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Suspension

loc944

PCGB Member
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This is next on my list, but unsure what to fit. I have read previous posts on this but they only refer to coilovers.
Has anyone just freshened up with new O.E. shocks, or maybe uprated non adjustable units like Bilstein?
Another option could be Koni or Spax adjutable units.

My car is not a Daily Driver, I use it for weekend pleasure and occasional non-serious Track Days.

Options; Bilstein non adjustable £486 4 shocks
Spax PSX Kit - adjustable & -30 £360 4 shocks and 2 springs
Koni - adjustable £482 4 shocks
Sachs o.e. approx. £300 4 shocks
Also plan to refresh all bushes with Pro Flex items.

Any help or info on this will be greatly appreciated.

Alan.
 
There is never going to be a definitive answer as to "best suspension" as so much of it is subjective but if everything on your car is 25 years old then any large-scale replacement of bushes and castor blocks plus a new set of dampers will be a huge improvement on the track, whether it is OE or reputable aftermarket stuff. Some of the aftermarket stuff is too harsh for the road for some people's tastes. Couple of threads here: http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=573641 http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=605718
 
Thanks Lowtimer, your thread on your experience was very informative. I had previously read second thread which seems to focus mainly on coilovers. My thoughts on coilovers are they are great for finely tuning and adjusting to suit different tracks and conditions or where other changes to car are involved, like removing weight, fitting cage to stiffen body etc. I would say most people who fit KW's or Gaz to road cars will fit and have them set up then never adjust them. I would think that fixed rate Shocks like o.e. and Bilstein are designed to be the optimum set-up to suit the cars. Has anyone fitted Bilstein's or even Spax kit to either a 944 or 968? Alan.
 
I think your right Alan, further than that though I think even amongst racers a lot of guys don't fiddle with the setup much for different tracks. Having the ability to adjust something is as much an oppurtunity to muck it up as anything else.
 
Remember that GAZ offer a road-focussed product too, without adjustable platforms and 2.25" coils etc...
 
I have done a bit more Parts sourcing on Internet tonight and have found that the front Bilstein are Inserts for Boge Struts (same as Koni's). I came across a Spax coilover kit for £534 from Larkspeed. Original Sachs Front Struts and Rear Shocks for £362.36 ( But wood like Lowered Springs so + £100 or so.) 4 Bilsteins and Gmax springs for £534.02 from Europerformance. Spax PSX kit listed for early cars only. Any thoughts or opinions on the above? Thanks, Alan.
 
I fitted new koni's all round to my S2. Made for a lovely road car but not sufficient for belting around a track. Changed to Gaz Gold. Fine on the road if you can put up with the rear springs occasionally clonking into the body (they all do that sir) and transformed track manners. All depends on what you really want.
 
Being the recipient of blease' Koni shocks when he changed to Gaz Gold I can say how well the car handles on the road. Very connected and much sharper turn-in, etc. The setup has 30mm Spax lowering springs too and I dropped the rear on the eccentric adjusters to match too.
 
Alan, My car had covered about 127,000 miles with no indication of changes to the suspension. I purchased new Sachs front struts and rear dampers which cost about £250. Rear damper bolts were all in good condition so were reused. The front was built up using a set of standard springs, etc purchased from eBay however I did have to get new top mounts from Porsche - expensive. Actually bought a pair of S2 quite good front struts cheaply. Top mounts from the ebay purchase were from a late S2 but one was shot, and the other was not much better. The ones on the car had done a high mileage so were probably not much better. Only option regarding top mounts is the Porsche route - very costly - or track verions at under half the price but with increased noise and harsness. New strut bolts were purchased from Porsche, but I suspect the originals were probably reusable. Car rides and steers well. Mike White 2.7 automatic
 
ORIGINAL: Eldavo Being the recipient of blease' Koni shocks when he changed to Gaz Gold I can say how well the car handles on the road. Very connected and much sharper turn-in, etc. The setup has 30mm Spax lowering springs too and I dropped the rear on the eccentric adjusters to match too.
Hey, happy to hear you have managed to get the suspension working at last. How did you resolve the front camber adjustment problems you were having?
 
Took some advice on camber settings for the car given it's now been lowered, these settings were achieveable within the scope of adjustment. Ta
 
Eldavo/ blease, are the Koni's you fitted to the front the inserts or coilover type? Alan.
 
Is it correct that Koni inserts fit Sachs struts and Bilsteins fit Boge struts? Will have to check which is fitted to my car if this is the case. Has anyone fitted Inserts to their's? Alan.
 
Can anyone tell me how to tell if I have Boge or Sachs front struts? I have had a quick look but can't see any obvious markings. Thanks Alan.
 
I found a sticker on n/s, I was looking on o/s earlier and I appear to have Sachs struts. That apparently rules out Bilstein's so it's Sachs, Koni inserts or Spax RSX coilovers. Alan.
 
All I will say that anything less than coilover at the rear will leave you struggling if you want to push it on the track. KW users, do your rear springs clonk the bodywork if you go over rough surfaces? The nearside Gaz Gold does it reliably, but then I was clearly advised about that and just put up with it.
 
if it helps, I have just stuck new sach OE turbo shocks and 968 castor mounts in to my 96k turbo and the difference is great, I thought given the state off our roads these days new standard stuff is good choice, had cars onthe road with coilovers before and after six months the number of rattles in the cars was terrible, but for track they are great
 

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