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Well, I have done just about everything I could to the more easily wearing parts on my girl, but never touched the shocks. I had the cars ride height set by DeMan Autosports (look them up) when they set the shift linkage up for me.. I figured to get the bugs worked out and the car handles like its on rails with the (what I would believe to be due to low mileage) original shocks. I am fully capable of buying and installing the cartridges, but have to ask about a "sport suspension" reference I saw on a vendors web site.
My 84 was the 22nd built of that year and has some options like extended wheel studs, etc. Is there any such thing for a 1984 or a 928 in general? I would think that there would be no grading of suspensions in our cars per model year.
Earlier cars had Bilstein while later cars had Boge Reds - That was the SPORT option.
If you have stock Boge shocks they are $500 for a set of 4.
You can also add Koni internally adjustable for about $700 a set of 4
Also Bilstein for $928 for a set of 4.
However if you value ride comfort stick with stock Boges as what was on the car from the factory.
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Does it have the "Do It Yourself" manual transmission, or the superior "Fully Equipped by Porsche" Automatic Transmission? George Layton March 2014
928 Owners are ".....a secret sect of quietly assured Porsche pragmatists who in near anonymity appreciate the prodigious, easy going prowess of the 928."
I have the Bilsteins on my 84 (installed by Stan). It was a night and day difference. The ride was floaty and bouncy with the worn out old shocks, but now it's well controlled. Some people say the Bilsteins are too harsh but I don't agree. If anything, they're a bit on the soft side. I have Konis on my 968, now that's firm and harsh!
Well, I have done just about everything I could to the more easily wearing parts on my girl, but never touched the shocks. I had the cars ride height set by DeMan Autosports (look them up) when they set the shift linkage up for me.. I figured to get the bugs worked out and the car handles like its on rails with the (what I would believe to be due to low mileage) original shocks. I am fully capable of buying and installing the cartridges, but have to ask about a "sport suspension" reference I saw on a vendors web site.
My 84 was the 22nd built of that year and has some options like extended wheel studs, etc. Is there any such thing for a 1984 or a 928 in general? I would think that there would be no grading of suspensions in our cars per model year.
For 1984, if your car has option "M474 / Shock Absorber (SPORTING) Front and Rear", that means Bilsteins. This would be the "optional sport suspension" - not sure what brand shocks would be there without that option. My car has that option. From factory with this option (for 84, and other early years), the front Bilsteins are green, non-adjustable. The rears are goldish, and adjustable.
Post the VIN to the thread at top to find all the factory options for the car if you can't find the options listed on a label in the luggage boot area under the carpet.
I don't know what it had on, they may well have been original.
Install was pretty straighforward. Getting the fronts in & out was kind of a pain, but doable.
It's hard to give a 'comparison review' in part because the old ones were pretty worn out (bad wheel hop if I broke traction on the back) and in part because I did it over the winter and didn't drive it from November until mid-April.
I will say that the ride is excellent. Firm without being harsh, compliant without being soft or 'squishy'.
One suggestion: If your shocks are shot, the bump stops are likely done too. I didn't know this when I got the shocks, and had to get the bump stops separately. I could have saved the shipping if I had known.
One suggestion: If your shocks are shot, the bump stops are likely done too. I didn't know this when I got the shocks, and had to get the bump stops separately. I could have saved the shipping if I had known.
Even if it looks intact give it a squeeze and you might see cracks around the inner bore. I know its not an expensive part but if it helps the bump stop for the E46 BMW 3 series has roughly the same outer dimension and inner bore as the rear OEM bump stop and costs about a third of the price. its longer but can be easily cut to size. IIRC part number is 33 50 6 757 368
First, there are no cartridges, as in McPherson struts, just shocks. You should be able to locate the shock brand on the body somewhere, and if Bilstein, you should have option M474 - in this case replace with same type, or see if you can get them rebuilt economically - Bilsteins are rebuildable. If not originally Bilstein, you should stay with what you have, OR change the springs to match if you upgrade to Bilsteins. Upgrading to gas shocks can lift your ride height 10mm according to the WSM.
Replacing front shock assemblies can be a pain on early cars - I had to drop the inner lower arm mounts to get the upper arm high enough to screw the assembly out downwards. The rears are much easier, as long as you remember that the top mount is asymmetric, and will only go up one way. Originally my fronts were not adjustable, but new shocks came with adjusters - check when ordering. The rears were adjustable from new. Bilsteins with tyres at 38-40psi all around can be harsh on broken surfaces, but are terrific on good surfaces at speed.
jp 83 Euro S AT 57k M474, M220
Went under the car to survey my disassembly plan and found these in the last wrap of the rear coils. I obviously removed them as I would think them unnecessary and probably tend to point load the spring (albeit slightly).
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06-06-2019, 07:27 PM
Time for shocks?!
George Layton March 2014
