Retrofit RS front axle lift to GT4? - Page 3 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

Hi guys, I picked up my brand new 718 GT4 yesterday. I’ve seen quite a few at Porsche garages in the past but oddly, it was only until I saw mine yesterday did it occur to me how low the car is and how far that front splitter comes out. For me to get to my house, I need to drive up a sloped road but it’s a very gradual slope so I think as long as I approach it correctly, it shouldn’t be an issue. From what I’ve read, speed bumps aren’t too much of a problem either if approached sensibly. My problem is multi-story car parks and steep hills which I’ve heard is a complete no no. I sometimes need to drive into the city centre for meetings which is littered with multi-story car parks. Have any of you GT4 owners had issues with multi-story car parks and steep hills and completely forsaken them as the GT4 simply cannot tackle them? The GT4 RS comes with the option to have a front axle lift. Could this not be retrofitted to a GT4 as they’re practically the same car? I wonder whether this is something Porsche would do. I’ll be asking them on Monday but thought I’d create a thread to get some feedback.

I think you would struggle to retrofit the lift to the GT4. The front chassis on the RS is modified vs the original GT4 chassis. I believe this was done to allow room for the axle lift. In addition the suspension components are different.

mattkidd said: I think you would struggle to retrofit the lift to the GT4. The front chassis on the RS is modified vs the original GT4 chassis. I believe this was done to allow room for the axle lift. In addition the suspension components are different. Correct. You’ll probably need to look at aftermarket solutions. I believe the following could have options: DesignsByJacob TechArt KW (HLS)

DallySingh said: Have any of you GT4 owners had issues with multi-story car parks and steep hills and completely forsaken them as the GT4 simply cannot tackle them? In general hills are OK, I've only had an issue once when going from a fairly flat main road into a car park where the adjoining road was pretty steep. Scrape, scrape, scrape and yhe same coming out... Multi-storey car parks are a complete no-go for me as I know the car will struggle with them.

Twinfan said: In general hills are OK, I've only had an issue once when going from a fairly flat main road into a car park where the adjoining road was pretty steep. Scrape, scrape, scrape and yhe same coming out... Multi-storey car parks are a complete no-go for me as I know the car will struggle with them. When it scrapes, is it just the underside so completely indivisible to the naked eye? I think the consensus is that multi-story car parks are out of the question and I’ll have to accept that. I’ve looked at the kits by Techart and DesignsByJacob. Seems to be a massive price difference between the two kits. I guess I’ll have to see how I get on before making a decision. I’m hoping it won’t be as bad as I think it will be.

DallySingh said: Hi guys, I picked up my brand new 718 GT4 yesterday. I’ve seen quite a few at Porsche garages in the past but oddly, it was only until I saw mine yesterday did it occur to me how low the car is and how far that front splitter comes out. For me to get to my house, I need to drive up a sloped road but it’s a very gradual slope so I think as long as I approach it correctly, it shouldn’t be an issue. From what I’ve read, speed bumps aren’t too much of a problem either if approached sensibly. My problem is multi-story car parks and steep hills which I’ve heard is a complete no no. I sometimes need to drive into the city centre for meetings which is littered with multi-story car parks. Have any of you GT4 owners had issues with multi-story car parks and steep hills and completely forsaken them as the GT4 simply cannot tackle them? The GT4 RS comes with the option to have a front axle lift. Could this not be retrofitted to a GT4 as they’re practically the same car? I wonder whether this is something Porsche would do. I’ll be asking them on Monday but thought I’d create a thread to get some feedback. I had to sell mine for this reason, we moved and it wouldn’t go over a dip in the shared driveway to the garage complex……

bennno said: I had to sell mine for this reason, we moved and it wouldn’t go over a dip in the shared driveway to the garage complex…… Was getting an aftermarket noselift like the Techart or DSJ one not an option mate? I’d hate to sell mine because of the nose clearance.

I used to own a 718 GT4, and I never have had problems with the car road wise. The only problem I had was parking in my underground parking garage, the ramp down was to steep for the GT4 I used extended race ramps, and it worked just fine; https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bti-rr-ex-14 Just a few seconds work, and in and out my garage without problems :-)

DallySingh said: When it scrapes, is it just the underside so completely indivisible to the naked eye? It's the underside of the front splitter, the underside of the rear diffuser and the aero/brake ducts around the wheels both front and rear. So not really seen except for the front splitter, which you may see scuffed at the leading edge. On mine you can.

