peachboy

Hi,

Just installed a set of PSS9, car handle well but I think I can stiffen the ride a bit without too much harshness.

What settings do you guys recommend for a firm "street" ride ?

Fred R. C4S

Firm Street - 3F/2R

R5 Turbo 2

Same settings I use.

peachboy

Wouldn't a softer front than rear induce even more understeer ?
Not criticising, just wondering.

jrok

I have the RUF version of the PSS9's that come with an adjustable rear sway bar. When I bought the car in February it was set at 4F / 2R and I thought the car was very unsettled.

I called RUF to ask what thier default settings were for the street and was told 4F / 6R with the rear bar in Medium-Soft (3 of 4). I made the adjustment and the car was much better behaved. The guys at RUF suggested a 2-click differential from front to rear with the rear being stiffer. The softer front makes the car turn in better and easier to rotate on the track.

I drive the car alot but do track my car in NASA Time Trials and drive in many PCA DE's and have been trying many combinations. I do 40-50 track days a year. I currently have it set at 6F / 8R with the rear bar at full stiff (1 of 4). By stiffening the car and lowering my air pressures on the Hoosiers (36F/38R) I have dropped 3 or 4 seconds a lap at every track from earlier in the year.

Granted this is mostly a track setup and my car is modified to around 600HP but it's not bad around town. 4F / 6R might be better for street only.

wross996tt

First you have to consider which PSS9s you are talking about...there are several versions. Second, the settings you refer to are for dampening rebound...not actually "firmness". The lower the number the quicker the damper rebounds. Third, I have never heard anyone setting the rear higher than the front (until just now). I believe stock are close to 7 (on my set). I have mine set at 3F, 2R...works fine.

BTW, do a search, this has been covered several times.

jrok

I didn't know there where actually different types of PSS9's for a given particular car model (996TT), I thought only the valving was slightly different between the "normal" model and the RUF, etc. I doubt seriously that RUF makes thiers to work backwards from the regular (or multiple types of regular) PSS9's.

They were on the car when I took finally ownership of it back in February without instruction, that's why I called RUF -- maybe they sent me down the wrong path accidentially. I am certainly interested in finding out how mine work and if they are distinctly different from the normal ones. Perhaps I have been going in the wrong direction and just learning to manage the car better.

I'm leaving for Mid-Ohio today and will have practice all day tomorrow so I'll go back and try your setup during practice and see what my times are. I guess another question I have is how much effect do they have on the car's attitude under semi-constant load around a corner? What would your recommended settings be for a track car? Like I said, I've only had this stuff a few months so I'd love to improve the handling on this weighty monster. Thanks for being nice about it.

wross996tt

Agreed, I do not know RUF version at all...I have the FVD version with different springs.

I have no idea whom you spoke with at RUF, I am just saying in over 3 years of posts on PSS9 settings...I have not heard of rear higher than front...FWIW.

Seriously if you are a track guy, PSS9s probably aren't what you want...with that said occasional track use is OK. You might think about getting some GT3 sways. For real track go Motons. I was more interested in good street handling, occasional track...so I went with FVD version. Remember I am also in a cab , which is why I went with the stiffer FVD springs.

jrok

EDIT: I just called RUF back and again they said my adjustment is firmness, not rebound speed, and that they should be higher in the rear. I asked for them to have a suspension technician call me when available to try to get the absolute best information I can. Perhaps my dampers are very different than the normal ones and I was totally unaware they were. Sorry for any confusion I may have raised.

PS. I just spoke with Hans Hoffmann at RUF.

jrok

EDIT 2: Just spoke with Mark Plummer, suspension technician and 911 racer from RUF. I was close with stiffness but my numbers (1-9) were backwards. I have my car set three clicks from stiffest in the front, this is apparently 4, not as i mentioned it as 6. I have the rear set one from the stiffest, which is apparently 2, not as I mentioned it as 8. So, by the correct number nomenclature, I am at 4F/2R, sorry for the confusion on that.

However, He suggested 4F/4R for normal street driving where weight transfer is not an issue or 3F/3R for stiffer, etc. Where weight transfer is an issue, such as Mid-Ohio, a very flowing, sweepy, more mid-corner speed track he suggested 3F/5R, softer in the rear to allow the weight to transfer after turn-in and rotate the car. For VIR, a high speed, less sweepy track he suggested 3F/4R to keep the rear more in line. For a compromise track, like Putnam Park, 3F/3R or 3F/4R. These were just his suggestions. Everyone will obvioulsy sample to thier own taste but I will be trying some things this weekend for sure.

wross996tt

Apology accepted

just kidding

Land Jet

To make it easy on the rest of us who will be installing PSS9's, tell me where do you make the adjustment in relation to the car body: Is it done in the wheel well or in the front trunk at the shock tower mount? And when you turn the adjustment **** from firmer to softer how does that relate in terms of left and right? And is it different for the rears?
Unrelated newbie question, what would have been the stock 996TT headlight? Was it Litronic and what kind of light sourse is that, or am I mixing something up? Set me straight guys.

dantzig

The front shock is adjusted from below, just inside the brake assembly. The rear is adjusted from inside the car at the top of the strut tower. Numbers appear on the top, and there is a line on the side mark the position. If you have a roll bar, it helps to be thin enough to be able to squeese past it to adjust the rears.

I run mine at 7/7 on the street for comfortable ride, and 3F/4R on the track. I am fairly new to this car, so I have not played with this a lot.

-----
Jon Dantzig
2001 996 TT

Land Jet

I have never seen PSS9's offered in different versions. Where did you see this?

wross996tt

Bilstein makes versions or their PSS9 for aftermarket clients (to their specification). I know of the FVD version and the RUF version...they are variations of a them. Contact RUF or FVD directly for their models.