~~DIY Suspension Install for Dummies~~~
#166
Burning Brakes
Depends on how much tire you want to eat. I drove a month.... Approx 500 miles before getting my alignment. Although it would be better to have it done immediately
#167
Rennlist Member
I don't know how the JICs work. Here is what I did with the Pss10s prior to driving the car to the alignment shop.
I set both front wheels at max negative camber. (easy to do!)
For the rear camber: I put the adjustment bolts back to where they were prior to install. Both sides were in the same position in my case.
As far as height: since the ground on my driveway is uneven, I knew I could never get anything right by measuring from the ground to the appropriate suspension points, so I just worried about the position of the two locking collars on each shock assemblies during installation. I put all of them exactly in the middle of the Bilstein's suggested adjustment range, and made sure the driver and passenger side measurements were identical (for front and rear respectively).
(Bilstein's adjustment range is not measured from the ground, but from a specific point on each shock)
Unless you are on level ground, and on scales, don't worry too much for now... The shop will take care of the rest (if they know what they are doing!!!!).
Good Luck!
I set both front wheels at max negative camber. (easy to do!)
For the rear camber: I put the adjustment bolts back to where they were prior to install. Both sides were in the same position in my case.
As far as height: since the ground on my driveway is uneven, I knew I could never get anything right by measuring from the ground to the appropriate suspension points, so I just worried about the position of the two locking collars on each shock assemblies during installation. I put all of them exactly in the middle of the Bilstein's suggested adjustment range, and made sure the driver and passenger side measurements were identical (for front and rear respectively).
(Bilstein's adjustment range is not measured from the ground, but from a specific point on each shock)
Unless you are on level ground, and on scales, don't worry too much for now... The shop will take care of the rest (if they know what they are doing!!!!).
Good Luck!
#168
Rennlist Member
So...A) thanks for this writeup, and B) I'm a little confused on setting the ride height.
I get that the rear requires setting prior to installation, but how do you know where to set it?
If the car is already lowered, and I'm swapping out suspension, can I just set the JICs so that the perch is the same level as on the PSS9s? Is it trial and error? Confused on that.
Also, when measuring the ride height from the appropriate suspension point, does it matter how level the car is? If slightly unlevel will it load the suspension unevenly? How important is perfect tire pressure then?
Finally, how far can I safely drive it prior to align, corner balance, camber adjustment, all that? I don't want to futz with the setup but am considering installation.
I get that the rear requires setting prior to installation, but how do you know where to set it?
If the car is already lowered, and I'm swapping out suspension, can I just set the JICs so that the perch is the same level as on the PSS9s? Is it trial and error? Confused on that.
Also, when measuring the ride height from the appropriate suspension point, does it matter how level the car is? If slightly unlevel will it load the suspension unevenly? How important is perfect tire pressure then?
Finally, how far can I safely drive it prior to align, corner balance, camber adjustment, all that? I don't want to futz with the setup but am considering installation.
#169
Burning Brakes
Here is the support documentation for the JIC's.
http://www.jic-magic.com/SupportDocumentation.aspx
This should have come printed with your shocks in a little baggy along with the wrenches.
I have never done this before but it seems like the tube won't be very easy to "spin" like it says to do in the instructions. The front struts will likely rotate nicely around the upper monoball but the rear shocks seem like the spring will need to drag along the upper aluminum plate. Mine are still sitting in their box so I am just guessing right now.
If anyone here has adjusted their ride height with JIC's, was it difficult or fairly easy?
http://www.jic-magic.com/SupportDocumentation.aspx
This should have come printed with your shocks in a little baggy along with the wrenches.
I have never done this before but it seems like the tube won't be very easy to "spin" like it says to do in the instructions. The front struts will likely rotate nicely around the upper monoball but the rear shocks seem like the spring will need to drag along the upper aluminum plate. Mine are still sitting in their box so I am just guessing right now.
If anyone here has adjusted their ride height with JIC's, was it difficult or fairly easy?
#170
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
If anyone here has adjusted their ride height with JIC's, was it difficult or fairly easy?
Dying to hear...
