I need new shocks, Koni or Bilsteins? Options

[Jeroen]

I'll be shopping for a new set of 911 front struts soon, so I'd like to decide on what brand of shocks to use...

I'm still undecided. It'll be either yellow Koni's or Bilstein sports

I currently have the B-sports on my '87 carrera and I like them
But I've also driven Koni equiped cars, and couldn't really find much difference between them

Pro on the Bilsteins are the 'upside down' design and they won't be damaged when the suspension bottoms out.

On the other side, I think the adjustability of the Yellow Koni's would be nice feature too...

Whadda ya think???

cheers,

Jeroen

[Mueller]

Greg,

At a minimum, the stock rubber bushings should be replaced with plastic bushings. The rubber bushings are not vulcanized to the factory a-arms or trailing arms, but after so many years of use/abuse, they almost seem like it.

What is happening with the rubber bushings is that they are squeezing the shafts of the arm, basicly acting like a friction brake (take a broom handle or something similar in one hand, with a loose grip you can spin the handle with the other hand, now tighten your grip and try to spin the handle....in will be difficult to spin the handle due to the tighter grip on it....)

The rubber is not allowing the suspension to travel freely without adding resistance. With properly installed plastic bushings, the suspension will move up and down much more freely, but even then they are a comprimise due to noise and they will wear down since the plastic is softer than the steel shafts (the paint on the shafts will wear off first, then the plastic)
Sure, they can be greased, but if not maintained, the wear will happen.

Bleyseng Posted on Jun 7 2003, 01:18 PM
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Mike, Dave's car hasn't had any upgrades that I know of. Still pretty much stock with how knows how old of parts. It drove that way. It was ok, not completely toast but still old feeling to me. So how many years has it been without any money put in to it? Thats how I look at it.  

Now that I think of it, that is how I am approaching my 914, when I got the car, it came with reciepts up the ying/yang but just by looking at the suspension, i can tell it's been neglected for years and years.

Can the needle bearing be used on the street? No problem at all, but, they have to be installed with plenty of quality grease (boat trailer wheel bearing grease works good, but I think any good quaility wheel bearing grease is going to work good since they all are pretty resistance to water, the main thing about the boat grease is that it's designed for the thermal shock as well since the bearings could be hot from trailing the boat and now they'll be subjected to cold water when the boat is backed into the water)

The needle bearings do have o-rings (a-arms and rear trailing arms) but use of RTV to help seal everything is highly recommended. Unless one gets under the car with a high pressure washer or steam cleaner, the grease will be fine for a few years.

Now for Dave, I'd recommend plastic (properly installed and lubed) since the needle bearings are on the high side cost wise. Would these work with a stock suspension? You bet, but I don;t see too many people spending this kind of money on a stock 911 or 914 suspension.

There are 3 ways to get better times on the auto-x or big track and to have more enjoyment on the street;
(rated best and most practical as well as most cost effective)

1) Driver improvement

2) A properly tuned and working suspension (nothing binding)

3) More horsepower (and possibly better brakes, which sorta fall under #2)