Shock absorbers

[sebrussellsmith]

My 993 seems to feels quite 'loose' and is not planted on the road with much feedback through the steering wheel.
The guys I take it to tell me it feels like the shocks need replacing.
The only thing is that I had the Porsche tequipment springs and shock kit fitted only 4 years ago.
Surely the shocks should last longer than 4 years??!!
Any ideas welcome please.
Thanks

 

[Mark Elder]

I think it is more mileage dependent than age, but in any case there are a lot of suspension components that could be worn other than the springs and shocks. I'd have thought whoever fitted the tequipment kit would have refreshed these too, but you never know.

The way you describe your car exactly matches how I felt about mine before I had just about everything in the suspension replaced in October at Center Gravity - trouble is I don't know which part made all the difference!

On the other hand I had the same feeling 5 years before when the clutch had been replaced and the fitter had forgotten to adjust back to its previous position some aspect of the rear suspension - so you might find it is just an alignment issue.

 

[clyde]

I would think it just needs the suspension alignment checked/adjusted Seb. Before I re-newed all the bushes when the new shocks and springs were put on I found that I would get less than a year out of the alignment. Worn bushes make it very difficult to accurately set the alignment and it has a tendancy to drift off fairly quickly according to the guy that I take mine to.

Mark - I would suggest that no single part made any significant difference, except possibly the shocks. But the culmination of all the perishable suspension componants being replaced and a decent alignment all play a small part in a big difference.

 

[M030]

You hear/read/see frequently that the original Porsche 993 shocks only last 3-4 years regardless the mileage.
I would also check the front A-arm bushes.

 

[sebrussellsmith]

ORIGINAL: M030

You hear/read/see frequently that the original Porsche 993 shocks only last 3-4 years regardless the mileage.
I would also check the front A-arm bushes.

do you mean the wishbones as these were replaced in 2010?

 

[sebrussellsmith]

thanks for all your comments. by the sound of it it could be a number of things.

 

[M030]

If you're sure that the front wishbones (A-arms) have been replaced, the chances are high that it are the shocks that are shot.
Keep the M033 springs and swap the shocks with Koni FSD.

 

[Trap125]

...or Bilstein HD... or PSS-10

 

[sebrussellsmith]

ORIGINAL: Trap125

...or Bilstein HD... or PSS-10

I thought this might open up a separate debate.... arent' Bilstein quite hard? As I do mostly town driving I need something thats relatively soft.
??

 

[matthewb]

... or KW Variant 3

 

[Flightrisk]

Have read through this guys experiences:

www.jackals-forge.com

He had the time, and money, to try everything!

 

[matthewb]

I was thinking the same thing. He's lucky to be able to try-out all these things and nice enough to document it all for us. He's right when he says people want to like what they've bought - emperor's new clothes.

I cannot claim many (any) like-for-like comparisons - new KW vs. knackered original Monroe - new Wavetrac LSD vs. knackered original clutch LSD. Just about anything would have been better than the old stuff, so it's not really a comparison.

But so what, ay? The new stuff feels great - but could I have bought better? I'll never know and I have to believe that I dun good.

 

[Trap125]

ORIGINAL: sebrussellsmith

ORIGINAL: Trap125

...or Bilstein HD... or PSS-10

I thought this might open up a separate debate.... arent' Bilstein quite hard? As I do mostly town driving I need something thats relatively soft.
??

I don't think they're too hard. It depends on what springs you use and it depends what your used to or like. It's a sports car remember... it shouldn't be "soft"

 

[Russell Wheatley]

The PSS-10 are fully adjustable so you can make them soft if you like. They are expensive but very good.

 

[matthewb]

I thought this might interest you - http://www.kw-suspension.co.uk/salt-spray-test.php

 

[Flightrisk]

Blimey, they don't look very pretty do they. Looks like a good dose of copper grease on the threads every now and again is in order.

 

[D Ward]

ORIGINAL: sebrussellsmith

My 993 seems to feels quite 'loose' and is not planted on the road with much feedback through the steering wheel.
The guys I take it to tell me it feels like the shocks need replacing.
The only thing is that I had the Porsche tequipment springs and shock kit fitted only 4 years ago.
Surely the shocks should last longer than 4 years??!!
Any ideas welcome please.
Thanks

When was the whole lot last aligned, kinematic toe set up etc etc, with the state of our roads and the amount of adjustments on the 993 it can need redoing in as little as 12 months.

Before you think the worst get someone who knows how to set up the 993 correctly, has the correct kit & the kinematic toe tool, to check it over for worn bushes/play etc & if all ok then set it up correctly
Often that's all a 993 needs, just to be set up correctly

 

[sebrussellsmith]

ORIGINAL: Trap125

ORIGINAL: sebrussellsmith

ORIGINAL: Trap125

...or Bilstein HD... or PSS-10

I thought this might open up a separate debate.... arent' Bilstein quite hard? As I do mostly town driving I need something thats relatively soft.
??

I don't think they're too hard. It depends on what springs you use and it depends what your used to or like. It's a sports car remember... it shouldn't be "soft"

you are right! when I say soft, I mean I wouldnt want anything harder than the exisiting tequipment kit.