Mark in Baltimore

I have had my PSS-9’s and my RS sway bars on my car for the past three weeks and can say that the combination is everything others have said it is. I can barely contain my pure enthusiasm for the car’s handling, and feel as if the change has transformed my 993 into the connected, communicative machine it should have been. Anyone else who tracks their car or who drives it extremely hard on the street or highway owes it to their active safety to consider this upgrade.

When I first bought my car, as I was driving back from Oklahoma, I noticed how disconnected the handling felt from the road. High speed sweepers were extremely unsettling, the back end not feeling planted down, any mid-corner bump causing the suspension to unweight, shift, settle, and joggle a bit. We’re talking pushing only to about 7/10ths here. Not good. Traveling on a straight road with a small frost heave created a Teutonic dance that left me wishing for a different partner and better music. This suspension monkey-motion did not inspire much confidence in me as I became more familiar with the car, my reading on Rennlist causing me to realize the experience was typical.

With the PSS-9’s and the RS sway bars, the car has changed from heart-in-your-stomach scary to pants-on-fire exhilarating. It feels as light on its feet as my former ‘85 Carrera, without any fear of the car turning on me and and biting my a**. With the tired, stock suspension, the steering wheel felt as if it had to make half a dozen back alley deals with some untrustworthy, recalcitrant middlemen before the tires would even consider coming to the handling table for further negotiations. Now, when I turn the wheel, the tires are slavishly devoted to fulfilling my every command, devoid of any subterfuge, loyally waiting for the next input. It’s that good, folks. I can barely contain my excitement for Mid-Ohio next weekend. <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" />

Ride? It’s fine and appropriate for a sports car. I would characterize it as firm but not harsh, taut without being porpoisey, direct, yet, not too blunt. I’ve been driving over some pretty nasty street surfaces, gritting my teeth and waiting for the suspension crash to come but, instead, being really surprised at the outright aplomb and overall suspension travel. I did not opt for camber plates or monoballs but have the rear hats that Steve Weiner supplies with his kit.

Speaking of which, great thanks to Steve Weiner at Rennsport Systems for the PSS-9’s and for the numerous phone calls, and to Gert Carnewal for the RS sway bars and his attentive emails. Gentlemen, both.

If your car has over 25,000 miles on its shocks, you push it on the street or track, and you like to fine-tune the handling, the PSS-9 and RS sway bar combo is the way to go. The improvement will make you smile, but, more importantly, will enhance the active safety of the car by allowing you more of an opportunity to drive around any road problem or unforeseen handling condition. At least, this is what you should tell your significant other to justify the expense. Cheap, no but, effective, yes.

Call it velcro for the road.

Anir

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Mark in Baltimore:
<strong>Anyone else who tracks their car or who drives it extremely hard on the street or highway owes it to their active safety to consider this upgrade.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Mark,

Playing the safety card, aye? Now, you're singing my song. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><strong>Traveling on a straight road with a small frost heave created a Teutonic dance that left me wishing for a different partner and better music.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">What beautiful prose! I think you should be Team Poet in addition to Entertainment Director.

Fun upgrade. <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />

jes999

Just curious. What settings are you running the PSS-9s at?

Rob O'Meara

fantastic writeup Mark. All the symptoms you described re: the previous handling are true with my car.

damn, i just gotta get this suspension kit. maybe the "velcro" argument will work with the missus.

rob

DJF1

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Rob O'Meara:
<strong>fantastic writeup Mark. All the symptoms you described re: the previous handling are true with my car.

damn, i just gotta get this suspension kit. maybe the "velcro" argument will work with the missus.

rob</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Rob, these symptoms have happened to all of us with the worn stock suspension. A coilover kit
will straighten things out and yes the transformation is incredible. By comparo I have the H&R coilover kit and if you search the archives you will find my comments when I did it be exactly the same. Changing to any good coilover is a must for spirited and /or track driving.

