Roberto Bacchus

Hello all! I have a 1997 US version 993 Carrera. I've recently replaced all the rear shocks, springs, bushings on it to new ones which I ordered from our local Porsche dealer. The problem I am having is that I and the dealer have been trying to find the front left shock absorber for over a year now. That is why we only replaced the rear shock absorbers, springs, etc because we only have the front right shock absorber.

As such, I am thinking of using after market hock absorber for the front instead but I don't want to adjust the height to ROW as I have ordered all the other parts already.

Is it advisable to use original suspension on the rear and after market on the front and if so what brand do you recommend I use please.

Btw I have all the parts already (bushings, springs,etc) except for the front left shock absorber

u7t2p7

You definitely do NOT want to mix brands on something as sensitive as the suspension. When you say you can't find a "front left shock" are you referring to the Monroe shock or the USA taller spring? Plenty of places that carry both and hadn't seen any threads discussing the topic of back orders.

Roberto Bacchus

Thank you for your reply u7t2p7. I was reffering to the Monroe shock. I've tried looking on the net and have even contacted several dealers from other countries but they all don't know when it will be available

Leander

I'm sure lots of people will tell you why we're not fans of the Monroe shocks here.

mpruden

My car had the inverse when I purchased it. Bilstein HD on rear, worn out Monroes on the front, and stock US height springs all around. My car never felt unsafe with this configuration, but nothing like the way it feels now with a proper suspension refresh.

If I were in your position, and wanted to maintain a stock ride height and feel, I would simply install Koni FSDs and be done with it. These are easy to source, install, and many claim they have a very smooth, street-friendly stock feel to them. I'm 99% sure they'll work perfectly with the stock US springs and maintain the stock ride height.

Be sure to replace the lower control arm bushings and get a 993-specific alignment too.

RonCT

Sounds like this is street use only, so forget the OEM and go with the Koni FSD. I change out the all OEM US Springs and shocks for the Koni FSD with ROW M033 springs and couldn't be happier. Cost at the time was about $299 for the 4 springs and $900 for the 4 shocks.

LimeyBoy

If you are determined to stick with original US - why not place a 'wanted' ad here and in the classifieds and see if anyone has their old shocks gathering dust - they could be rebuilt??? Cost-wise it may not seem ideal at the end though...

Roberto Bacchus

Thank you very much fot ypur replies. The Koni sounds like a good option but seeing that I have all the other parts already I'm thinking of just going OEM.

I'll try posting on the classifieds as well to see if someone here has the parts I need otherwise I might just have to rebuild the front shock absorbers

Foxman

Old shocks and coils just lying around in basement. If interested, feel free to PM me. Will sell cheap.







Just pulled out of 65,000 mile C2S

BesideTheBox

I think the OP is on the right path if he wants to preserve US ride height (Find or rebuild a stock Monroe).

Koni FSD will not maintain US ride height. I installed Koni FSD shocks with stock US springs on my 4S and this resulted in a drop of approximately 17 mm.

I'm relatively happy with how the car handles now, but I was hoping and expecting to maintain stock US ride height. And this is not the case with the Koni FSD.

Good luck with your suspension refresh!

ble2011

Interesting. I replaced my shocks with Koni FSD's last year and my US ride height remains exactly the same. I didn't, however, replace the springs.

mesprit87

If the springs are not replaced the shocks should not have any impact on height.
They just dampen the movement of the springs. Unless Koni built them with different mounting height for the springs.

mpruden

Ride height is primarily determined by spring and the height of the perch.

For the car to drop 17mm, then the rear Koni FSDs must have a perch that is 17mm lower than the Monroes, all other things being equal.

If true, then just swapping out Monroes for Konis would put the rear of a US car lower than ROW standard height and the common FSD+M033 combination (sold by Gert and others) would put all of these US cars at 110mm which is well within the RS range of 107+/-10, I don't think that passes the sniff test.

Compare the Monroe to the FSD side by side and perch is in roughly the same place. This is not the best way to compare distances, but I think we would see a 17mm difference, regardless.



Also, not that we should trust what we read online, but see the table with ride height on this site: http://flugplatz911.blogspot.com/201...uncovered.html.

nine9six

Why replace old worn out suspension, with old worn out suspension. As I understand it, the tired old Monroes cannot be rebuilt.

Bilstein HD's with M030 or M033 springs seem to be a popular upgrade, or Bilstein PSS10's. Both of these suggestions can be rebuilt/refreshed.

BesideTheBox

Agreed. The suspension is all stock except for the Koni FSDs. Height at the rear is now 140mm, 7mm lower than ROW standard.