. First thing i notice, the front is hammered on the ground. Looks damn good but...damn low..and i thought they were raising it. I ask the manager and he says that oh, no, the front was higher than the back..so im guessing they lowered the thing like 2-3" in the front!!!

Now the reason i had this thing not sooo low was not only for geometry but because my rotors are so stinking close to the ball joints that they rub in tight corners and i wanted as much clearance as possible. It also has 205/55/16's on there and that leaves little clearance. I test drive it, almost all left hand corners...no real rubbing to speak of so i sign the bill and im off. I notice after leaving that it rubs REAL bad when turning right..like rock the wheel in that direction and its GRRRRRRRRRR under the right front. I tell myself, well..im getting shorter tires and different hubs anyways. Feeling slightly ill about this whole thing.

I make it out to a fellow 914club-ers house to pick up some 911 hubs that im trading some welding for, without ripping the whole tire off but it feels like it. I go home and start attempting to install the 911 hubs that will magically fix all my problems. At last, i can ditch these crappy 1.5" spacers and line my calipers up w/o spacers on them and my rotors wont rub the ball joint cups. Pull hub, remove bearings, clean new hub, install rotor, install bearings, grease grease, hub nut adjustment procedure..done. Install caliper.... the dam*%()#@) calipers wont fit! I need the rotor to move in an 1/8" to get the caliper to fit. I try to get on the internet to post a "why dont these fit" thread, but still down. Back to the garage. Ok, f- it , ill reinstall my old ones after all this. Remove rotor/hub, remove five nuts, remove bearings- again, etc etc. THEN i notice how the bearing race is 1/8" from being pressed in all the way in the rear....hm. Large washer, hammer....reinstall bearing, reinstall rotor..rush rush..perfecto!!!! success!!! So i hurry up and install the other side, fits great, but..i have no dust cap for this side and my 944 hubs are a different size..hm. NO matter, remove stock 914 four lug rotor bearing cap, trim off lip, weld around the edge and grind smooth and pop that bad boy right in the hole...till i get a real one i guess. Car looks kinda funky w/ the inset wheels in the front since my rears are like right on the quarters. Drive it around the block and MAN O MAN!!! The steering is lighter, you can tell taking all that extra weight off really helped. Also noticed how much better the brakes are working w/ them lined up perfectly- i guess my shim job was not dead nuts- cuz now that thing stops alot easier. BEst part, i can cut it hard and no rubbing, not even over bumps and stuff or hard in a corner- i tried- the tires clear perfectly!

wow that night time camera setting really makes the pics blurry.

your car looks swell. even with the bad lighting.

k

A agree with Kevin! (don't get used to it!)



Love ya Kevin!



M

I see Andy does travel pics at your place, too?

QUOTE (Sir Fartalot @ Jun 25 2005, 09:23 AM)

I see Andy does travel pics at your place, too?

His camera has an "Andy" setting button.

Looks good! Now get out and those pretty wheels off of this thing!!!

QUOTE (xsboost90 @ Jun 24 2005, 08:54 PM)

Now the reason i had this thing not sooo low was not only for geometry but because my rotors are so stinking close to the ball joints that they rub in tight corners and i wanted as much clearance as possible.

Care to elaborate how a vertical adjustment of the suspension can alter a fixed side-to-side spacing between the ball joint and the brake rotor? The ball joint is clamped to the strut, as is the rotor, and no amount of change in the ride height is gonna affect their spatial relationship. The Cap'n

i was running 944 hubs, making the rotor end up about 1/8" from clearing the ball joint portion of the lower arm. Due to the throw of the arm on the ball joint, when the car was very low, the arm would swing closer to the rotor, eventually rubbing. By putting the car alittle higher, i avoided getting into the "danger zone" except under heavy cornering. Now i have properly spaced hubs and plenty of room for the ball joints to clear, but the arms are still straight out, making any movement upwards kill my geometry- camber what?

Did you ever stop to think maybe the Hokey-Pokey IS what it's all about.......

Let's hope the writer of the tune has a stake thru his heart after he was buried.