fore!

Spent the weekend wrenching new H&R's and Bilsteins into the RSA.

Easy job? Not bad - can be tough getting the old strut units apart if you don't have an air impact wrench. Both were tough - one I got by holding using an allen key throgh a socket (I ground 2 flats on the top of the socket and used a wrench). The other was much tougher - after the allen wrench trick failed and goosing around trying to hold the shaft with grips, I realised I was going to trash the strut any way, so I compressed the spring on one side allowing me to gring a flat onto the shaft, put on a pipe wrench and no problem holding it. Brutal but very effective.

The install is easy and straight forward. Now have to get it aligned and cnr wieghted.

First impressions - smoother than the M030! Not so much thrash over bumps - I wasn't expecting that. It "feels" lower - like duh! I know - but it does feel lower. I haven't really tested it in the corners, waiting on alignment, but I'll be interested to see if it has the compliance to deal with bumps in corners that we have here in Houston.

Either way - this is a excellent upgrade from the M030 suspension and worth every penny. Dump the boge's.

Having seen the strut mounts and how they load - there's not much steel up there, the next mod is a stut brace.

Side note - the toughest part of the whole project was getting up and down and under and up and down and under. Last night = sore muscles everywhere - felt like I'd been hit by a Mack truck. I used to work on my toys all day long and it never to hurt like this!!

PC2

I know exactly how you feel. Good choice on the set up, best money I've spent.

exmedia

Which Bilsteins did you use? I have a '90 C2 cab with H&R coilover upgrade, but since I've discovered track driving I would like much stiffer shocks.

Regards,

-Richard Pattie

Bill Gregory

Bilstein offers a heavy duty strut/shock, which is what is usually listed, and used for a good upgrade with slightly stronger progressive springs. You can also get the Carrera RS struts/shocks, or step up to the Bilstein RSR struts/shocks. Shocks and springs should support each other for best performance.

Colin 90 C2

Richard,
What are you going to do with your old setup should you decide to buy new?

Colin

Tom W

What condition were the shocks you replaced in? Were they still good or were they shot?

I ask because it's common to see posts from folks raving about a new suspension. Unfortunately, often the comparison is to what the car was like before the new suspension and if that was a suspension that was "broken" the comparison isn't very helpful to people looking for what they might want to use.

This is not in any way meant as a negative comment for the original poster (fore!), as I have been guilty of this myself. I mean it as a reminder to others contemplating an upgrade and am curious about the state of the suspension replaced. My 993 stock shocks were shot when I replaced them at 25,000 miles (with PSS-9s) and the front shocks on the 993 were trash when they were recently replaced (with the JIC Cross competition set-up). The "death" of the existing suspension can be slow enough that you don't realize it needs to be replaced until it's really bad (and then any change seems fantastic), or if you are new to a Porsche, you may not realize it's supposed to hande much better than it does until the replacement.

fore!

Good point Tom.

In my case it was seat of the pants, or the "pucker meter" that suggested it was time to change them out. A simple bounce test gave very subject results, some said my orginal M030 was OK and others said it needed replacing simply because of miles.

Now that I've put a few miles on the car I know it's an improvement, but there are compromises in other areas. I don't know if there's a "perfect" suspension setup (although having driven an boxster s last week - the factory knows a thing or two...).

My car is more "bouncy" but it's also smoother - not so much thrash. I guess the biggest compliment is that I'm now driving at higher speeds without noticing it. And that's good and bad. A compliment to the suspension, but bad as I'm now wondering why my car seems slower!!

I'm now upgrading the go deptartment too.....

Yikes - where will it end???

Tom W

fore! It doesn't end. It just gets more expensive. (Unless you have self-restraint or spouse-restraint.) And don't believe people who warn you about a slipper slope - there is no slope, it's a cliff.

fore!

Tom,

I had a feeling it may be that way - I think it may be a sickness....

Right now I'm counting down an ebay auction for another set of wheels.... Why? I have no clue why I need another set of wheels - I just want them!!

My only salvation may be in buying a 3rd vehicle - a fat SUV to keep out side, the thinking is that it'll make the p-car seem ever so special.

I think I'm loosing my mind........

Tom W

My wife refuses to allow the SUV (an ML430) sit outside while my cars are in the garage. At least she didn't complain when I converted "her" car into the mommy Turtle to pull the trailer to get the Turtle to and from the track.

exmedia

Colin,

Should I decide to upgrade (I really just want shocks for now) I suppose I'd sell the H&R suspension package. If you're interested, I'll let you know (should I decide to upgrade).

-Richard