E_T

Found an interesting and informative write-up by someone over at 911uk.com. He has tried a small handful of options and shares his experiences here:

http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?p=712857

Rinty

Great find; thanks for posting.

For me, it was an extra treat to drive the car, after I had FSDs / M033s installed.

Zed.

Can you post a pic of the ride height with that FSD/M033 combo please, thx

trophy

Interesting article.... Some of the writers 'issues' were associated with ride height and wheel alignment (RS height on the HD's)

Glad he got a setup he likes. From what I am hearing they are a great touring option for these cars.

M. Schneider

The stock, production ROW suspension setup for the C2S model car is,, Monroe's with the M033 spring set.
My USA 993 C2S w/ 17" Cup IIs has been running this arrangement since Porsche's Werk 1 facility made the recomendation and subsequent install in 2001. Being a seasonal fair weather dailey driver, the moderate suspension compliance of this combo was the ticket. Here we are 12 years and 45K miles later, its time for the Koni FSD enhancement.

+1 for 17" Cups, M033 and the new Koni FSDs.

FlatSix911

Well done - who sells the Konis in the USA?

Ed Hughes

It does look pretty well written. His observation of the HD's and MO33 as what he would have stayed with for a weekend car is interesting. I'd concur thy wouldn't be the best for a DD, but are great for a weekend sports car on the street.

Jason @ Paragon Products

We do!

http://www.paragon-products.com/product_p/2100-4112.htm

Slow Guy

+1 for Jason & Co., good people, products and service. Bought a lot of 968 stuff from him (no longer have that car though).

mpgandco

Is it possible to get Konis and cut M033 springs to get a lower ride height?Would this defeat the purpose of the spring?Back in the day we used to cut the springs on old BMW's

Slow Guy

You do know the spring's are not wound uniformly all the way down? The ends are flattened to set in the plates. I don't think cutting them would work very well.

RocketJohn

mpgandco

Didn't know that.I wonder if Koni will ever produce a Shock Similiar to FSD but would have a threaded perch so you could adjust Ride Height?I really want to get these, but they will only lower the car about 1 1/8,max

Slow Guy

Call Jason, he'll know.

IINM we had an extensive Koni thread here on this forum 6 - 9 months ago.

FlatSix911

Orignial Post: Fri Jan 06, 2012 Post subject: 993 Suspension install– Koni FSD
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My 993 is about to get its third set of suspension in as many years, in the shape of Koni FSDs. This is the last time any suspension work will be carried out in my ownership. I’ve run out of time, money and patience. I’ve tried many combinations of shocks, springs, ride height settings ,wheels and tyres to try and get the car to feel sharp and connected to the road without compromising comfort and looks, some of which I have noted below.

I may be searching for the impossible and if the Konis don’t do what they say on the tin, then the game’s up and I’m getting a different car. For those of you who are happy with any of my previous setups on your own cars, don’t be offended by my observations. Suspension is all subjective and in the words of our own Mr Ocean Curry, ‘one man’s hard is another man’s soft’ (or something like that.) I’m not Jackal, so forgive my feeble attempts at describing the handling. However, if you are a new 993 owner these layman's notes may save you from making some expensive mistakes.



Standard Monroes, standard springs, 18” Hollowspokes, standard ride height
I bought the car with this setup. It tramlined a lot, rolled about a lot and generally felt mushy and wobbly.



Bilstein HD’s, H&R Red springs, 18” Hollows, Contis, RS ride height

On smooth roads (new tarmac) this setup was great, cornering flat and squarely without a hint of body roll or oversteer. On normal roads it was crashy and bangy , with lots of bump-steer resulting in a creaking windscreen and the feeling that the car was going to fall to bits any minute. On motorways it would follow the ridges on the surface of the road and it was anyone’s guess which lane you’d end up in. The suspension specialist who did the work however, thought it was awesome. So awesome in fact that it caused the rear top mounts to split, making the ride twice as bad. I was told the H&R Red Springs and 18” wheels were to blame.



Bilstein HD’s, MO33 Springs, 17” Cup 2’s, Sport Ride Height
I had the ride height changed to Sport, swapped the Hollowspokes for 17” Cup 2 wheels, and paired the HD’s with Porsche M033 springs. This was an improvement. Gone was the wandering over the road and a steering wheel with a mind of its own, but the ride was still crashy. Car went round roundabouts nicely and had loads of grip and if I was using the car as a weekend plaything I would have stuck with this set-up. It was bearable but not for every day use.

Standard Monroes, MO33 springs, 17” Cup 2’s, Sport Ride Height
I reverted back to the original standard Monroes with MO33 springs and if the Koni’s had never been invented, I think I would be happy running the car with this set-up. It didn’t encourage spirited driving like the Bilsteins, especially in the wet, but it’s liveable with it and it keeps the car looking reasonably low. Uniroyal Rainsport 2 tyres helped overall comfort and wet weather grip but the car didn’t inspire confidence to press on.



Koni FSD:

“KONI introduces FSD, the first no-compromise shock absorber in the world. A revolutionary new technique which combines the benefits of firm and comfortable suspension in a single perfect shock absorber. Firm for sporty driving on even road surfaces. Comfortable for a smooth ride on uneven road surfaces.”

Sounds like what I’ve been waiting for all my life, so a set were ordered through Carnewal and off we went on Wednesday to see Dr Johnny at Precision Vehicles in East Sussex, tel 01825 721205. Please visit their website at www.precisionvehicleservices.co.uk. They are a terrific bunch and know Porsches inside out, with a labour rate of just £50 per hour.I picked the car up on Thursday evening, as promised and Johnny and I went out for a test drive.



Koni FSD, MO33 Springs, 17” Cup 2’s, Sport Ride Height
Thumbs up. There’s no reason to buy Monroes any more, especially at twice the price of the Konis. This is a lovely combination. The car feels nice and taut and connected to the road and asks to be chucked about. Comfort-wise, not a lot of difference between the Konis and the Monroes, if any. Small bumps and cats eyes feel about the same.

The main difference is that the Konis feel a lot sportier than the Monroes round the bends, and the car feels like it’s sitting flatter, but without the crashy-ness and harshness of the Bilsteins on potholes and bad surfaces. I did some roundabouts this morning and a blast through the forest and I'm still here, and I really enjoyed the drive rather than wondering if I was going to skid or not on the slippery bends. My thanks to Johnny at Precision for fitting and a fast turnaround and to Gert at Carnewal for a good price and excellent shipping costs. Koni FSD’s, yeah, go for it. Go for them. Get them on!
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Last edited by kim hollamby on Fri Jan 06, 2012