pcarhombre

I waited weeks for an appointment to have HDs and M030s installed. I had hoped for a more serene cockpit where my wife could put on a touch of makeup (un-needed) without emerging looking like Ledger's Joker, where a sip from a thermos would not result in leaving dental impressions in the aluminum and stains on the freshly dry-cleaned clothes. I was tired of crying, "mommy" and turning right or left to avoid encountering subtle undulations in the roads and cobblestones that would grab my fiberglass splitters and make noises and leave marks that would shame a sperm whale. I figured my current setup was older than Haggard's beard and so was delighted that a fellow RLister sold me his slightly owned suspension. Don't misunderstand; I didn't want the cushy, cushy ride of a Seville or the float of a Lincoln. This is a Porsche for g*d's sake. I had come to expect this ride would be more "sporty," but no one every said it would exaggerate every bump and crease in the road into something you could write home and tell your spine about. But never did I think after the expense, I would end up with a car that showed its distaste for uneven roads in a worse manner than did my old Econoline Van.
I get stiff; this is a misnomer. Rigid would be more apt a description! Maybe if I lived somewhere flat, this would not be an issue nor would any of this have come to your attention. But I live in a relatively average environment and hoped the upgrade (hah) would at least stop the bottoming out I was experiencing. It did but leaves very little else to love about the ride. I read copiously about the reactions to the system concerned and felt it couldn't be that bad. I guess it is fair to say this will be the only set up I will put on this car, and I am chagrined that after telling the wifey the cost would be outweighed by the change, the only thing about that that is true is that the cost outweighed the change.
At this point, I don't personally have another option without incurring extra cost. So I will live with it until I hit the lottery or some unknown Uncle dies and leaves me his TT. Until then, be careful what you wish for; you may get it!

VMXWinn

I have a simular setup but with Bilstiens HD's and H&R sport springs along with H&R roll bars front and rear. Also I am running 18" hollow spokes now changed from 17" cups.

I find that the ride did get firmer but also well damped. I will say that on really rough or worn aspahlt roads that I do "feel the road", it is not that bad though. And on the freeway it is surprisingly smooth. I just drove the car from the Bay Area down to L.A. and back and really liked it.

So I am not sure what you had before but I am sure it is a big change I just think tha it will take time to grow acustom to it.

bart1

See my post I made today about Konis being available for 993s now. Adjustable to a much smoother ride. I have always thought the Bilsteins were overdamped.

cabrio993

Great preamble!

Boeing 717

Here i am all jacked about redoing my suspension next month........now you have ME worried.

AtlJimK

ROTFLMAO!

It's not an 80's caddy by any means but if you want the car to turn like it was designed to these or PSS9/10 are the way to go.

nedsky

I suppose it's like that adage of entering a room from relative lightness or darkness. That will determine you're perseption of it. I just put HDs and H&Rs on and the ride is better- more forgiving- than the prior stock set up. I guess the Monroes were shot to hell.

M. Schneider

pcarhombre ~ My 1998 993 once had the factory USA sport suspension M030. In fact I'd ordered the car with this option. Along comes year 2001 with me in Germany briefly and the car also. Once there Porsche AGs, Werk 1 facility (within the factory complex) took to the intermediate (softer) factory Euro M033 suspension and a TUV item here and there to be installed - in Europe the MY97 & MY98 993 C2S cars had 17" Cup II wheels accompanied with the M033 suspension as stock. This Euro/ROW stock arrangement is the one I've lived with for 9 years and 30K miles thus far. It's a nice solution, I'm just saying............ Unless there was a sporting reason such as attending many DEs, etc., (like in my early years of 993 ownership) I would not go back to the M030.

Now comes the question as to which dampers to choose as the "just Ok" Monroe brand OEM damper does not last forever; 9 years and 27k miles is about time to renew the OE Monroe M033 dampers. Maybe the German market Bilstein HD or is a Koni variety now an option?

Edit: The German Bilstein web site shows a HD shock application to include the factory 033 suspension. I'd be curious if there is any difference btw the German market and N. American market HD Bilstein. The ride height is a metric.

race911

All about perspective. And it shows where the factory has been able to go with (gasp) 996 and 997 suspension development/ride quality. Coming from the other direction, ANY street 993 setup is so far ahead of what you'll get out of even a lightly stiffened torsion bar chassis car it isn't even funny. Now that the C4S is laid up, and I drive the RSA occasionally, I can't believe how crude/stiff/unrefined the 964 feels. And when they first came out, even after I got my hands on a customer's to "stiffen up" in about '91, we pretty much thought Porsche had nailed the most perfect balance of ride/handling you would EVER get from the overall design.

TMc993

I do believe that as folks consider changing the suspension, it is important to pay attention to both how you are going to use the car and where the car is driven most of the time. I have the HD/M030 set-up and it is perfect for the smooth rural roads I drive 98% of the time. On the other hand, forays into urban areas with their assortment of potholes, repair pavement, and generally beat-to-crap streets usually result in chipped teeth and sore kidneys. YRMV.

ZombiePorsche44

If I was you, I'd enjoy the improved suspension and have my wife put all of her makeup on before she got in the car.

Not much peeves me more than cruisin' down the road next to some woman trying to put on makeup while driving.

ZP44

g-50cab

Suspension and Mufflers - they are all relative.

Stiff to one person is not stiff and uncomfortable to another. Loud to one person can be unbearable to another. One reason I am a big fan of adjustables...

cmat

I have a HD/TechArt springs combination with 18" wheels and have found it to be great on smooth roads but less than ideal on rough ones. Playing with tire pressure can reduce harshness. I have found that lowering the Porsche recommended 44R/36F psi for 18's a few pounds can be a big help. I tried this based on other discussions here and it worked.

ppashley

I just installed HDs+MO33s a few weeks back. To be honest the ride didn't change a great deal but I have yet to give it a proper trial due to the snow here. It definitely feels stiff, so will give more feedback once the salt is off the road, and I can get the feel of it some more.

UserA

I will tell you that they will soften over time.