Twinfan said: It's the underside of the front splitter, the underside of the rear diffuser and the aero/brake ducts around the wheels both front and rear. So not really seen except for the front splitter, which you may see scuffed at the leading edge. On mine you can. so front and rear are to watch out for? I thought by looking at such cars only the front would be a problem with its to long nose and then on top (ok bottom) of that that sword spoiler sticking out (for downforce) the rear does look 'normal' with its overhang. in this picture you can see the long front even better.

On mine the front and underbody aero/ducts are all scraped for sure. I haven't checked the rear that closely but I've read of it scraping for some people I guess from sloped drives or car parks. It does sit quite low if you follow the central aero tunnel towards the front of the car between the rear wheels.

Would you guys say the ground clearance on the GT4 is any worse than McLaren’s & Lambo’s? I know quite a few of them come with a nose lift option but that’s no real help when you come across a dip, pothole or a bump in the road and don’t realise.

DallySingh said: Would you guys say the ground clearance on the GT4 is any worse than McLaren’s & Lambo’s? I know quite a few of them come with a nose lift option but that’s no real help when you come across a dip, pothole or a bump in the road and don’t realise. Yes, it’s lower and longer, hits daft things like flat railway crossings. I swapped to a 540c and had no similar issues.

bennno said: Yes, it’s lower and longer, hits daft things like flat railway crossings. I swapped to a 540c and had no similar issues. I was hoping to hear the opposite haha. I have a friend who owns a 720s and he’s scraped the sh*t out of his front splitter but doesn’t seem bothered. It has a nose lift but he never uses it. Annoying that Porsche don’t offer a front axle system with the GT4.

DallySingh said: Hi guys, I picked up my brand new 718 GT4 yesterday. I’ve seen quite a few at Porsche garages in the past but oddly, it was only until I saw mine yesterday did it occur to me how low the car is and how far that front splitter comes out. For me to get to my house, I need to drive up a sloped road but it’s a very gradual slope so I think as long as I approach it correctly, it shouldn’t be an issue. From what I’ve read, speed bumps aren’t too much of a problem either if approached sensibly. My problem is multi-story car parks and steep hills which I’ve heard is a complete no no. I sometimes need to drive into the city centre for meetings which is littered with multi-story car parks. Have any of you GT4 owners had issues with multi-story car parks and steep hills and completely forsaken them as the GT4 simply cannot tackle them? The GT4 RS comes with the option to have a front axle lift. Could this not be retrofitted to a GT4 as they’re practically the same car? I wonder whether this is something Porsche would do. I’ll be asking them on Monday but thought I’d create a thread to get some feedback. Sadly sold my gt4 due to this very reason, apparently the gr4rs has a different front section which allows fitment of lift. From what I was told at the time I believe the rs front section uses parts off 992 4s to allow lift to be fitted. Normal speed bumps are fine if you approach them slowly. Be careful, I nearly ripped the front bumper off mine the first time I tried to put it in the garage, it was a good job my brother was there and spotted what was going to happen before it did! I ended having ramps made but it was too much of a faff to get the car in and out and took the enjoyment out of the ownership.

I know that the front splitter is quite cheap and easily replaceable, does anybody know what the costs are for the other panels that tend to scrape?

I had to replace a nearside rear brake cooling duct as it had gone AWOL. It was around £55 from memory. I don't think any of the basic underside plastic parts are that expensive.

