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Yet another looking for suspension advice

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peterlace

New member
Hi, yet another person looking for suspension advice! I've just bought a 1995 C2 which already has lowered suspension (teckart lowering springs that lower the height by around 30mm and, as far as I can tell, the original Monroe shocks). Given the bumpy roads and speed bumps around where I live I'm finding the current set up a bit too jarring as the suspension doesn't seem to absorb the bumps at all. It's also very easy to ground the bottom. I'm therefore thinking of changing the suspension but am not sure if it's worth it, especially as on smooth roads the car is great. I took the car on a track day last week and it seemed to me to handle really well, with no roll that I could notice. My current options appear to be:
  1. Leave the car as is, accept the poor ride on rough surfaces and go slowly over speed bumps
  2. Fit the Porsche M033 lowering suspension kit, a bit of a bargain at only £400 for both shocks and springs. It will retain some of the lowered look, which I like, and presumably give me a bit more height for those speed bumps. However will it give me a better ride on poor surfaces or increase body roll?
  3. Fit Gert's Bilstein HD with M033 springs: I'm not sure that I will be able to notice sufficient difference between the Monroe and Bilstein shocks to justify paying twice the price
  4. Fit the Bilstein HD's with either the H&R or M030 springs. Once again twice the price of 2 and will I find the ride as firm as my current set up?
So, any input/advice on the above or any other options will be more than welcome.
 
Hi and welcome!

In your position, I'd be very tempted to go with Bilstein HD's and keep your existing springs which, IIRC, are Eibach sold under a different name. An alternative on the quality front would be to look at KW dampers, which are an excellent quality construction and have stainless bodies.

Once all that's done, have the alignment set up by someone knowledgeable. Going for new Monroe dampers would probably make the car feel better, but you'd be left with a compromise that has a limited life span, as I'm sure you will have read elsewhere.

You don't say if you have 17" or 18" wheels. From my experience, you get a slightly less compliant ride from 18's, especially if you're following the manufacturer's stated tyre pressures that are a bit on the high side to say the least.

Hope it helps!
 
Thanks Oliver: which of the KW dampers are worth a look & can anyone compare these to the monroe's or bilsteins? I've got 17" wheels so don't think I'll be planning a move to 18"" by the sound of it!
 
I have a C2S which was originally fitted with M033 and Monroes and the car seemed to be fine on a smooth road, but had little/no damping and on a bumpy road was a bit of a handful. Decided to go the gert route with brand new M033 and Bilstein HD - can't believe the difference it is a different car - down a bumpy road it now goes where I want it to! The suspension is still firm but over bumps I now have damping! Got to say the bilsteins are a nice piece of kit.
 
The Bilstein HD with M030 springs is the setup that I'm most tempted by but I'm concerned by RichardLW's comment on a related post that he finds this setup wearing on some A&B roads. Does anyone have experience/views on the Monroe/M033 vs the BitsteinHD/M030 and what are the main differences they have noticed?

Given my likely mileage I don't see the Monroe longevity as much of an issue.

Peter
 
Just had Bilstein HD's fitted with the existing springs and am thrilled with the results. Ride is firmer than before, but the Bilstein's are far better than the Monroes so all of the 'crashing' has gone to be replaced with a far more comfortable ride (My Monroe's were 'shot' however).
 
The Bilsteins came from Gert at Carnewal and were approx £700.

Fitting should have been apprpx £500 (inc full geo check), but I decided to replace other worn items (bushes, ball joint etc) and also fit a Ruf strut brace and so the final bill was £1,400..............

All in all I'd say I spent £2,500, but I now have a completely different car and as I said before am really happy with the outcome. One of the highlights was being taken for a test drive by the mechanic who did the work - boy, I never knew my car could be driven that way - fantastic.

 
Re my earlier comment about finding the car a bit wearing on Bilstein HD/M030/turbo roll bars, I do also have a fairly track orientated front setup which probably contributes to the general lack of comfort. On the old M033/Monroe set up it wallowed too much but was very comfy (surprise) but the new one is a bit too much some of the time. I have, literally, just done Cornwall to London non-stop and I feel that a slightly softer car would have been preferable but in the corners its chalk and cheese so worth the compromise.
 
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