So rest is trial and error.
This should have come printed with your shocks in a little baggy along with the wrenches.
EDIT: Just read the above link. So it seems that the JICs allow for ride height adjustment after install? Is this true on a 993? The installation instructions at the beginning of the thread indicate that isn't possible?
#172
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
So one Q on the DIY...
The steps with the Hazet tool...that seems to be only if you are going to take the entire shock/spring assembly apart? Since I'm not using any of the PSS9 on there and replacing with the JIC, it seems I can skip this step and therefore don't need the special Hazet/O2 sensor/dremelled socket?
Am I reading this right?
The steps with the Hazet tool...that seems to be only if you are going to take the entire shock/spring assembly apart? Since I'm not using any of the PSS9 on there and replacing with the JIC, it seems I can skip this step and therefore don't need the special Hazet/O2 sensor/dremelled socket?
Am I reading this right?
#174
Burning Brakes
Right,
Just drop the whole mess down by removing the four screws with a 13mm socket and an extension. Place a jack under the control arm and apply a very slight pressure to hold the struts in place, then pull all the bolts out and lower the coil/strut assembly with the control arm.
Just drop the whole mess down by removing the four screws with a 13mm socket and an extension. Place a jack under the control arm and apply a very slight pressure to hold the struts in place, then pull all the bolts out and lower the coil/strut assembly with the control arm.
#175
I found this thread today and will use it to remove my shocks and install new springs on my 964.
I was recently warned that the shock will be under a lot of load/pressure and that I may need a spring compressor to relieve the load. Is this the case? The initial instructions make no mention of it. What about the rears???
I was under the impression that the pressure is off for the most part because the shock is fully extended.
Can someone clarify this before I potentially hurt myself :-)
Thanks
John
I was recently warned that the shock will be under a lot of load/pressure and that I may need a spring compressor to relieve the load. Is this the case? The initial instructions make no mention of it. What about the rears???
I was under the impression that the pressure is off for the most part because the shock is fully extended.
Can someone clarify this before I potentially hurt myself :-)
Thanks
John
#176
Rennlist Member
There is some load, but I did not need or use a spring compressor to take mine apart - it will "pop" apart but not enough that I thought it was a danger. I did need to compress the spring to put the coilover back together, though. So, I guess since you are going to need a spring compressor, you can use it when disassembling the coilover just to be on the safe side, but it is not going to spring apart and send parts flying everywhere.
#177
Burning Brakes
After the car is on jackstands safely you can place a small floor jack underneath the control arm to apply pressure on the coil spring. I usually lift the control arm about half an inch from it's natural resting place. Use an impact gun to pull the 21mm bolt off the top hat then slowly lower the jack and the coil springs pressure will be relieved gradually. Mine weren't under any pressure whatsoever, but this method will keep stuff from shooting across the garage just in case
#179
Nordschleife Master
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I found this thread today and will use it to remove my shocks and install new springs on my 964.
I was recently warned that the shock will be under a lot of load/pressure and that I may need a spring compressor to relieve the load. Is this the case? The initial instructions make no mention of it. What about the rears???
I was under the impression that the pressure is off for the most part because the shock is fully extended.
Can someone clarify this before I potentially hurt myself :-)
Thanks
John
I was recently warned that the shock will be under a lot of load/pressure and that I may need a spring compressor to relieve the load. Is this the case? The initial instructions make no mention of it. What about the rears???
I was under the impression that the pressure is off for the most part because the shock is fully extended.
Can someone clarify this before I potentially hurt myself :-)
Thanks
John
At least this was the case for my 1996 with its 10 year old original suspension.
Glad to see that this DIY is still paying dividends!
#180
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Jeff,
Fantastic post,
I used your DIY a month ago, to replace my shocks with PSS10's and all went smoothly.
Could not of done the job so quickly without your post.
It took about 4 hours to do all 4 corners.
Thanks,
Neil
Fantastic post,
I used your DIY a month ago, to replace my shocks with PSS10's and all went smoothly.
Could not of done the job so quickly without your post.
It took about 4 hours to do all 4 corners.
Thanks,
Neil