I guess it depends on your version of cheap. When I bought my 981 GT4 the salesman told me he thought they were 60 or 70 quid, so a few weeks after collecting the car I went online to buy a spare to keep in stock. About £350 including VAT, so I never have bought a spare yet! I've had very few issues with my one so far on standard ride height. (Although I think the 718 GT4 might have a slightly longer and lower splitter). Much like Twinfan, I can live with it getting a little ragged, occasionally the vertical part of the right hand side will slightly detach itself if I scrape it very hard... I've driven plenty of cars far worse for ground clearance though. I've just had a "road and occasional trackday" setup done on my suspension, and the front looks a lot lower now. Got it onto my drive without scraping when I got home, but getting it off the drive onto the road might prove to be more of an issue. I'll get the drive modified rather than consider selling the car if it's a big annoyance! Liam

I’ve read somewhere that the front splitter for the GT4 is £186 excl. VAT which isn’t as cheap as I thought it would be. I think I should be ok with my drive if I’m careful. It’s a small steep but fairly gradual. I’m a little concerned about city roads and speed bumps. Especially when driving in a spirited manner and hitting a dip or bump that you can’t see. I’ve come to terms with the fact I won’t be able to use multi-storey car parks. Have any of you guys considered raising the car 10-20mm as the suspension is adjustable? I’ve ruled out the Techart & DBJ nose lift. Seems too big of a job and I’m paranoid about ruining the driving dynamics of the car. I’m also slowly coming to terms with the fact that it will scrape at some point. Fell into a bit of a rabbit hole watching videos on YouTube of supercars getting scraped because they’re too low haha.

Best thing to do is just drive it. Once you’ve scrapped it the first time, which you will, the anxiety will start to evaporate (once you’re over the initial grief) and then you can get on with enjoying it. My car runs at lower than OEM ride height, and also has extended underbody aero parts…. I just slow down to a crawl for speed humps to make sure I’ve judged properly (and then might resume more reasonable speed once I’m happy) and I take steep inclines at an angle… but if it doesn’t look like I can pass/navigate it … I just find another route or place to park. Comes with the territory. Edited by TDT on Sunday 26th March 23:13

TDT said: Best thing to do is just drive it. Once you’ve scrapped it the first time, which you will, the anxiety will start to evaporate (once you’re over the initial grief) and then you can get on with enjoying it. My car runs at lower than OEM ride height, and also has extended underbody aero parts…. I just slow down to a crawl for speed humps to make sure I’ve judged properly (and then might resume more reasonable speed once I’m happy) and I take steep inclines at an angle… but if it doesn’t look like I can pass/navigate it … I just find another route or place to park. Comes with the territory. Edited by TDT on Sunday 26th March 23:13 Hi mate, how much have you lowered your car from OEM? I’m surprised you can stick tackle speed humps if it’s further lowered. I think you’re right pal, once I’ve got the first scrape out of the way, my mind will relax and I can focus on enjoying the car for what it is. Will still be trying my absolute best not to scrape it though haha.

It's a car, just use it as Porsche intended and replace stuff if they get broken or lost. Simples

Twinfan said: It's a car, just use it as Porsche intended and replace stuff if they get broken or lost. Simples This. My Spyder(with a GT4 front splitter) rubs every time I leave the drive, and every time I return, there is an angle that works, but I don't find it every time.... yet. It's rubbed once in a multi storey, and it scooped some snow up on a country back road that had an overly pronounced crown.... I can feel the underside of the splitter is buggered. with my fingers. I'm not looking. It'll stay there until I can see damage and then I'll replace it with the spare I've already squirrelled away.. accept minimal unseen scuffs and move on is my advice.

Quickmoose said: This. My Spyder(with a GT4 front splitter) rubs every time I leave the drive, and every time I return, there is an angle that works, but I don't find it every time.... yet. It's rubbed once in a multi storey, and it scooped some snow up on a country back road that had an overly pronounced crown.... I can feel the underside of the splitter is buggered. with my fingers. I'm not looking. It'll stay there until I can see damage and then I'll replace it with the spare I've already squirrelled away.. accept minimal unseen scuffs and move on is my advice. I'm surprised you even attempted a multi-storey haha. As long as the damage is on the underside of the splitter, I'm fine with that. When people speak of splitter damage and scrapes, I automatically think it's right on the edge of the splitter which is quite visible.

It's a car, it's going to get wear as time goes on. Embrace it!

^ As our bodies :-) Drive while you can.

Got my GT4 yesterday and I've already scraped the underside of the front splitter going up my drive haha. Tried being super cautious but it just wasn't happening. Can't see any visible damage but it is absolutely chucking it down today but I'm sure it's fine. I can feel it grazed when I run my hand on the underside. Tackled a few speed humps today and it managed them fine albeit I did have to drive at 3-4mph. Could see drivers behind me thinking wtf is he doing. Feel like I can enjoy the car for what it is now and it is one incredible car. I did get quotes the other day for the TechArt nose lift but they're coming in between £8,000-10,000 which I feel is too dear. More economical to replace the splitter when it's battered.

