ceboyd

I have to double check but I believe they were all green.. dark dirty green..

DJF1

You do have the originals then... The biggest test to see the shocks is really the race track. At speed while cornering like Chris said the car will take one set and then when loaded it will take a second set leaning even more and producing kind of a diagonal weight shift. I experience this when I first bought my car with 40K on and I can only describe it as a wobbly feeling especially in the rear.
True enough I did go to coilovers which immediately solved the problem, but on the road as I do not drive like a maniac it was hard to identify the problem. 96K is way too much for stock shocks...I'm sure once you ride on it at the track you will experience the same thing...

Mark in Baltimore

Mid corner bumps at speed that unsettled the suspension were my primary indicators. Zoiks!

Chris L

Very interesting thread. So, if the suspension doesn't bother you, is it worth replacing? I have a 42k mile '95 with stock suspension and it feels great to me. At the last annual inspection at the dealer (last July) they noted 'worn rear shocks', but when I asked how soon they need to be replaced they said that if I didn't notice it not to worry about it.

Do worn shocks deteriorate any other part of the suspension? Is it worth replacing them simply to avoid wear or damage to ball joints, for example?

Thanks,

Chris.

leeham

This thread interested me, so I went to look at my shocks and service records. I was surprised to see they were Monroes!!!! According to the service records, which I believe to be mostly complete, they have never been replaced. The car now has 121K.

Frankly, I didn't know anything was wrong with it. I thought the floatiness was normal for a high mileage car and figured the "rear end lifting" sensation was due to my choice of tires (yokos). My wife even likes the 993's "softer" ride quality better than the low mileage 964 with Boges that it replaced. I'm also kinda surprised that my mechanic didn't say something about it, but I guess he doesn't test drive following an oil change.

Now that my eyes are wide open, I'll be looking for new shocks. Are there any bushings, bolts, etc. that need to be replaced when the shocks are replaced?

LeeH
Aiken, SC
1996 C2 Coupe, 121K

914und993

If your 993 is rarely asked to perform near the upper reaches of its capability, and you are happy with the ride quality you have with burned out stock shocks, there probably isn't a compelling need to take them out and install something fully functional.

People purchase a 993 for many different reasons, and for many road holding performance isn't one of them. Some of them probably appreciate the Buick-like ride they get with non-functioning shocks, and for them the 993 provides the acceleration and good looks that no Buick can.

To each, his own.

Chip

swmic

If someone is curious about the condition of their shocks and can turn a wrench, it not that hard to pull one out and see what you got. It took me longer to jack up the car than it did to pull one of the rear shock out. You've only got the four bolts on top and a few on the bottom. It might be well worth it just to see. I'm sure glad I changed mine. I don't track the car and don't often take it to its limits, but I do appreciate having my 993 ride and perform better than my jeep.

john.rogers

Is replacing the shocks with OEM or OEM like shocks a DIY? What degree of difficulty?

What OEM replacements are recommended IF only replacing the shocks?

kkim

http://p-car.com/diy/sus/index.html

it shows how to replace using Koni's, but if you use Bilstien HD's, it's even easier.

swmic

The job of replacing the struts/shocks is not bad at all provided you have some experience doing your own work. You just need some some good jack stands and basic handtools. I used Bilsteins because of their reputation and I don't think they would be much more expensive that OEM parts. I purchased mine from Gert. He sent me a link to a step-by-step procedure which I printed out and had on hand when I did mine. I don't need my car for daily driving so I took my time. It was eaiser than I thought it would be.

Oh, one reason to not live with worn struts is it will EAT your expensive tires in no time. If you notice your tires are wearing funny, mine were scalloped, there is a good chance your struts are bad.

Terry Adams

smic, glad you mentioned the tires wearing funny, as mine became scalloped (also called cupped after very few miles on each new set. I did not want to believe the tire guy when he said it was a sign of my shocks being gone. After all, this was a Porsche with only 40K miles.

chris walrod

The rears are the most difficult, if you can call it difficult. A lot of time is spent removing the airbox and heater assy. just to get to the upper four nuts for the spring hat. Again, this isnt that difficult either.

The fronts are that much easier really.

It is a great opportunity to get involved with your cars innerworkings. Having worked most of my life on many many other types of cars, one can really appreciate the engineering and craftsmanship that goes into such a special car like the 911 (993)..

jonathank2000

I've read the threads on the PSS9, H&R, etc. For an everyday driver like me, will upgrading my current stock shocks to Bilstein's HD's do the trick? I do like the PSS9 threads I've read but still on a tight budget until next year.

Thanks!

ca993twin

Jonathan,

The HDs seem to be a good choice, but if you also need to buy springs, the cost difference between HDs + springs vs the complete PSS-9 kit is actually pretty small, and even less on a percentage basis if you factor in the install labor, corner balance and alignment.

jonathank2000

Steve,
Thanks for the info.. as always! Where can I get the Bilstein HD's at a budget price? I guess I will have to take my car in to see if I need new springs as well. It funny that I've had my car worked at the dealer for the 60K service and other independents and they never told me that my shocks were worn out. Is there a way to check my springs myself?

Jonathan