ca993twin

Jonathan,

Springs hardly ever wear out. They would be changed if you desired a different spring rate or a different ride height. If you're happy with your springs, then you don't need to buy new ones. USA cars came with springs that were quite a bit "taller" than the Rest Of World (ROW) got. Some folks who are into the looks and the handling prefer the lower ride height of ROW springs. Others who like to zip over speed bumps, or like a plusher ride actually prefer the USA springs. Since this board is made up of Porsche enthusiasts, we all assume that everyone wants the lower, harder springs. Not always true. You have to decide that one for yourself.

Also because we're all enthusiasts, we are pickier about the worn out shocks than the average street-only driver. If you are happy with the way your car rides and handles, than maybe this isn't an important enough issue to spend a pile of dough on.

And lastly... I dunno about Bilstein pricing. Start with the Rennlist sponsors.

James Shunt

I've been interested in this thread because I think my shocks might be dead. I've only had the car for 4 months and it's now covered 91k miles. The shocks haven't been replaced since 2000 (77k miles) at least.

Last weekend I was trying to find a UK equivalent of expansion joints and checking for floatiness but didn't really come to a firm conclusion. Unfortunately I've only ever driven one other 993 so comparison with a perfect set up isn't easy.

My question is this - if I accelerate then suddenly back off the gas, there's a quiet but audible bump as the car rocks forward, so could this be the shocks? Please don't tell me that must be play in the engine mountings!!

TIA

James

swmic

James,

If you can't find a bad expansion joint, you might want to search for a bumpy patch of road. I just came from an e36 M3 which is a great handling car and was very disappointed in how my C4 felt going over the same bumps. The bumps were small but there was a lot of them. It's easy to find patches of roads like that here in PA. As I mentioned earlier, the car felt like it was on ice with the tires loosing contact with the road. It was very evident that the dampening action of the shocks was not there. My shocks were totally shot so it may of been easy for me to feel it. Once I got the spring off of one of my rear shocks, I found it moved in and out freely with no dampening at all. Again, my car only had 16K on it. I guess shocks don't like to sit in a garage.

Shawn

James Shunt

Thanks Shawn.

I forgot to mention that in trying to find this floatiness on a country back lane, I nearly took out a Volvo and a hedge as my precious 993 wandered onto the wrong side of the road. That convinced me that
a) the handling DOES have limits
b) maybe the shocks are worn out and
c) I'd be better off testing the car on the track rather than quiet roads!

Any other views about the bump that I get when decelerating?

Cheers

James

swmic

James,

I can't really tell you the noise you hear is caused by bad shocks. I just purchased my car the first part of Feb. I did not drive it much before I changed parts so my experience base is limited to driving with worn shocks.

Let us know what you find.

Shawn

jonathank2000

James,
I don't get the noise when I let go of the accelerator but I do have the other symptoms you wrote about.

Steve,
Thanks for the info!! I was saving up for my new wheels but I think I will invest in the suspension. Does the PSS9/ROW springs affect 18" wheels since it will be lower? Any rubbing issues?

Thanks again!

indian porker

Intersting to note why everyone is against OEM shocks replacement...any particular reason?

JasonF

I installed a set of Bilstein's recently and found that Gert's prices were still the most competitive, despite the weak dollar. As for replacing your worn shocks with the OEM variety, bear in mind that higher quality shocks (such as Bilstein's) will last significantly longer, and paying a little more up front may save lots of money down the road.

914und993

In 30,000 miles, they will probably be worn out. I don't know how much they cost from Porsche, but I'm sure they aren't cheap, and of course installation and realignment isn't cheap either. Not many of us want to do this every 25,000 to 30,000 miles when the Bilsteins will almost certainly last much, much longer - perhaps for the car's lifetime.

Chip

Ray Calvo

Interesting thread. I have 80K miles on my 993, and the original stock shocks/suspension were replaced with factory Euro M030 shocks/springs/bars at about 10K miles. To me the shocks still feel fine; good control over western PA bumps, definitely not floaty like original shocks, no feel of car darting over expansion joints, car smoothly handles corners at track events - no need for lots of countersteering/adjusting. Maybe they are bad but I don't feel uncomfortable with theri feel so they're stayin in. Besides, I have no desire to revisit the joys of doing a replacement (to me, wasn't exactly "fun").

James Shunt

Shawn & Jonathan - thanks for the replies. I'm going on holiday so I won't get a chance to investigate further for a couple of weeks but I'll report back then if I find out anything conclusive.

Judging by the other posts in this thread, it sounds like you need to drive a 993 with shocks that are not worn out to feel the difference, and that isn't easy to arrange. Perhaps some OPCs or independents should let us all try a 993 with good shocks to prove it and encourage us to spend our cash with them...

James

jz993

Interesting thread. Surprised no one mentioned the factory-applied coat of cosmoline on the underside of the car. If it's on your shocks, then they're the originals, right? I mean, only the springs stay with the car when you replace shocks, it's not like Mcpherson struts where you insert a new cartridge, right?
Also surprising to hear how fast shocks have worn out for some. My car has cosmoline on the shocks, no record of replacement, and rides/handles fine with 57k miles.
Guess I'm just lucky, but not as lucky as the guy who had to look far and wide for an expansion joint or something to challenge his suspension!

ceboyd

it's official...

We must be the record keepers for NOT having worn out suspension (factory)

This recently acquired 993 (95 993) with FACTORY M030 suspension and currently 93K miles did wonderfully well at the track this weekend (Saturday at Gingerman)..... no sign of being worn out at all.. stuck very well, very predictable, etc.

go figure huh?


Oh, and that gunk overspray from the factory IS clearly evident on the rear... LOL

GabiOsz

James,

I have found that there are joints on the raised section of the M4 as you go out of London, over the Chiswick roundabout, etc. towards Heathrow, they feel really harsh in my 993, and it is this that has convinced me that they have worn out. I also hear a hiss when going over speed bumps like gas is being forced out of the shocks.

fbfisher

I call this the "Humpty-Dumpty" effect. No sight of it since installing the ROW M030 kit.