RT7

I've searched through the archive but couldn't find anything which relates to monoball rear camber plates required for PSS9.

My shop told me that I'd need a monoball rear camber plates to install my PSS9. Is this necessary? Also, they're charging me $580 for parts and installation. Is this sounds right?

I purchased my PSS9 from Zygmunt Motors which I believe is Euro model.

Thanks in advance.

viperbob

Step 1, find a new shop. The monoballs are not required for the PSS9. If you shop does not know the requirements to install these, then I would not let them anywhere near my car.

As mentioned in other posts, you should either get the hats sold by Steve Weiner or if they are US models (they will have the wrenches with them if they are) then call Bilstein Customer Service and request a set of hats. The rear monoball plates are around $400-450, and they install with 4 nuts (like the fronts). Since everything has to be out of the way for this anyway, I'd say you are being taken. Also, why would they want to install rear monoballs and not matching them with fronts. SCAREY!!!

Jeff 993TT

Another data point:

http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/2002/1-2002.htm

Also another benefit of monoballs is that it makes adjusting the sway bar mount a lot easier ( or at least BradB says so ). Otherwise you might have to R/R the rear shock(s) a few times to get the sway bar right. This probably only matters depending on what sway bar you use though.

There are also "detachable" sway bar collars you can buy too. But at that point, you're better getting the monoballs.

jnor10

I contacted Zygmut Motors regarding the Bilsteins they were selling. They were neither clear nor specific regarding the contents of the kit they were selling. They simply stated that they are packed as per Bilstein, when shipped from Bilsteins ware-house.
I contacted Bilstein, they informed me some US resellers are not selling the updated kit with the new rear hats and extra lock rings and were actually selling old inventory.
I bought my PSS-9 kit from AJ-USA who had a sale on the updated PSS-9 kit.
I would recommend you contact Bilstein for the new rear hats. You can buy them from Steve W. if you would like to give him your business, but you will spend about $200 more for basically the same thing.

Just my opinion, no affilliations, etc

Jeff N.

Martin S.

As stated earlier, the latest PSS9s sold in the US come with hats. You wont need monoballs...but it couldn't hurt. If you are buying Euro PSS9s you may not get the free hats and you need to purchase them from Steve Weiner. The Porsche LSA suspension (rear) is much more of a PITA to take apart and put back together than the front struts. While the suspension is out to change the shocks, add rear monoballs now...do the front struts later, or do it all at once!

You wrote" My shop told me that I'd need a monoball rear camber plates to install my PSS9. Is this necessary? Also, they're charging me $580 for parts and installation. Is this sounds right?"

$580 equates to about seven (7) hours of labor. I think this is not excessive. Especially if the $580 includes parts (monoballs?). And you realize they are going to have to align, and should corner balance the car with the new suspension. If you are getting all this for $580, let us know, we'll all be headed out there!!!

Bottom line...I do hope you, and all Rennlisters, find a shop where they know and respect the shop owners. Once this happens, they can take their cars to their respective shops and have no fear that the shop will rip them off on labor. Hey, you might even let the shop owners make a few bucks on parts?

Try taking a box of parts to an independent Toyota or Honda shop. They tell you to take a hike in most cases. I want my shop to make a profit: I want them to be in business for me in the future, and for track side support if needed!

Are we Porsche owners the cheapest guys in the universe, I wonder?

viperbob

Martin,

the way I read the post was they were charging $580 for the plates and installation of the plates only. Ron, could you please tell us what they are charging for the complete installation??? We can better comment then on the total costs.

I think that most places would tend to charge more because they thnk they can get away with it. Most Porsche folks without the informed wisdom of Rennlist would think "Ok so I spent $2k on Bilsteins, $750 on sway bars, and $900 on Monoballs so yeah I guess $1500-2000 in labor is reasonable right with a corner balance and alignment and all"? If done properly, installation is at best a 3 hour job for the PSS9s by someone that has done it before. Sway bar, say another hour. And then if the installer had done it before, they would also have the car damn close to correct ride height when it was initially installed and say then add another 1 -1/2 hours for corner balance (and doubtful whether most places will ballast your car with your weight in the driver seat). Now a couple of hours for alignment and your done. So let's say this is an 8 hour install. Most places are then charging you $150-200 per hour (this is a close approxamation at least here in the Bay Area). Can you say screwed??? There is a difference in making a profit, which I never begrudge anyone, and overcharging because they think the the Porsche mystic will get them more money.

RT7

Thanks for the info guys.

To clarify things:

PSS9 installation: $550
Alignment: $130
Corner Balance: $200
Rear monoball plates: $580 ( ) with 1-day shipment.

Total: $1460

I've done business with this shop in the past. The name of the shop is "Extreme Motorsport" in San Diego. I just spoke with the mechanic and he said the kit came with a separate instruction which indicate to use rear monoball camber plates to achieve better performance. However, it didn't say it's a requirement. Also, according to the owner's brother (Ben), he did called Bilstein.

I'd ordered the hat from Steve W. but Extreme Motorsports had already order one from somewhere else.

BTW, my kit came with the wrenches, etc.

Martin S.

Extreme has a following in San Diego. All in all the prices seem OK to me. If you trust them, let them do the work and no more tears ...it will be all right.

Now that you have all that trick stuff on your car, are you going to drive the 1 day POC DE?

RT7

Extreme did a great job in the past and that's why I went back to them.

I'd love to do the POC DE but I've got to install the roll-bar first and gotta get new tires for my 18" wheels.

It looks like I'm going to use the monoball after all. I called Bilstein and they said they can make the plate for $150 but I've got the car on the lift with half of the suspension out so I can't tied up the lift. Oh well... at least it would be a lot easier to install the sway bar next time.

viperbob

The sway bar will still be a problem in the future with the Bilstein fixed sway bar mount at the bottom of the strut. I would recommend adding a removable mount so that it will swivel on the strut in the future without removing anything else, but yes it will add another $2xx to your bill.