The only mitigation you can do is to learn the ones that'll hit and those that wont.... and then approach the scrapey ones slowly.... httiing anything at speed is way worse.. but yeah you could replace that splitter every year for 20-30 yrs, before you get to that lift kit amount...

I haven't had mine long - the underside of mine scrapes on something pretty much every time I drive it... I've just come to live with it, and I occasionally pick the long dangly bits of plastic off, to tidy it up a bit... I'm more annoyed by the gravel rash behind the rear wheels from days where I've been a bit too enthusiastic with the RH pedal!

GT4_Cookie said: I haven't had mine long - the underside of mine scrapes on something pretty much every time I drive it... I've just come to live with it, and I occasionally pick the long dangly bits of plastic off, to tidy it up a bit... I'm more annoyed by the gravel rash behind the rear wheels from days where I've been a bit too enthusiastic with the RH pedal! I got mine PPF'd right away mate as I wouldn't be able to handle stop chips or rash behind the rear wheels. I've heard it can get pretty bad.

DallySingh said: Got my GT4 yesterday and I've already scraped the underside of the front splitter going up my drive haha. Tried being super cautious but it just wasn't happening. Can't see any visible damage but it is absolutely chucking it down today but I'm sure it's fine. I can feel it grazed when I run my hand on the underside. Feel like I can enjoy the car for what it is now and it is one incredible car. Excellent… told ya. After the first scape.. you’ll be fine. Enjoy.

I'm getting an indy to mock up some small mudflaps.... front and rear

anonymous said: [redacted] well something better than slivers of old car mats attached with self tappers yes....hopefully...

DallySingh said: I got mine PPF'd right away mate as I wouldn't be able to handle stop chips or rash behind the rear wheels. I've heard it can get pretty bad. Unfortunately I didn't think that far ahead... The front is ppf'd and I can see the benefit of that already. It's a shame I hadn't recognised the risk at the back. The car had only done 7k miles when I got it and the paintwork was mint.

PPF or/and…. 1x 982-807-917-OK1 (L) 1x 982-807-918-OK1 (R) 999-919-246-01 (screws) or use 3M tape

Or "au naturel" as some of us do with the entire car

Will a GT4 get down the ramps in a multi-story? I've never tried

bosshog said: Will a GT4 get down the ramps in a multi-story? I've never tried I highly doubt it. My drive isn't even that steep but I still decided to give it a crack yesterday. Had the car angled but the splitter still scraped the ground. I've come to terms with the fact that I won't be seeing the inside of a multi-storey for many years unless I can park on the ground floor which never happens anyway due to no spaces being available.

bosshog said: Will a GT4 get down the ramps in a multi-story? I've never tried I accidentally ended up forced to enter one in Plymouth last weekend. It dealt with all of them apart from the very top...not sure why that had the extra degrees... but at least it was smooth. Each ramp was dealt with as obliquely as possible... I'm not doing it again.

Quickmoose said: I accidentally ended up forced to enter one in Plymouth last weekend. It dealt with all of them apart from the very top...not sure why that had the extra degrees... but at least it was smooth. Each ramp was dealt with as obliquely as possible... I'm not doing it again. Very brave of you to attempt mate. I was considering reversing up the ramps but that's not a good look haha.

anonymous said: [redacted] Mentioned on page 1 TDT said: Correct. You’ll probably need to look at aftermarket solutions. I believe the following could have options: DesignsByJacob TechArt KW (HLS)

TDT said: anonymous said: [redacted] Mentioned on page 1 TDT said: Correct. You’ll probably need to look at aftermarket solutions. I believe the following could have options: DesignsByJacob TechArt KW (HLS) I emailed KW regarding their HLS kit and this was their response: "HLS is not possible for the 718 GT4 because the front suspension housing we produce for the car is too short to accept the HLS actuator." The DBJ kit is very reasonably priced but I'm not fond of the cylinder it comes with and having that mounted in the boot. TechArt kit looks great but very expensive. As mentioned earlier, got quotes between £8,000-10,000. One of the quotes I got were from Parr-UK and they said the TechArt kit will only work in combination with the GT3 RS shock absorbers. After having driven mine a few times, I don't think the ground clearance is too bad. Speed humps and small inclines are fine when approached sensibly and at an angle. Just can't manage multi-storeys or steep inclines. I don't drive a lot but if in the future I need to for work and parking in multi-storey's becomes a necessity, I may consider the TechArt kit. It will definitely make the car more liveable.

