[J.Elenbaas]

Roboman look at this youtube video for the Bilstein.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgrRt0Hyhr0

 

The Koni's are simpler

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXSnNZt3NiI

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[Roboman]

J that Koni certainly looks a lot simpler. Have you done this previously yourself or are you just working up to it?

Message posted other thread, thats a generic picture used by eBay sellers for any B6 or B8 and so on front strut

Truly painful!

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[Waylander]

Koni are stiffer than B6, might really upset the ride


B6 is about 20% more damping than original, Koni about 30-35% stiffer


Also Koni are more expensive I think

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[MCL968]

Don't let the inserts scare you, I did the Koni's last year and the job was really quite easy. It is a bit messy, but no more difficult than most things on these cars. A spring compressor is not necessary as the struts just drop off once the car is jacked up and the sway bar is disconnected. While you are in there change out the brake lines to stainless and flush the brakes.

 

Do be sure you get new boots and top bumpers as yours are likely shot.

 

Somewhere on here there is a pretty good thread on replacing struts with inserts. I recall using it a bit last year. And the way the Koni instructions make it sound, the top cut has to be absolutely precise. But, when you consider the mechanics of the insert, all of the force is on the bottom, and the length of the strut tube is not so terribly critical.

 

Go with the Koni's. Set the rears to the softest setting, and change the fronts at will. And also order the top caps for a MO30 car, they cover the adjusters on the front struts and look completely stock. The original caps will not work unless you drill a hole on them for the adjustment tabs. I tried that and it looked hokey.

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[Roboman]

Thanks MCL, I appreciate the support and inside knowledge. I've decided to send the Bilsteins back, "to insert or not insert, that is the question ".......

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[Waylander]

M030 top mounts are £500 each these days, Just checked PET, all top mounts are now NLA as of the 1st May 2020

 

 

 

and you still need spring compressors to strip and assemble the struts, also the bump stops and dust covers are built in with the B6, budget another £80 for the bump stops and dust covers for Koni

 

Bump stops

951 343 527 00 @ 22 euros each

Gaiters

951 343 529 01 @ 15 euros each

 

and just to confirm Porsche front struts are

951 343 031 12 @ 265 Euro LH

951 343 032 12 @ 265 Euro RH

 

M030 Koni Shocks are 600 Euro a side

 

From Porsche Shop

https://www.porscheshop.co.uk/porsche-me...6-968.html

 

looks like they have the bump stops included but no gaiters

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[MCL968]

Perhaps the strut design is different for the ROW cars, but I can assure you that 1) I replaced the strut inserts on my 92 last year; and 2) I don't have a spring compressor.

 

The write up that Flash did a number of years ago provided directions for dropping the ends off of the sway bar and lowering the control arms with a jack after taking off the 4 nuts that hold the top of the strut bushing to the car. I followed the directions as they were written, and the whole assembly dropped out, no spring compression required and very little hassle overall.

 

The real fun begins when you have to drain and cut the old strut. Still not a terrible job, but the instructions need to be followed and plan on making a mess. I neglected to have the strut all the way extended when I drilled the hole to drain the fluid, and it made the job a lot harder than it needed to be.

 

Also, I do have an early 92 and that may account for why a spring compressor was not necessary. Either way, the job was very straightforward and quite doable. Like most learning curves, the first strut took well over an hour, the second under 30 minutes.

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[J.Elenbaas]

Roboman i'm working towards the Koni's, that i already decided.

Probably next year.

 

I don't mind the stiffness that much, as whichever schock you will use will be stiffer then the 20+ years old shocks are now.

As i wrote earlier they go for around 320 euro's a pair.

Bump-stops and gaiters i will need, mine are falling in pieces now.

 

The Bilsteins might be a bit cheaper, but you have more (precise) work to be done to modify the struts and also extra parts needed to get the job done properly for the inserts.

 

Look for Koni's 8641-1414Sport front and 8040-1035Sport rear

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[Waylander]

Ah yes doing it that way on the car with a jack is one way to do it, not not my preferred method

 

the mounts with the 4 nuts are now NLA so if you find some hang on to them, they are used on the S2 and 944 Turbo

 

so they will be in very short supply soon

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[Roboman]

Thanks again guys for the advice. J I looked at those videos which show quite a difference in the amount of work. I've already returned the Bilstein inserts so shall either buy complete shocks or have a go at the Konis. Thanks for the numbers, and you are right, anything is going to feel better than the ones I have now.

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[IndischRot968]

Konis are just fine. They do not upset the ride. I bought Koni Sport rear shocks (8040-1035) for around $130 each from Paragon Products back in 2012 together with Koni Sport front inserts (8641-1414, $170/each). Kept those on the shelf until 2018 when finally had them installed. Ride is definitely more controlled and stiffer compared to the original shocks, but these have been on the car for more than 20 years, so no surprises here. However, the ride is in no way harsh, the car is still very compliant though I should mention that it is on the original 16" schmal speiches, so tyre side wall is taller compared to 17"s.

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[Rap]

Koni’s are fine.

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[Roboman]

Thanks again guys.  Koni seems to be the consensus and there's no point in asking for advice and then going against it.  I'll let you know how I get on.

 

Have a good weekend!

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[Roboman]

Thanks to all for advice, now I need more .....


