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New Member and Suspension Question

Discussion in '348/355' started by Prancinghorse17, Nov 23, 2012.

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  1. Prancinghorse17

    Prancinghorse17 Karting

    Oct 14, 2012
    118
    CFL
    #1 Prancinghorse17, Nov 23, 2012
    Hi everyone!

    Very proud new 1995 355 GTS owner here! I just purchased my car and had a Ferrari dealer do the mandatory sticky throttle service. When they had the car on the lift, however, they discovered that the car has Eibach prokit lowering springs on all 4 corners. I assume they are the prokits because they are black. The car also has upgraded 19 inch wheels with 275s at the rear.

    Anyway, they showed me a small scratch on the rear axle where it is apparently rubbing on the drivers side manifold underneath the engine, presumptively because the car is sitting too low because of the springs. The car has had this setup for over eight years and has been driven at least 3000 miles. The scratches were VERY minor. Nonetheless, the dealer recommends that I swap out the eibachs for factory springs. This will cost about 2500 for the whole job including alignment. I have taken the car over speed bumps and haven't heard any rubbing. I do not plan to track this car or push it ridiculously too hard.

    I have red that ride height can be adjusted on these cars even with lowering springs, but the dealer didn't mention this to me. Is there anyway to raise this car or address the issue without spending 2500 right away? Look forward to hearing your expert opinions! Thanks
     
  2. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

    May 26, 2010
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    #2 Extreme, Nov 23, 2012
    I can't imagine how the axle would be rubbing on the exhaust. Even on a non lowered car the suspension still has to travel in the same movement as a lowered car and it doesn't hit anything. Plus you say it a scratch, a rub mark or dent would make more sense. Can you get a picture of this for us?

    welcome to the forum and 355 ownership... We need pictures of your new car for us all to enjoy.
     
  3. Prancinghorse17

    Prancinghorse17 Karting

    Oct 14, 2012
    118
    CFL
    #3 Prancinghorse17, Nov 23, 2012
    I'll be taking the car out tomorrow, so I will definitely post some pics for everyone! The car is aligned well and feels tight with a well balanced ride. And of course, it LOOKS unbelievable! I will also get a pic of the undercarriage ASAP. Like I said, I read earlier about being able to raise a 355 or lower it without doing springs. If my springs are an issue, I would certainly err on the side of caution and raise it about .25 inches if I could. H&Rs lower the 355 .8 inches in the rear, eibachs tend to be closer to 1 inch. As long as they aren't causing any damage to the axle or rubbing the manifold, I'm very happy with them. I'm used to driving these cars to avoid scraping, but my car doesn't scrape speed bumps in the front or bottom out, which is a good sign.
     
  4. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,670
    #4 Mitch Alsup, Nov 23, 2012
    First of all, the springs my my absolute bone stock F355 are black--both ends.

    Second, one can lower a F355 with a few turns on the spring perches and one does not need different springs to effect this change.

    Third, I run 275/40ZR18s on my car without incident over 40K miles, and 5K track miles.

    Therefore, I doubt that 19" wheels are to blame--if anything it would have to be the offset of the wheel or the possible lowering.

    To raise or lower ride height one needs a trip to the Harbor Feright and buy a set of spanner wrenches for less than $50. Pull off the wheel, give the perch a short spray of WD-40 (making sure none of the spray gets on the rotors or pads) and then turn the perch with the spanner. Raising the car needs a good bit of force.
     
  5. Prancinghorse17

    Prancinghorse17 Karting

    Oct 14, 2012
    118
    CFL
    #5 Prancinghorse17, Nov 23, 2012
    Thanks Mitch! Also, I should clarify that the springs had the Eibach logo on them, sorry I omitted that minor detail. I'll drive the car a bit and if it seems like the back end is bottoming out or if I get any strange noises from the axle, I'll look into raising the rear slightly as you said. I'll post plenty of pics so everyone can get a clear shot of how the car is lowered.
     
  6. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

    May 26, 2010
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    #6 Extreme, Nov 23, 2012
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2012
    I still don't see how anything could be hitting the exhaust unless they cats or manifold are out of alignment and I can't imagine how this could be done.
     
  7. 355rockit

    355rockit Formula Junior

    Dec 1, 2010
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    San Marcos, CA
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    Vas
    #7 355rockit, Nov 23, 2012
    My 1995 F355 GTB is lowered and it appears that the axle at one time had hit the exhaust manifold just before where the manifold connects to the cat. It was only the shielding that apprently got mushed a bit. Car must have hit a pretty heft bump or something. This was a week after I bought the car. I think it may have been the flatbed guy when he was taking the car off the truck when it was going to service. To make a story short(er), it can happen.
     
