KW Variant 3 for a 993 C4S

[997GT3_KO]

Toying with the idea of installing one of these kits...

1) is it better performing than stock?
2) is it harder ride than stock?
3) will it be seen as a NO NO upgrade by purists?#

The other alternative is to go "M030" ... this is about approx £200 cheaper

Please help me make up my mind...

 

[matthewb]

I too own a 993 Carrera 4S.

About a year ago I had a chat with Ken Coad at Silverstone who convinced me my stock Monroe suspension would be completely shot after 150k miles and I should replace them - preferably with something better than stock Monroes as Monroes only have a life of about 40k miles.

He recommended KW Variant 3's which I had fitted at JZM. I had the suspension set to firm road (it can be set pretty much how you like it) so mine's a bit harder than standard. The handling was a revelation when compared to my old knackered Monroe suspension - but I have no idea how it would compare with new Monroes - it's been too long to remember.

I wouldn't worry about purists - if ever you want to sell the car to a purist you could always replace the KWs with Monroes. It's not like you've really changed the essence of the car.

M

 

[sawood12]

KW for sure. It is really great stuff. It transformed my old 944. I've still not driven anything more modern that felt as nice - that includes passively sprung Boxsters and pretty much most of the modern hot hatches around at the moment. It was stiff yet compliant - which sounds odd and contradictory and i've never felt anything like it before - I guess it is probably what a modern Porsche with PASM must feel like (which I havn't had the pleasure of driving). The place I got mine installed at, had just installed a set on a 993 turbo after its owner had run with the usual Bilstein M030 setup and only hacked it for about 1 month before he gave up with it on account that it was too stiff for the roads. The KW is equally as stiff, if not stiffer and apparently it drove much better over the bumps. The clever bypass valve setup works really well. It is pricey, but a very well built bit of kit constructed from stainless steel so after a few years it wont look all rusted up.

The only downside to it is that some of the damper adjustment screws are a bit inaccessible, but in reality who really messes with them? in 99% of cases once the initial novelty has worn off it is basically a case of set and forget.

 

[clyde]

I toyed with the KW option when renewing mine but ended up going for Bilstien HDs with H & R springs, which are certainly hard but compliant enough for me. It's about 30mm lower than previously which probably accounts for a chunk of the added stiffness. And I also replaced the suspension bushes with Powerflex ones which probably takes a bit of compliance away as well.

The only thing I would say is that it really doesn't like speed bumps and I have to go much slower over them than I had to with the standard set up. But that's easily sorted - I just avoid roads with speed bumps. []

The money saved over the KW coilovers went towards replacing all the shock absorber top mounts, which was a good job as they were all a bit ropey and one of the fronts was completely shot.


By the way, does the issue of originality of the suspension not pale into insignificance when compared with replacing the dual mass flywheel with a lightweight RS one? [8|]