PSS10 with HR sway bars. PSS10 due to US based support and huge user base. HR bars due to stock drop links and not changing geometry under loading.

Otherwise, you could get new springs and revalve your shocks. Simple and effective.

-td

 

He means installing the Sport shocks which are designed to work with his already installed lowering springs, They have shorter pistons to work with lowered suspensions.

BILSTEIN B8 - Sport Passenger Car
If you’re looking for a performance lowering shock absorber or strut, the BILSTEIN B8 Sport Series is up to the task. Designed to enhance your car’s lowered suspension, BILSTEIN’s monotube gas pressure technology features delivers a sport ride with remarkable comfort.

 

how about Yellow DPS? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/YELLO...item2c5b14e196

Looks quality, dont know about Longivity...

 

When it comes to generic CO's, everything seems to be about show or specs.

Don't know if you could tell the difference between level 29 and level 33 on the dampening adjustments. Don't know how well the dampening curve characteristics are on these. Concerned about the seals and fluid they use. Uses generic spring rates? Not sure if the Coil Springs are up to spec(shot peened, heat treated,etc). Most likely use the cheap spherical bearings on the top hats that will make noise and go out prematurely.

These are just some items I've ran into with no-name CO's based on my previous experiences but I love to be proven wrong and always looking for a great bang for the buck CO's.

I'm in no way knocking those specific CO's that you posted but just pointing out some items to consider when buying lesser known CO brands with little to no history and reputation.

 

Ofcourse you are correct on all your points, no doubt... But it all depends what the End User is going to be using it for, correct? I mean unlike me who drives 100km per day everyday no matter the weather, i need somthing that will last me and not Fail, like my PSS9's are 5 years Old now just abour 90,000 km on them and no Issues... But if someone who drive like 100km a Month (Garage Queen all for looks, sad very sad), this Yellow CO's might be a good solution... know what i mean...

 

Fully agree. For Sunday drivers that are just "cruisers" and stay off the tracks and really just want shiny parts and a nice stance, this could fit the bill very nicely.

Wondering how the K-Sport Porsche owners are doing thus far? I think it's been close to a year about now.

 

great minds think a like :P...

I would like to know as well about K-Sport

 

Sooo any info on Ksport or DPS.. out of curiosity. I was on Ebay and ran across these. They seem way too cheap to be quality? yay? nay?

-Paul

 

Hi! I had no way to compare the options you list, but have been happy with my PSS10s. Specifically, the ride is better dampened than stock. I would not say softer, but definitely more comfortable on rough roads. Height is adjustable, but I am down about 1.5 inches front and 1.0 back making it even front and back.

 

I haven't had mine for a year (only two weeks), but I did purchase a set of used ones from Michael at Acute Performance for my 03 turbo. I think they were the ones he put on his turbo briefly last year. Granted, many would shy away from used coilovers, but the price was too good to pass up. I just couldn't justify the additional cost for a purely aesthetic change in suspension. I must admit it was probably time for the OEM touring suspension to be replaced because the Ksports do ride better from a street-only perspective. I had them set for a softer ride in response to spousal complaints concerning the rough ride of OEM suspension. A pair of plastic ball joints were included with the Ksports so I used them instead of the aluminum ones that come with the stock installation. This car will not see any track time, but as far as street performance goes so far so good. So far, the only downside I can see would be:

Cost of coilovers $500. Cost of installation $500. I did have the dealership perform the install as I wanted to ensure I gave the Ksports the benefit of the doubt as well as trying to keep the alignment within stock spec with additional hardware. I explained beforehand that I was aware of the perils of aftermarket coilovers, but I could find no reason why I should not give these a try. I was able to achieve stock alignment on the rear. The front was able to be adjusted back to stock alignment except for the camber which was just barely outside stock parameters (two degrees, I believe).

Adjustment of the ride height was simple, but the tech said that changing the dampening again would require him to remove the coilovers to properly set it. Again, since is this is a street-only application not a huge issue unless the wife decides that navigating the carpool line requires a dab of oppo.

Overall for my purposes the Ksport street ride is nice and quiet with a lowered stance.

 

I was not aware of this. So which offer true height adjustment? I'd like to research this and compare. Please point me in the right direction.

 

Bilstein CO's does lower or raise the car but they recommend staying in a certain zone to maximize the dampening characteristics that it was designed for, think of it as a sweet spot. You can always dump it down but you won't be in the optimal range and at that point, you might as well just get some cheap CO's if you just want the show.

IMO, Bilsteins are great for most street oriented people that want minimal or marginal lowering. If you want oil pan scraping drop, I would look elsewhere.

My other $.02 is that I like my suspension to be on the overdamped side, especially on rebound. I've found having experience with other half dozen other CO's that Bilstein provides the better rebound characteristics which becomes noticeable once you start getting into the higher spring rates or a more drop. The cheaper CO"s seem to lack on rebound(as most are just compression adjustable) and provide a less refined shock dampening characteristics.

However, since Bilsteins are a "high" pressure shock, the ride quality even though well damped can tend to seem a bit rougher to some than low pressure shocks like Koni which some would describe as smoother than Bilsteins(of course somewhat dependent on what springs you match up with it).

I love the rebound characteristics of the GT3 CO's btw.

 

I've done both the PSS10 and JIC in 996 C4S', and the differences are really major.
The JIC is definitely more track oriented. It's a monoball up top and the kit I had been handed (great if this is included) had a camber plate with a lot of adjustment. It does have a little height adjustment you can play with, but the overall "feel" of the parts was really disappointing for how much they cost. It works well on the street in its soft positions, and will knock your fillings out if you want it to by cranking it up.
Another thing to note is that aside from the parts, the guy I talked to at the factory said that there is no torque spec for the top nut on the strut, and they just hold an impact wrench on it for 8 seconds and that's how they do it.
I was not impressed with the kit's quality nor assembly.
I would probably only run them if I got them at a stupid deal, or they were on the car already. I also put on the massive sway bar links, and those were quite nice actually. They look like bananas in a donkey kong game.

The Bilstein's reuse your stock tops, so no cool camber plates or monoball assemblies. So right off the bat, it's not a hardcore setup. You'd never need that for the street anyway.
The build quality felt SO much better with this set, and driving the car felt great. I remember them having a really similar ride height range as the JIC's. The owner said that he took his car to the track and was really happy with them, so they work there too.

I've had my hands on a KW V3 setup for a 993, and that seemed like a good product.

From what I've played with, the PSS10's is all you need for the street, and they are less money. On paper you get less, but they're a better made piece, in my opinion .

 

Great info guys! This helps alot when you are new to P cars

 

hey guys, I read through the post, lots of good info. Thanks for sharing.

Something I still havent figured out is which lowering kit offers the softest ride? I have a 99 C4 with plenty of miles on it. I would like to lower it and I don't plan on tracking it.

I also dont want to break the bank which is probably impossible given i drive a porsche now ...

Your input is extremely appreciated
Rob