  8. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

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    #8 Extreme, Nov 23, 2012
    Well I guess it can happen...
    But I still don't understand why lowering the car would make it more likely. It sounds like it must happen when the suspension bottoms out on travel (compression).
    Perhaps since a lowered car would always have its suspension closer to the end of its compression travel this could make it more likely to happen. If this is the case then it's a Ferrari design issue and not due to a lowered car.
     
  9. cuneo

    cuneo Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 20, 2006
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    #9 cuneo, Nov 23, 2012
    My car came with the stock suspension lowered all the way, and as a result the stock header shield had a lot of rubbing on either the left or right hand manifold from the axle (can't recall which side). After raising the car back to stock ride height, and putting Fabspeeds on, no more rubbing!

    Maybe you can raise your Eibachs up, Prancing Horse?
     
  10. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

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    #10 Extreme, Nov 23, 2012
    Prancinghorse,
    If you do decide to replace the sport spings I'm in the market to buy them from you.
     
  11. Prancinghorse17

    Prancinghorse17 Karting

    Oct 14, 2012
    118
    CFL
    #11 Prancinghorse17, Nov 24, 2012
    I was thinking the exact same thing. I know the FS headers provide a lot more clearance than stock headers. They rubbed precisely where everyone is saying. So rather than switching out the springs, I might do the same setup of raising the rear about .25 to .5 inches and have the car aligned. If I have the spare cash, I'll definitely be doing the FS headers.

    Extreme, if I do switch back to stock springs you'll get the first crack at the Eibachs. Pics soon to come!
     
  12. LSeven

    LSeven Rookie

    Oct 12, 2005
    26
    Los Angeles, CA
    #12 LSeven, Nov 24, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Just FYI, the stock springs are also black with the Eibach logo on them (at least mine are), note the Ferrari part number (124982) also printed on it.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  13. Prancinghorse17

    Prancinghorse17 Karting

    Oct 14, 2012
    118
    CFL
    #13 Prancinghorse17, Nov 24, 2012
    Thanks LSeven, that's very good to know. It also intrigues me that my dealer did not inform me of this nor did they inform me that the suspension can be raised or lowered from the factory. They just wanted to switch everything out. That bothers me a little. I remember seeing the part numbers in the exact same location as yours.

    I also for the life of me could not find an Eibach lowering kit online for this car, only HRs. Which leads me to believe that these are in fact stock springs. Interesting...
     
  14. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

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    #14 Extreme, Nov 24, 2012
    I don't want to bad mouth the dealers but it always pays to get a second opinion.
    Dealers for the most part are like any other business they want to sell you something.
     
  15. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

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    #15 Extreme, Nov 24, 2012
    I don't want to bad mouth the dealers but it always pays to get a second opinion.
    Dealers for the most part are like any other business they want to sell you something.
     
  16. m5guy

    m5guy Formula 3

    Aug 17, 2008
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    #16 m5guy, Nov 24, 2012
    Hello LSeven. I was the Product Manager for Eibach USA from 1989 to early 1995. Eibach's official OEM supply agreement with Ferrari in that era was on the 348 model. I do not recall the company having any OEM contracts for the 355, but perhaps the Eibach plant in Germany got a small contract for the European 355. I can tell you that for sure, my U.S.A. 1997 355 does not have Eibach springs in it.
     
  17. LSeven

    LSeven Rookie

    Oct 12, 2005
    26
    Los Angeles, CA
    #17 LSeven, Nov 24, 2012
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2012
    Mine is a USA early 1995 (sept. 94 build), the part number printed on the springs corresponds to Ferrari's part no. Is the other number on the springs (23 94) a production date, i.e. 23rd week of 1994, perhaps?

    I have found that as an early 95 my car has a few parts in common with the last of the 348s, outer cv joints/boots, throwout bearing/flange, floor mats and some other ancillary bits ended up being late 348 parts vs. 355, and I know they were original to this car. I've learned to check the actual part rather than go strictly by the 355 parts list.
     
  18. Prancinghorse17

    Prancinghorse17 Karting

    Oct 14, 2012
    118
    CFL
    #18 Prancinghorse17, Nov 25, 2012
    Fellows,

    I researched this last night as well. L7, the part number you gave me is for front springs while the rear springs are part number 151882. Both of these numbers are the part numbers from the factory and are on Ricambis website as well as a few others. If you look at some websites, they also have Eibach in parenthesis next to the part number. Research also shows me that Eibach supplied these exact springs for the 512 TR as well. There are no Eibach aftermarket springs for our cars...again, I feel like this makes it more likely that our springs are stock.

    My car was a November 1995 build. So actually, would that make my car a 1996? It says 95 on title.
     
  19. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

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    #19 Extreme, Nov 25, 2012
    So it looks like the dealer made a mistake in their recommendation? lol... Like I said always get a second opinion.. Good job on your research and not just handing over $2,500.
     

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