I'm having a local Porsche only specialty shop do some changes / upgrades to my 987.2 CS, non-PASM. They are a very competent shop that does mainly race builds. My car is a street car, driven in a sporting manner. One item is they are in the process of installing a set of PSS9. I asked them to set the ride height as high as possible and maintain stock rake (within constraints required to corner balance). They are setting the ride height to about a 1 inch drop from the stock non-PASM suspension. I also requested they align the car for "aggressive street" driving, which means at the aggressive side of the stock alignment specs so I don't compromise street tire wear to much. They contacted me today and said they needed to install RSS adjustable rear toe links to be able to get the rear toe to where they want it. I don't know the actual rear toe number they are targeting.
Is there any issue with using RSS adjustable rear links on a street car? I asked the shop to install rubber boots if possible. They said they would check and see if they have any, but they weren't sure.
Should I be concerned that rear toe links are required with a 1 inch drop? Is this indicative of some other issue with the suspension? I have not noticed many people here needing rear toe links when doing a 1 inch drop.
The RSS links look nice, but they look like race parts. I'm worried they won't hold up to the dirt of street driving. If the shop does not have any boots to install, what kind of maintenance do people do to these adjustable links?
Thanks guys!
I drove my 06 CS on the street for three plus years before converting it to a track car and then to a race car. I installed H&R springs which lowered the car about an inch. I also installed full RSS links, bars and LCAs. I had no problem with them holding up to street and track driving. Even in the salty humid South Florida air. When I converted the CS to a race car and added KW coilovers I did not change the RSS parts. They are still on the car! Also, I did not have a problem with noise when I drove them on the street.
You shouldn't experience any issues. Especially if the car is driven often.
Another upside to aftermarket toe links is that they typically get rid of the eccentric bolts used with the factory links. This should help the car hold its alignment better.
I have a set of RSS toe links awaiting installation. The only thing holding me up is I haven't yet pulled the trigger on rear RSS LCAs that I'd like to do while I'm at it. Damptronics might go on the car at the same time.
When I installed PSS9s I dropped ride height 1" and installed Rennline toe links. I'm not sure that I needed the links to get the toe but I wanted to have the ability to adjust bump steer and have a more "secure" toe setting. Measured at the wheel rim, I run 1/16" total rear toe. I don't notice any additional noise with the toe links.
I think it is a marginal situation on wether the toe links are needed with the drop on a Cayman, and exactly how the car is set up. I do not have them and the car was set up by a very high end race shop, but I know others have had to do it to get the alignment right. If they say you need them, I would do it. (I have zero toe front and rear if I remember correctly)
What you should also have is adjustable drop links for your sway bars so the bars are not "preloaded" from the drop. I know some people think they clunk around, but I have never had a problem with that (I think that there is a differnce between no preload, and them flopping around loose). Not only do they allow for zero preload, but they are much stronger than the stock tiny ones. My drop links are Tarret..............
Thanks for everyone's input. I'm please to hear they are pretty durable. Hopefully they will be able to install boots, and put my mind at ease.
Thanks for the tip about the drop links. I'll ask about that.
A follow up: The shop told me they spent some more time on the alignment rack and ended up not needing the rear links after all. They were able to lift the rear ride height up a little bit, enough to be able get the toe where they want and still be able to corner balance. I have probably ended up with a setup similar to In2Esses.
I'll post some picks and list all the work I had done after I get the car back. Hopefully this weekend.
Cheers!
SCL:
A couple thoughts....1 is that the Porsche eccentric settings can get knocked. The toe links are more stable. Another is that, before driving my car in the salt, I spray anything with threads with Wurth underbody rust preventative. (It's kind of like Bilstein's Waxoil product but comes in an aerosol. This stuff lubricates and dries to a sort of coating that protects the threads. I'm especially concerned about the threads on my coilover system. I want to maintain adjustability of it. It would be nice to have boots over all the threads, but barring that, a chemical coating seems the best answer.
This year, I'm getting my rear toe links, finally, and I'm going to try some lower settings and more aggressive camber.
We still have snow on the ground here and the temps are about 20 with high winds. Not time yet, but it won't be long.
Saw this thread and thought I could update it just a little. I am using Ohlin R&T coilovers, Tarett GT swaybars with drop links, Tarett Cup LCA's and Elephant f&r adjustable toe links with bumpsteer adjustability for 987's. My new camber is -2.8f and -2.5 rear with a track increase of 32 mm f&r. Toe is out 6 minutes f and in 1/32 each side r. My suspension ride height is dropped 36mm from OEM, so the bump steer issue is in play as was the need for adjustable toe links. I currently am using the car around town and autocross/DE on weekends. I have a set of Signature SV104 9 in f and 10 in r race wheels with RE71R's 255/35/18 f and 275/35/18r. This package is very precise, especially the LCA's solid thrust puck and monoball inner and outer bearings providing very little forward/backward movement. They also allow for caster and wheelbase adjustment.
