Allen

In the really good 993 article on the latest issue Excellence, they mention that "we have seen really good results using the PSS-9 suspension...as long as your mechanic knows how to properly setup the dampers"...or something very similar to that. What is meant by "setting up the dampers"? I thought the dampers were set by adjusting the ring to a particular setting to achieve a harder or softer ride...what am I missing?

TheOtherEric

I think you're probably right, which makes the comment kinda silly. But if your mechanic sets the shocks on full stiff (by not following directions) then you'll have a bad setup indeed. Of course, fixing that is as easy as turning a little **** on each shock body. I change my settings all the time (every track event).

They SHOULD have said "as long as your mechanic knows how to properly install the dampers." There are a few tricks for a good installation.

dhicks

Eric agreed..........having installed PSS9s myself earlier this year, there are some definite tricks to getting everything installed correctly. Then its down to getting ride height and corner balancing right.........after that anybody can do the dial change....its a 5 minute job to go from full soft to full hard or anywhere inbetween.........

drsh

Guys, on the softest setting, how soft is it, I have been told not to have this setup unless I want a racecar type ride, methinks the guy who told me this doesn't know the settings are adjustable, but I would like a soft ride for day to day, and then dial in something harder for track days.

dhicks

David
I was told by Viper Bob to try the 9 setting (full soft) but he was sure I would not like it and he was quite correct....I found 9 all round very "choppy" is the only way I can describe it, the car was not comfortable.........I then went to full hard 1 all round.....absolutely great on flat roads with few potholes.....but the roads round her are not like that.......so I played a lot with different set ups and have found that the ride I like best is between 5 and 7....and yes I do off set front against back.....although recently I have been using 5 all round and like it.

David

Allen

David...I initially had mine set for Front=8 and Rear=9...9 being the softest and 1 being firmest. I then changed to Front=6 and Rear=6. Honestly I couldn't tell that much difference...pretty firm with both settings. I kinda believe the reason is that I have 225/40x18 on the front and 285/30x18 on the rear wheels. These are VERY low profile tires with very small and very stiff sidewalls...making the ride pretty harsh. So I think that the extra stiffness of the PSS9 is being masked by the harshness of the wheels/tires...anyone have thoughts ideas on my thoughts?

dhicks

I am not that different 225/40 18 front and 265/35 18 rears.......even then I could still feel a difference between a 9 setting and a 5/6 setting........I ran at 6/7 for a long time as it dialled out the choppiness but recently I have gone 5/6 and 5/5 and really like it...wife hates it.....too harsh for her. At the end of the day its what you feel that is important.....

Carrera GT

the PSS9 settings are in the valves.
The "rings" are the spring seats, which adjust height (and, unfortunately, pre-load.)
The 9 positions are not linear.
Why Bilstein went with "9" and other manufacturers bumped it that number up to "11" (must be louder, right?) I don't know. I would like to see them resolve each setting back to a number that means something. After all, some of the clicks are only rebound and some are only compression and some are both ... perhaps there's a "tuner" sheet explaining all this from each of Bils, JRZ, Ohlins, Sachs, JRZ, JIC etc.
Whatever the goodness in a PSS9, it seems that Ruf and Cargraphic change it for their kits.

drsh

Thanks guys, my car is going into an independant service centre next week for a new clutch and a few minor updates/repairs, I am on my original suspension setup at 67000 miles, if they seem worn then PSS9 seems the way I will go.

TheOtherEric

That's the first I've heard that. How do you know this? Seems like an awfully weird design if that's true.

Mark in Baltimore

I always thought the adjustments on PSS-9's changed the rebound. But this thread and the following Bilstein pdf contradict that myth.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...nd+compression

http://www.bilstein.com/ProductDescriptions.pdf

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

LOL,..Rebound & compression (bump) are both changed simultaneously with the adjusters.

I've run these on our shock dyno at each setting to see what they did and they are different at each setting. The # 2 through #8 settings are closer togther than the # 1 & #9 which are a little further away from adjacent settings.

ppressle

Hi Steve,

Do you have any more information on the pss9 shock dyno data? I would love to see more data.

Thanks,
Pete

techno99

Hopefully Allen won't mind a slight tangent here, but on my PSS9's some dampers have distinctive clicks between settings while on others there is no clicking nor can you feel them change from one setting to the next. Is this normal or did I get defective dampers?

TroyN

Yup, the clicks are pretty subtle, and some more so than others. Just do what I do and run full stiff (1) all around!