John H. in DC Area

Enjoyable write-up Mark!

Mark in Baltimore

Thanks for the responses, guys!

Anir - I'm still single so I don't have to jedi mind trick my wife. I thought I would provide some incantations for those of you with another name on your bank account.

Jes - I have the shocks set at 7 front, 6 rear. My sway bars are set at a middle/middle-ish setting while ride height is supposedly RS. Steve Weiner feels as if the front is still 1/2" too high. The rear is very high, almost like a pro stock dragster. Uncool. That will be corrrected on Monday.

John - thanks for reading. Are you going to Hershey?

Anir

Mark,

"Jedi-mind trick"? I like that!

We have an identical set-up at present: PSS-9's set at 7 fr / 6 rear, Weiner/Morton rear hats, and RS bars. The bottom lip of my front fender is exactly 25" from the ground, and the rear is 25.25" (for a nose-down rake of 1-2 degrees as recommended by Steve). It could be about 0.25-0.5" lower, but I didn't want to be scraping everything.

This suspension is arguably the best mod I've done to my car, although the GT3 seats are close!

John H. in DC Area

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Mark in Baltimore:
<strong>
John - thanks for reading. Are you going to Hershey?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">If I get my car back in time and the weather holds, I may try to go to Hershey. Gert did his part well with the Euro goodies, but they're hung up in US Customs in NY. Because I was having them sent directly to the body shop, customs required a statement that the parts would not be used for resale in the U.S. I sent that statement three days ago, but Customs is taking their sweet time clearing them. <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" />

I'm trying to decide whether to do the PSS-9's or the extra oil cooler next. I upgraded the ECU last September, probably putting out somewhere b/t 430-450hp, haven't experienced any rising temps, but that's with driving in below 70 deg. weather since then. With a hot summer on tap I have to do the extra oil cooler, but reading your PSS-9 description as well as Anir's has me salivating about doing the suspension. I'm really really attracted to the adjustability. As you know, the roads here in the Balt./Wash. area run the gamut from crater-like urban potholes to smooth rural switchbacks. Decisions, decisions....

Greg Fishman

John,
My suggestion is to do both.

Don Magee

Why is it that everyone starts talking about expensive upgrades right at tax time? This is killing me. I need to create a spousal fraud fund.

Martin S.

Just when I had convinced myself that the M030 RoW suspension was just right...I read the above Svengali"esque" post above <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" /> . Now I am in the hunt as well. I guess I am going to have to bite the bullet and get on with the program. I will play the safety card again <img border="0" alt="[blabla]" title="" src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" /> ...although this line is getting a little shop worn around my house <img border="0" alt="[oops]" title="" src="graemlins/oops.gif" /> .

FYI, with M030 RoW suspension, the hight from the floor through the centerline of the wheels front and rear is 25 7/8". That is about as low as it will go with M030 RoW suspension. I would prefer 25" front with the rear a bit higher as recommended by Steve Weiner.

At 25" low, I'll need to modify the driveway a bit, but I have been looking for an excuse to get this done for a while <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" /> .

I think my M030 suspension needs a new home. It has about 25,000 road miles on it, and it works well. The end of the month I will be at the track with a lot of guys running the PSS9 RSR sway bars set up. I will be curious how my car handles compared to theirs. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

John H. in DC Area

Greg, unfortunately for my wallet and my wife, I think I'm going to do both mods. <img border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" title="" src="graemlins/drink.gif" />

ApexL8

I don't think I've ever enjoyed reading a post more than your's Mark. I can feel your enthusiasm.

David '96 993

Mark,
Nice write up. You have managed to put into prose what we have all experienced. The PSS-9's were my first mod, and would be my only if I were to choose just one...unfortunately I find myself slipping down the slope...

See my signature and you my find that you could increase your tax refund to help finance further mods...talk to your accountant...

For the spouse, PSS-9's are a safety enhancement and for the tax man they are necessary repairs.