[Digic968]

My recently acquired 968 is still on stock shocks and i think they are gone - the car shakes sideways even on long straights in reaction to the slightest road bumps and in turns it just reacts too much with side inclination. I am pretty sure this is because of the weared out shocks, but would like your opinions on this - maybe some fluid needs to be changed?

Anyhow, if i go the replacing route, what do you advise? It is my weekend car, i will not do track on it, but i have a kind of "hard driving" when i drive a Porsche - this must be not just me i guess... smile.gif

I would like to do it on a tight budget, as i spend a small fortune (to me) just to buy it...


Thanks in advance for alll the help!

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[aslet]

First, are your tire pressures correct? Even at a few PSI difference the car can not track the road very well. Overall I am in the same boat and I also think I need new shocks. Just remember, shocks will help, but it would also be a worn tie rod, so even with new shocks the car may still wonder.

The cheapest way to go is Koni insert for the front and shocks for the rear. You have to buy the whole front strut if you get the stock ones, so it actually costs more money. I would also recommend an alignment after the shocks are in. If you can do the install yourself, expect the total to be around $1000 for the shocks and a good alignment...

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[flash]

agreed - check the tire pressures - you should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 36psi cold

then inspect all bushings - worn castor blocks will cause these kinds of problems in a hurry - leaks will cause them to fail very quickly - look for cracks or swelling in the rubber

then, i would actually do a rebound test on the shocks and struts first - get the car bouncing up and down at each end, and then let go - it should travel no more than 1.5 cycles before coming to rest

then, i would have the alignment checked and/or reset

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[rl968]

Agree with the others on checking the basics, but if these are original shocks and struts, they have to be replaced. it's just basic maintenance. The rear shocks are very easy to replace, but the fronts struts are much more involved, especially if you've never done it before. Getting the control arm to re-attach to the strut housing is no picnic, you almost need three arms. No special tools are needed, you just have to have an idea to what you are doing.

You WILL notice a huge difference.

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[Digic968]

Thanks so much for the heads-up guys!

I will definitely double-check the tire pressure tomorrow and make the bounce test. And that's all i imagine i can do by myself... LOL
When you start talking about struts, bushings, worn castors, etc... i start to feel out of my pool.

Guess i will start by replacing the air filter with a K&N one. I believe i can do it successfully by myself. Already fixed the interior dome light that lost the plastic tip that locks it in place - exchanged it with the one in the trunk, as there it was easier to create a workaround fix.

Don't get me wrong, i intend to learn something about car maintenance at home (as most as possible), but i am scared to death to start... i will be in complete darkness whatever i'll do.
Anyway, whatever i do on the more serious maintenance, i will need some of the valuable DIY guides posted here. Very very helpful to a newbie wanna-be wrencher... [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]


Thanks again, as soon as i have the first two steps done i will re-post here the results.

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[flash]

as much as i tend to replace things early, and the shocks and struts could easily be worn out, the original shocks and struts may not be bad - our white car has original shocks and struts, and they are still perfect - it surprises the heck out of me, and it may be that the car only has 19k on it, but typically age is as much of an issue, so this car may just be a freak - a bounce test will tell you the condition of yours though

getting the control arm to reattach is actually very easy - the trick is to disconnect the sway bar on both ends

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[gbarrier]

If you're handy with a little fabwork there is another option. I like Bilsteins and they make shocks for the rear but not struts for the front. Here's the trick. Remove the struts and saw them off about 2 inches from the top. Pull out the guts and discard. Now from the scrapyard cut the top three inches from a set of struts from a fairly late Jetta. These are threaded and will accept a cartridge. Now press the Jetta uppers into the Porsche tubes about an inch. Buy a set of Bilsteir chartridges for a pre 95.5 944, drop them in and press the uppers in enough so the threaded tops will fit properly. Remove the cartridges, weld the struts and put them together. Seems like I had about $600 in the mods and love the Bilsteins.

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