smrpr

Hello,

I want to buy a set of coilovers for my 997. The car is a 997.1 Carrera (non-S) equipped with PASM, and I would like to maintain this functionality in order to switch to a DSC unit in the future.

I am debating between KW V3 and Bilstein B16, which seem to be the cost-savvy options in the market that are also compatible with PASM. I am leaning towards the Bilsteins since in my experience, KW coils tend to leak.

However, I want to get the right part numbers.

Say, for a Bilstein B16 kit, would this be the correct and required stuff to order?

B16 kit with Damptronics - 997.1 Carrera 2 manual

I've seen some pictures which include the end links (which I assume need to be replaced for a shorter or adjustable ones given the lowering of the car). Am I correct in assuming these come as part of the kit or should I purchase them separately? If so, which ones do you recommend?


Finally, I've read about uniball bearings for this suspension - I have no idea what that is about, in my other car when I put my TEIN coilovers, they came with the top hats and replacing them required no extra stuff. Do I need to buy any of these for them to fit in my car?

laphan

I have Bilstein B16 and can answer some of your question.

The kit you posted is the correct kit to order. I replaced the sway bar link with stock parts and I have not had any issue with lowered ride height. I think some kit includes the sway bar link because those are common parts to go bad in 997.

B16 kit does not come with upper strut mount or bearing. I did not go with uniball upper mount kit as they will increase NVH. If your car is seeing more track use, go for it; uniball will give you a better precision and camber. For street, I recommend staying with stock replacement.
You can reuse your old mount if they are still good shape (unless you have your heart set on the uniball setup).

The OE front mounts are pretty reasonably priced, I would replace those along with the bearings.
The OE rear strut mounts are more expensive; around $500 for a pair from Porsche. I would try reuse the one in your car, but you have to make sure the foam bushings/isolators are in good shape. I think powerflex sells the isolator replacement.

Meraki Autoworks

Are you based in Europe?

-Josh

jamesinger

If KW V3 is compatible with PASM, that is news to me. My understanding is that you have to run PASM deletes on the KW and Ohlins options—as well as the Bilstein track specific setup...
I ran KW on 2 other cars for a total of 10 years and had 0 issues or leaks with them but I also had suspension specialists setup and care for them. They were rock solid and I have 0 complaints except how much work it took to set them up perfect over time (e.g. revalving the shocks twice and a lot of spring swapping). Out of the box, they were good but to get them to be perfect took multiple teardowns and full rebuilds.
If you are tracking, I would look at Tractive but they are $$$$. I think the Tractive kit comes with DSC but I am not sure. Regardless, they do retain PASM. When I was tracking, every single person I was around defeated active suspension though. It seems like once a car is single purpose, there is less desire to compromise or change settings for streetability but my experience is limited to what I have seen around me. However, look at what the top suspension tuners like Joey Seeley do. Tom at TPC is another example on the other side of the spectrum for track/race prep.
The Bilstein B16 are more of a road and track setup. They are good and people on here love them. They are very similar to the OEM GT3 PASM suspension. I have driven them both back to back on my car, which was professionally set up by Tyson Schmidt at PRO Motorsports and the same year/model car with the B16 kit set up by Scientific in Pasadena. On regular streets, I could not tell a difference, which is good and bad. It is good when you are pushing it, the suspension is amazing. When you are stuck in slow traffic, it sucks and IMO, it is too loud with all the crashing and banging and rattles and etc. This led me to the B12 kit, which is similar but static (i.e. basically a non-adjustable coilover setup), which yields a more street focused setup (e.g. SILENT in traffic but less grip at the limit---> for example, I just drove up to my mom's on wet pavement and I was pushing the limit of grip in wet. I wasn't thinking about the difference between OEM GT3 suspension and the B12 kit on my car now and went into a corner WAY too hot. ...but that difference is at the limit and PSM reeled it in so I didn't die + this is all staying in my lane and not some nurburgring lap)... Nevertheless, I can 100% tell that the B12 kit has a lower limit than the B16 or OEM GT3 suspension but I am on the grandpa slow side of that equation for now.

smrpr

Thanks for the info. So what you're saying is that you mounted stock sway bar links with the OEM sway bar (not the GT3 one, which I think has different setup holes) and everything was OK? I thought you had to either add adjustable end links or change the sway bar for the GT3 one in order to compensate the lowering.

I don't plan on tracking the car that much, maybe 1-2 trackdays per year. So I think I can skip the uniball strut mounts. That doesn't mean that camber can't be adjusted with the OEM ones, right? Is it that the uniball ones have a better range of adjustment then?

And regarding the isolators, do you mean this part? https://www.powerflex.co.uk/product-...ush/14609.html

Basically your suggestion is:

OEM end links
New OEM front shock mounts and bearings (these parts: https://www.design911shop.com/p/shoc...2-99734301602/ and https://www.design911shop.com/p/shoc...02-99734301602) - but that's around 500 for the pair, so not cheap at all
Reuse rear shock mounts and replace the isolator for the Powerflex one

Is that correct?


I am! In Spain. Why do you ask?

I read that KW has their controller called DDC and I assumed that it was compatible with PASM. Maybe its not and you need to delete PASM in order to install DDC. In that case it's even easier for me to choose since I do want to maintain the OEM system / button / etc.

Appreciate your input regarding B16. I know I'll have to sacrifice a bit of comfort but a correctly tuned suspension is one of the things I enjoy more in a car, so I'm happy not being as comfortable as with stock. I also want to be able to adjust height whenever I want so that makes me need to go the B16 route.

laphan

I have been using OEM say bar and stock length links for over 3 years and have no issue with them.

Camber can be adjusted with OEM upper strut mounts but I think you max out at around -3 degrees (if I remember right). You need the unibal if you want more agressive camber.
Powerflex isolators you have is correct. Sometimes the isolators break apart due to age.

I used Lemfoerder upper front mounts and OEM strut bearing. I used Lemfoerder multiple times in the past and never have any issue with them (986, 996 and 997). I think my 997 upper mount came with a scratch on one side where they removed Porsche logo (P triangle) and OEM part numbers.
I bought them as a kit from FCP Euro ( https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/por...RoCWRMQAvD_BwE ).