BC996

My 2002 996 C2 has the M030 suspesnion (US Version). The car handles wonderfully on the track and when driven hard. However I find the ride quality very harsh and uncomfortable on poor roads and especially on long trips. I'm looking for more of a GT ride than a track star.

I'd be interested in comments from others on the M030 package.

I am considering switching to Porsche standard springs etc. Does anybody know how much difference this would provide?

Also, are there any better alternatives for improved ride quality?

Your comments would be appreciated.

juankimalo

I have a 2003 996 Carrera 2 with M030 RoW sport suspension kit
It's 5 mm lower than US M030, and I got it installed for 7.000 kms

My car is perfect for daily use and long trips, but I notice than this suspension is not enough stiffer for the track.
Front axle in Carrera 2 with M030 is not as well designed as GT3, and 997 C2 series.
I think that the best compromise for track and daily use is X74 sport kit, but if you drive in pothole roads It would be so harsh.

Standard suspension in Carrera models are inadequate and insufficient. We are talking about Porsche, sport cars, and I find it very very soft. The oscillating front axle at high speeds is not very confident. As I said before, the GT3 front axle desing, and 997 series was corrected and improved to solve this problem.

We 996 C2 owners need to improve the stock suspension to make it better, and M030 is a good option, but not fit the problem as X74. I repeat that I talk about sport cars. To drive slow, they are fantastic IMHO.

Las t week I had a discussion with a friend (probably best genius Porsche motorsport expert in Spain) and my mechanic with the M030 height. He drove my car and changed the allignment to make it more efficient, but find the kit not as stiffer than a Porsche should be
I found it very tall and It's a bit more high than MK1 models.

If you have the US M030, you'll be more confortable than me.

I'm going to mount Eibach shorter springs or perhaps Gemballa.

juankimalo

An excellent compromise for track and not as expensive as PSS9 is this combination:



- Bilstein B8


- Gemballa springs


- Eibach sport sway bars



I drove both cars (996 C2 and 996 C4) with the same suspension and they are fantastic, not very harsh and a really excellent choice to improve the handling

This combination isn't as stiffer as PSS9 and my friends use their cars as a daily drive. I can't understand how US M030 could be harsh?

What was your former car?


Thanks to Pasion Porsche, the best Porsche racing webs in Spain

MechanicalEng

Juan, he is actually complaining about how hard MO30 is, he wants to get the car back to stock.
The stock springs are softer than MO30 so if you switch back you will notice the car to be a bit softer and floaty..

juankimalo

I know that. I wrote the upgrading suspension example to show that even this comby It's not stiffer, so how can you find the US M030 so harsh....
But I don't want to convince anybody.


Only to know his experience and taste with the car


I'm not very glad with my M030. I need a better front train, because it's floaty and soft for my taste

redridge

I change my MO3O... t high, and soft for my taste... very comfortable though.

chsu74

Softer suspension will result in front bobbing due to 911 weight distribution. My PSS9s are set fairly stiff, 3F 2R, so I don't feel it. Its the price you pay for razor sharp handling. It would be difficult to find that in a 911; maybe in a Cayman with one of the PASM settings.

Fissionx

what are the spring rates for the X74?

juankimalo

The X74 option lowers 40 mm front and 30 mm rear from stock suspension.

The shocks are Bilstein (similar to B8 sprint).

Rob in WA

How do you do that?

I love my RoW M030 - the way the car should be.

Here's a good article comparing spring rates, etc.

http://www.pca.org/panorama/sample_article_3.html

juankimalo

There's another thing referred to M030.

MK2 models are a bit higher that Mk1.

I've searching and consulting expertes about my RoW M030, 'cause I thought It was not as lowered as It had to be.
Last wednesday I went to my mechanic and had an appointment with an expert to analize the installation

We meassured it and compared to a 996 C2 MK1, and 996 C4 Mk2.
Mine was a bit more high than mk1.

In fact if you look at 996 Carrera 40 th you'll see that is not very lowered (included RoW M030)

The installation needs different compensating plates depending on the tolerances and load of the springs. You can notice it in the top coloured bar of the spring


top coloured bar (B):

- green: 6,5 mm front and 4,0 mm rear
- white: 3,0 mm front and 0,5 mm rear






There are a 3 mm difference between both different compensating plates but this is not very significant in the final lowering heigth

Fissionx

If anyone wants a GT3 suspension I have a set off of a 2005 GT3 with 4,000 miles on them. Going to something stiffer.
PM me...

chsu74

Someone get this hook up on the GT3 suspension. Wish this was available last winter... You may be able to sell it quicker if you start a new thread. GLWTS.

rideau

I also have the M030 suspension and understand that on certain road surfaces (freeway expansion joints for example), you may find the ride to be harsh. The standard 996 suspension is quite a bit softer than 030, especially when combined with 17 inch wheels. A very experienced pro driver/instructor drove my car back to back with a standard suspension 996 on the track. He was amazed at the difference that even this relatively minor difference from stock made to handling and composure at speed.
You may wish to try lowering tire pressures before you spend $$ on your suspension. and degrade performance. I'm assuming you have 18 inch wheels. If so, try 34 front, 40 rear and see if that makes a difference for you.

GaryAZ

Am I the only one thinking PSS9 or Pss10 is the right choice? Adjust damping to your liking and balance ride quality with performance. When mine are at "full soft" I think they are as soft as the stock suspension. The ride height is fully adjustable too. The idea of moving back to those stock US struts is just appalling