TheOtherEric

Does anyone have any experience on the life of PSS9's when used primarily for track events? I have about 35 track days on my 2-year old set, plus about 15k miles, and I'm finding that street driving is a little harsher than it used to be when set at about 7.

Generally I don't know how these shocks wear (i.e gradual versus catastrophic) so I'm wondering if I might be losing some damping or if I'm imagining things... I've made some other changes (rigid rear subframe mounts & urethane front a-arm bushings) so that might be the cause of the harshness.

gonzilla

I was wondering the same thing. I recently got my car aligned at a very respectable shop here in SoCal (really popular place with the GT3 guys). I was talking with another customer about the PSS-9s and he asked the tech working on my car how often they need to be revalved and he said "they don't". I kinda don't believe that. Maybe I misunderstood, but that's the what we both heard him say. Anyone know the real deal? Mine came on the car and have about 10K miles of road driving on them. How long should I expect them to last before I have to get them revalved?

Mark in Baltimore

Eric,

I replaced my PSS-9's with Motons after I had a rear shock blow with a spinning adjustment **** after 21 days of track usage and limited street time. I have been very happy with the Motons, the spring rate I eventually settled on, my increased confidence and my lowered lap times.

TheOtherEric

Hey don't try tempting me Mark! Seriously, I like the PSS9's for being a good compromise. I know they're not stiff enough for hardcore trackoholics, but since I still drive to the track, they work great for me. Well, at least I think they still work.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Eric:

PSS-9's hold up pretty well, but the only way you'll know for sure is to send them to Bilstein and have them tested on their shock dyno in several adjustment settings and record the results.

I've done this a few times on both new and used shocks so I can evaluate the differences with a known baseline.

Rick

Steve,

Is there a mileage or age range that you'd suggest having the PSS-9s checked out? Or, only if you notice a change?

Thanks much,

Rick

forklift

I don't like mine. I want to buy Moton$ or JRZ$, but lots of $$$$. Both of the rear ***** are broken. Mine have probably around 50 days on them and I feel they are too soft. I just paid a nut for an alignment so I hope they don't get any worse over the rest of the season.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Hi Rick:

Generally, I would only go to the trouble of having them checked if you felt something was wrong, but it cannot hurt to have this done after 3-4 years of DE use.

Martin S.

The thought of pulling the PSS9 shocks out, especially the rears, for a re-valving That would really **** me off if I found out it had to be done. The fronts are not that tough to get out, the rears more difficult in my experience.

This would leave me to believe the Bilstein HDs are a better way to go in contrast to the PSS9s. They are guaranteed for life if you purchase them through an authorized Bilstein sales outlet, such as Steve Weiner.

The PSS9s are also guaranteed for life.....so you may be in for a pissing contest when you send them in. Why else would they provide a rebuilding service if the shocks are guaranreed for life, whose life anyway? A mayfly?

If you need PSS9s rebult, call Jack French @ Bilstein, Poway, CA
(858) 386-5900

He is, or at least he was, the man in charge of this detail. The prices are: $125 a PSS9 strut of shock + $35 for 2 day turn around. This is for a rebuild...I know that you can request a re-valve change...I don't know if it is included in the above prices. I would also be requesting a shock dyno read out.

All the details are found here: http://www.bilstein.com/services.php
Jack French

gonzilla

I don't think I completely understand. If the PSS-9s are guaranteed for life, why would they charge $125/each to rebuild? If they required rebuilding, wouldn't that be covered by the lifetime guarantee? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm a little new to all this.

TheOtherEric

I was wondering the same thing so I read the warranty details on Bilstein's web site. The warranty is void if the product is used for racing or other off-road use. So if you call them and say "my shocks aren't working well any more when set at 1" well, obviously you're doing track events and I assume you just voided your warranty. Now if a **** falls off or the shocks just completely fail, that's another story.

AFAIK it's normal to need shock servicing after every few years of track events, regardless of shock brand. So their warranty policy doesn't sound eggregious to me.

Martin S.

....what about DE, is that tracking the car? I am always suspicious about lifetime warranties. As we leared with the 2nd law of thermodynamics as exeplified by the concept of entropy, everthing is on the way to turning to crap from the moment it is made...eventually being reduced to its most basic elements...that includes Bilstein shocks.

The wacko thing about shocks, you can't just peel them off the car, it is very labor intensive to remove them for a warranty repair. That labor isn't covered...you pay for the extraction. It is pretty easy to give a lifetime warrranty on someting that is generally inaccessible...lets say I warranty the brass ball on the top of a 50 ft. flag pole.

InTheAir

....plus, once removed, you'll have the added expense of alignment and corner balancing.

Mark in Baltimore

When my rear shock blew, I sent it over to Steve Weiner, who had Bilstein take care of it under warranty and without a rebuild cost. I "saved" the cost of removing and reinstalling the shock/corner balancing and aligning by buying Motons.

Jim, I think you're just fine with your PSS-9's. The Motons will only add more variables and make you slower.

Joe S.

Gauranteed for life but you have to pay to have them rebuilt?? This is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. Bilstein's quality seem pretty suspect, they can't even manage to get the parts in the right box half the time! Guess I'll have to keep my fingers crossed...