can you not put the GT4 a bit up via the coilovers? no idea, but say you set it (suspension) 5-10mm higher, still gives the car a decent look I guess, then maybe you need a new adjustment for the wheels? no idea, but is it possible to be a bit saver and put the suspension 5 to 10mm higher, gives a bit more space, less scraping? personally I would not like a extra button for extra lift, I hate extra buttons also for exhaust, yes it can be handy, but all extra things for the mind is not a freer mind.

GTRene said: can you not put the GT4 a bit up via the coilovers? no idea, but say you set it (suspension) 5-10mm higher, still gives the car a decent look I guess, then maybe you need a new adjustment for the wheels? no idea, but is it possible to be a bit saver and put the suspension 5 to 10mm higher, gives a bit more space, less scraping? personally I would not like a extra button for extra lift, I hate extra buttons also for exhaust, yes it can be handy, but all extra things for the mind is not a freer mind. I have considered this as the suspension is adjustable. I don't think 10mm will be too noticeable but it will definitely help the car be more manageable on steep inclines. Think you're right about wheel adjustment too if the suspension is changed. I've only had the car a few days now so time will tell.

I have an old GT3 and not a GT4 but don't write off multi-story car parks until you try one. Obviously they're not all as bad as the worst ones and the ramps can often be taken at an angle. Pretty sure it's only the front splitter that will scrape. The brake cooling ducts only scrape at speed through sharp dips in my experience. Thinking about it, a 5-10mm lift could make quite a difference to the approach angle of the car. You could do the sums or check by jacking the car slightly. For example maybe you'll get 20mm of extra clearance for the splitter for 10mm of ride height increase.

braddo said: I have an old GT3 and not a GT4 but don't write off multi-story car parks until you try one. Obviously they're not all as bad as the worst ones and the ramps can often be taken at an angle. Pretty sure it's only the front splitter that will scrape. The brake cooling ducts only scrape at speed through sharp dips in my experience. Thinking about it, a 5-10mm lift could make quite a difference to the approach angle of the car. You could do the sums or check by jacking the car slightly. For example maybe you'll get 20mm of extra clearance for the splitter for 10mm of ride height increase. I had a lowered Elise that got stuck going down a multi. Had to reverse back up to the level (much to the annoyance of the person behind) and then reverse all the way down 10 floors, scraping the front splitter each time. I just have this running through my head now and hence not tried the GT4. I find the car fine for bumps etc, its just that super long nose thats an issue with inclines rather than a height thing.

bosshog said: I had a lowered Elise that got stuck going down a multi. Had to reverse back up to the level (much to the annoyance of the person behind) and then reverse all the way down 10 floors, scraping the front splitter each time. I just have this running through my head now and hence not tried the GT4. I find the car fine for bumps etc, its just that super long nose thats an issue with inclines rather than a height thing. This stresses me just reading it........

bosshog said: I had a lowered Elise that got stuck going down a multi. Had to reverse back up to the level (much to the annoyance of the person behind) and then reverse all the way down 10 floors, scraping the front splitter each time. So it didn't scrape on the way up 10 floors and only on the way down? If that's the case the OP needs to complete a full lap of up and down 1 floor before going for 10!

bosshog said: I had a lowered Elise that got stuck going down a multi. Had to reverse back up to the level (much to the annoyance of the person behind) and then reverse all the way down 10 floors, scraping the front splitter each time. I just have this running through my head now and hence not tried the GT4. I find the car fine for bumps etc, its just that super long nose thats an issue with inclines rather than a height thing. I thought this myself. With the multi-storey's I've used in the city centre, I can potentially see myself getting up if I approach the slope at an extreme angle but I can't see myself coming down as I wouldn't be able to replicate that same angle.