I got the mechanic to change the rear struts and front inserts. Embarrassing really, such a simple job especially if you have a pair of spring clamps. After watching the video further up this post (thanks Jack) I instructed the mechanic on the process and we got through front and back in a couple of hours. The charge was €180 labor for him and his son, so a) not a bad price but b) I should have bought the spring compressors.


The instructions with the inserts showed marking the springs so they can be remounted in the same orientation. This is unnecessary as the spring holders have a groove into which the end of the coil slides, thus maintaining orientation.


I set the stiffness at mid point (no adjustments on the rears) and off I went ..... The ride was, of course, much better. It was as though the rear wasn't there, it was just following me through the bends.


So then I adjusted the fronts to max stiffness and off again. This time the ride didn't seem as good as the car seemed to be twisting in the corners.


Advice .... so what is the objective? I'm not a racer, but cornering at speed is pretty much the only enjoyment available these days. Is the aim to get the front and back set up equally stiff on a suck-it-and-see basis (that seems logical given the weight distribution) or is it better to max the front if possibles?


Thanks

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[MCL968]

I have the same konis, front is medium, which works fine, rears are currently set at medium also and I get a little wheel hop in corners. I'm going to try them on soft and see if I like it better. If your corners are sharp and the car has to transition pfrom left to right quickly, you want them set softer. For longer corners and for carving, stiffer is better.

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[Roboman]

MCL, my apologies for not responding earlier, unfortunately I was attending a funeral on the 23rd....


Okay, yes, many of the bends are quite sharp typical country roads, so softer is better! That bears out my thoughts on how the car appeared to be responding. It's difficult to know if what's happening is real or imaginary, so thanks for the info.

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[Inkedupfatboy]

I have a what I call a very "staccato" left and right shimmy in the steering wheel when going over irregularities in the road, even when driving over the little planted reflectors in the centerline...

 

I talked to my mechanic about it and he is not sure what is causing it.

 

I suggested struts and shocks, but he says they rebound fine, which they do, but I am pretty sure they are the factory install. I need to check my receipts.

 

After reading here, I was leaning towards castor blocks, but after riding the car hard on some rough paved roads, the left rear bottomed out and may have hit the inside of the wheel-well, so now I am really thinking shocks and struts. I put new conti's on it and it corners like it's on rails, but the weird steering feedback is still there.


I am going to call sunset or paragon and see if oem are available as I don't really want to get into all this cutting and modifications just to get struts to fit this car. I have been reading about these here and it all seems like a nightmare. I would rather put Bilsteins on,  but again, it looks like more hassle than it's worth considering I don't drive it much.

 

If I am not in the right train of thought let me know.

Thanks.

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[Waylander]

I agree with all your saying, but


The factory ones are at best 10-15 years old already and shockingly pardon the pun, expensive


With the cost of genuine close to 1200 dollars


I have new genuine fronts done 15k on them and the near side already has play in the middle,


The date on them is 2009

This winter they will get cut and shut for the B6 inserts, I already have B6 on the rear made a difference, but not as much as replacing the rear anti anti roll bar mounts and drop links


The Komi solution is by far the easier fix as its angle grinder cut the top off, drill a hole in the bottom top the old stuff out new stuff in bolt up done


The billies are more involved


But both solutions are a once only thing, as if they wear out you just buy new inserts


The choice is yours but I dont think genuine is a viable solution

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[MCL968]

Hey Inked, long time no see!

 

The Koni's are really an easy swap. Drop the sway bar, remove the 4 nuts on the strut top bearing, and the two bolts on the spindle and out they come. Cutting and drilling are simple as well, but a bit messy. Get a pair of MO30 top caps and it looks original. Toss in some new dust boots and bump stops for the front and be done with it for as long as you own the car.

 

I picked mine up from Summit Racing, they had the best price on everything.

 

M-

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[Inkedupfatboy]

Thanks...

I get your points, I do. Unlike you guys, I don't do my own work. I have a guy for that, and he is great. He is really the only one I trust and he has done all the work on the car since I bought it.

Amazing mechanic. I don't have the time, the space or the tools, not to mention the patience to do this work.


I can't wrap my head around cutting brand new shocks. I am not grasping the concept of this at all.

 

I am one of these guys that it's only original once, and that has really been one of the main factors in the work I have had done to the car. The only "mods" are the DR1 strut tower, firewall and castor braces, and I put the euro turnsignals on the front, and swapped out a 944 black hazard switch. All easily undone and this thought is the driving force about not mile-ing up the car. It still has just under 50K on the clock. This is also why I had the pinion bearing redone and didn't swap out the transaxle. I even went so far as to keep the original battery cables and headlight motor when I had them replaced.


So, if i go factory shocks and struts, I maintain originality, hopefully ease of install, and hopefully fix my problems. I am also wondering if I replace the struts, I should do the castor blocks, and maybe even steering rack bushings, so I only have to do one alignment...The big issue with this also is the guy that does my work, is not the alignment guy...So I am nervous about that too. Again, I just put $900 of new tires on the car so the alignment has to be right.

I have put less than 5K miles on the car since I bought it in 2013. I just don't have time to drive it, and it's too hot down here most of the year.


In all honesty, I want to sell the car, but I can't take a bath on it. If I do replace the shocks, and struts that cranks the investment towards the 20K mark. I am already at the point where I can't get all my money invested out of it.


The other thing that really torques me is my watch hit the inside windshield while cleaning it, and it looks like it's now scratched, and i have to start looking for a replacement for that now.

Arrgh....

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