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I recently picked up a 2010 C2S with 25k miles on the clock. Without knowing all the variables like how the vehicle was generally driven in the accumulation of those 25k miles, how well does the stock PASM system hold up over time? Anything, in particular, I should pay attention to?
If want to worry, PASM is not the place. Pull your wheels and look for leaks on the shocks... it is an oil and will be grimy with stuck dirt. If they are not leaking, they are fine. If you want to tweak, get the DSC control module for PASM.... really something you will enjoy and cost effective... and can be undone in 5 mnts and easily sold off.
Just replaced the PASM front struts on on '05C2S with Bilstein B6 Damptronics as the driver side was leaking.
140,000 kms (87,000 miles)
You can see the drivers side leaked and the passenger side wasn't far from doing the same. new B6's fixed it all up.
How do you like the B6 as compared to the stock/B4 shocks? Is the ride much harsher or is it very similar (in normal mode)?
Also, how did you route the electrical cable? Did you use that small widow on the side, under the shock bearing?
Bruce, you keep saying this, but it's just not true. While leaking shocks definitely need to be replaced, the lack of a leak doesn't mean that they are fine.
How do you like the B6 as compared to the stock/B4 shocks? Is the ride much harsher or is it very similar (in normal mode)?
Also, how did you route the electrical cable? Did you use that small widow on the side, under the shock bearing?
Let us know your impressions.
Yves
Such a difficult question to answer as the oem one leaked/ failed last fall just before storage but i recall somewhat mushy on the drivers side.
First impression is that they are slightly firmer. Gotta clean up all the sprayed oil and put some miles on them to get a true feeling.
Installed by a local so not sure about the wire but assume same route as oem.
Going to proactively do the rears shortly before they spring a leak as well. LOL
Bruce, you keep saying this, but it's just not true. While leaking shocks definitely need to be replaced, the lack of a leak doesn't mean that they are fine.
MOST worn out shocks never leak.
Many say this, but is it not my experience. I am not claiming you to be wrong as many feel as you do... it is just not my experience. I replaced the shocks on my Boxster S at around 175K miles..... long enough that if use was a factor in wearing them out, it would show.... it didn;t. Just didn;t. I felt I just threw away a ton of money. On top of that, I lived for about 7 years with this car, on cobblestone streets of Philadelphia... awful banging around like that. I sure tested those four shocks. Even my indy, a long time shop foreman and Don Rosen Porsche, didn't think I needed new shocks... he said the same thing to me.. "not unless they are leaking".
I decided to swap them out because I broke a spring... which slowly turned into "replace them all". I "figured" that after 175K miles, something "had to be worn out". Even with a new springs all around... the car pretty much rode the same. So to be totally honest, the car did ride a bit firmer... but only a small bit... and that could have been the springs. Overall, after all that change, I had the same car I had before the work but I did loose a few pounds in the wallet.
Again, just my experience. Honestly, I am not saying you are wrong, but when I read these forums, well it doesn't take much for me to click a mouse and buy ... so I value contrarian posts. Let the readers make informed decisions.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Last edited by Bruce In Philly; 06-07-2019 at 02:56 PM.
It's certainly true that a lot of people on this forum have no issues throwing money at unnecessary repairs. I don't like spending money and I would never recommend replacing expensive components until they need replacing--so rest assured I'm not one of those guys. And im sure the OPs shocks are fine at 25k miles.
But shocks have internal valving that fails much more often than the external seals. The degradation is slow and insidious and you don't feel it over time--like a frog in a pot of water. Unless someone's car is driven on smooth roads with no hills, almost any shock will be noticeably degraded by the time it reaches 100-120k miles. Earlier if you're an aggressive jumper of speed bumps like me.
Your car certainly sounds like an outlier. As an example of my own experiences, we bought an '06 Avalon for my 16 year old son. 88k miles. The car wallowed terribly and bottomed out often. I drove another '06 Avalon with new struts and realized immediately that the shocks were bad. I replaced all 4. 88k miles is early IMO, but there was no doubt that these were toast.
When I had them off, none were leaking but 3 of the 4 had zero rebound and two of them were extremely easy to slide up and down. They were providing no damping whatsoever.
That has been my experience over the years. Just going on memory, the only leaking shocks I've ever replaced in my lifetime were 1 or 2 shocks that failed almost immediately and were defective. IMO, when a worn out shock starts leaking, it is leaking because it failed a long time ago and by the time it leaks, it's just slap wore out.
So..... what would you say to someone who just purchased a 911 with ... oh... 100K miles? No evidence of leaking and no bottoming out... nothing obvious. Someone who is just worried that his/her 100K car is not up to optimal specs. How would you advise?
So..... what would you say to someone who just purchased a 911 with ... oh... 100K miles? No evidence of leaking and no bottoming out... nothing obvious. Someone who is just worried that his/her 100K car is not up to optimal specs. How would you advise?
Ha! I already said I was a cheap bastard. If I bought one of these cars with 100k miles I’d probably drive it until one of the shocks started leaking or the ride just got so bad that I couldn’t stand it.
Or, if I was doing some other suspension work and it made sense to do the shocks at the same time.
My car has 82k miles. The suspension is starting to make noise over bumps. I’m pretty sure I have some bushing issues. I will definitely replace the shocks when I do the control arms and bushings. It’s easier to do them all together even though I have no indication that my shocks are bad.
And I’m lazier than I am cheap, so I’d rather do it all at once. Plus Murphy’s Law is strong with me. I know if I don’t do the shocks now, they’ll fail as soon as I button it all up. I don’t want to do them, but it just makes sense in my situation.
Replace them. And likely the springs at the higher mileages. I just can't imagine a part that gets as much abuse as shocks, do not "wear out". They have rubbing non-metal and metal parts. Their design is supposed to meter fluid precisely. Springs lose their springiness (tension, other metallurgical attributes, etc.) with cycles.
Higher end coilovers have a PM at 20000-30000 miles. For example, Ohlins R&Ts.
06-06-2019, 08:00 PM
PASM / Shocks lifespan?
