Rear compensation plate on 996 C2 2002

I'm at the point of building my lowered H&R springs onto new B4 Bilstein shocks this week. With regard to compensation plates, do i stick with the original 3.5mm or change for 6mm plates. I'd welcome views from those who have undertaken this set up

I think it is more a case of whether the front springs are loose or tight when put together. If you end up using the 6.5mm pads for the front you will want in them on the rear as well so you don't end up with the rear lower than the front. In fact I would just use the 6.5mm on the rear regardless, I think the car feels better with a bit of rake.

OEM was probably 6mm to elevate the rear, it was normally IIRC to do with ride height Its purpose is to compensate for minor spring manufacturing tolerances, ensuring the spring seats properly and maintaining the correct ride height and suspension geometry as originally specified by Porsche.

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Thanks for the reply. I did see your post on the 997 but thought i'd raise it on this 996 forum. You have been consistent with your comments. I think i'll offer them up with my existing compensation plates and see if i get a tight fit with the spring in place. If it's not successful, the rear is easy to change when back on the car but the front needs more of a strip down to get the strut out to change the plates over. I'm surprised that the H&R manufacture doesn't give details on this. As a side note, i rang Centre Gravity a few weeks back asking them for advice on fitting Eibach lowered springs ( which they use) on B4's - his personal recommendation was not to use the lowered springs ! So if i'm not satisfied with the H&R i can refer back to the original ones. The car only done 79K miles on them and they are in good nick. Thanks again for your time in replying. Rog

I did the same with the 996 when I converted from AWD to RWD. I did need the 6.5mm pad on the front (The rear is always fine as the spring is far more compressed) and even then the spring was loose. I ended up covering the spring with some 14mm pvc hose to add a smidge more, I reckon about 4mm maybe? And that was 'just' enough to make sure it was not too loose. This stuff...... DMiotech 14mm ID 18mm OD Clear PVC Tube Flexible Hose Tubing for Water,Air, Oil Tube,6.6ft Length : Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders. Shop DMiotech 14mm ID 18mm OD Clear PVC Tube Flexible Hose Tubing for Water,Air, Oil Tube,6.6ft Length. www.amazon.co.uk I cut it into 4 and slid it over the top and the bottom. You can jack the car up, remove the wheel, then put a small jack under the wheel carrier/brake disc, then undo the main strut bolt and lower the wheel carrier down with the damper. You have enough room to remove the springs, pad or whatever you need to get in or our. Takes 10 minutes a side. The rear is actually more or a pain. I see no reason to run the thinner pad on the rear, imho the ideal is the 6.5mm on the rear and the 3mm on the front so you get a bit of rake, keeps the nose more planted. However, I think you will need the 6.5mm on the front. Some have found the oem spring loose with new dampers and the 3mm pad up front, so a spring that is a good 20-30mm shorter is going to need all the help it can get. The Eibach springs are actually longer than oem but much softer in their progressive part, so don't have the same issue in regards to being loose. This was my car with the 6.5mm pad and the hose, which adds another 4mm, it sat quite low....

I found this from Porsche on the compensator plate thickness which refer to tolerance markings (the single band marked B) on the original springs received into the factory.

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Thanks for the info and very interesting. My springs are now on back order so i'm still waiting for them to be delivered. Plus my order for front top mounts have gone missing during the despatch and delivery process. Just been informed that they are now on their way. Starting to think going for the lowered H&R springs & B4's are a pain in the ar*e

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Interesting. I'll have to look further into this as i have orange, red and white paint makings on my original springs. Also have an orange (maybe a faded Red) dot on my shocks which states sport type running on the diagram above. I've ordered new standard shocks and not MO30 as i do not have PASM. Watch this space !

I would cancel the B4 and go Koni Special Active, they are about as good as you can get on the 996, with the H&R springs they are perfect. Seriously, that set up is just a joy to drive. I tried B6, B4 and ended up converting my car to rwd so I could go with Koni Special Actives. Then about 3 months later they released a C4 version typically. But if you are fitting new dampers, just get the Konis, they are superb.

£450 and ready to go. No brainer. Sold Thread '996 C2 Koni Special Active dampers complete with H&R lowering springs' 28 Jan 2026 Removed and replaced for a coil over track bias set up, dated 2019 with approximately 8000 miles, they are complete with top mounts and ready to fit £550 marcp Replies: 8 Forum: Porsche (911) 996 & 997 Gen PARTS For Sale Wanted

I agree with the recommendation for Koni Special Actives. I have mine paired with M030 springs and combination is fantastic for my use. I primarily drive very spiritedly over rough roads littered with potholes, dips, bumps, cracks, whatever you name it. They work very well at low speeds too, whereas the Bilsteins are uncomfortable at low speeds. It’s a great product!

Another recommendation for Koni Special Active shocks from me too.

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Which two colours are on the same spring coil? A C2 with M030 and manual transmission should have lilac and silver on the front and green and white on the rear according to the parts catalogue. Standard suspension would be violet and silver brown and white rear. (does beg the question of how different in colour are violet and lilac??) Also standard springs will lift the car about 10mm from the M030 ride height, plus being new they sit higher anyway as springs do sag a bit over time, it also changes the geometry range limits a fraction when getting it set up.

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Thanks for the input. Please see below photos of the front and rear springs. I reckon they are original as all shocks are stamped Bilstein 996 etc

Firstly, apologies the colour listings above are for PASM equipped cars. To correct, standard fronts on a manual coupe are brown and white, M030 are green and white and on the rear brown and white standard and green and white for M030. Is the car a Tiptronic? The fronts as brown and white are standard suspension, rears as red and brown are for a Tip gearbox with standard suspension.