 Softer suspension |
|
|
|
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.
This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way. Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. |
|
|
  |
| Greg44 |
 Jan 4 2010, 09:19 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Newbie  Group: Members Posts: 25 Joined: 13-September 09 From: Central Point, Oregon Member No.: 10,801 Region Association: Pacific Northwest  |
I need suggestions for a softer ride. The struts are are probably stock.You can really feel every bump in the road.What are my options?
|
   |
 
|
| markb |
Jan 4 2010, 09:22 PM
Post
#2
|
|
914less :( Group: Members Posts: 5,449 Joined: 22-January 03 From: Nipomo, CA Member No.: 180 Region Association: Central California 
|
Koni adjustables set full soft work great for me.
|
|
|
|
| ConeDodger |
Jan 5 2010, 10:46 AM
Post
#3
|
|
Apex killer! Group: Members Posts: 23,585 Joined: 31-December 04 From: Tahoe Area Member No.: 3,380 Region Association: Northern California
|
This is more complicated than you might imagine. You can have very firm shock/struts and huge sway bar and still have a very compliant suspension.
I started by buying Koni yellow adjustables for my car when I got it. Full soft, still like a lumber truck. I do a lot of autocrossing so I figured this was a compromise I had to live with. Then a year ago, I rebuilt the entire suspension and was shocked to find it very compliant and not at all harsh. Here is what I did; I pulled off the front and rear suspension and stripped everything off and sent the arms out for powdercoating. I sent the trailing arms to Eric Shea and had him convert them to 5 lug and rebuild them with Elephant Bushings. I did the same with the front. I put a Tarret Bar up front and a stock rear sway bar. I had perches put on the rear shock and put 200# springs back there. In the front, stock torsion bars. I put monoballs at the top of all 4 shocks. In short, this should be a lumber wagon. It isn't. The key here is a suspension that doesn't bind. Your old rubber bushings are allowing a very limited rotation of your suspension about its mounting points. Elephant Bushings, Freemotion Bushings, Properly honed - Delrin bushings will allow you to lift and move your suspension through its full range of motion with 1 finger without the shocks attached. This is the key to a very enjoyable ride. If your suspension bushings don't bind - your shocks can do their job. |
|
|
|
| kconway |
Jan 5 2010, 11:39 AM
Post
#4
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,347 Joined: 6-December 04 From: Monrovia, CA Member No.: 3,231 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(Greg44 @ Jan 4 2010, 07:19 PM)  I need suggestions for a softer ride. The struts are are probably stock.You can really feel every bump in the road.What are my options? First thing you need to do is determine just what you've got. If they are original then thats the first problem, they're probably way beyond useful. The stock Boge struts and shocks are pretty comfortable new and cheap. Check out what shocks/springs you've got on the rear. |
|
|
|
| SirAndy |
Jan 5 2010, 11:47 AM
Post
#5
|
|
Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,636 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
QUOTE(markb @ Jan 4 2010, 07:22 PM) Koni adjustables set full soft work great for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Then get some low friction roller bearing to replace the stock rubber and your ride will be smooth as budder ... |
 |
|
| r_towle |
Jan 5 2010, 05:08 PM
Post
#6
|
|
Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,574 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States
|
QUOTE(SirAndy @ Jan 5 2010, 12:47 PM) QUOTE(markb @ Jan 4 2010, 07:22 PM) Koni adjustables set full soft work great for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Then get some low friction roller bearing to replace the stock rubber and your ride will be smooth as budder ... I dont agree with the roller bearings. I had both...the rubber bushings do mask alot of road feel...there is not metal to metal. I have bearings now....but I dont care. Rich |
|
|
|
| SirAndy |
Jan 5 2010, 05:19 PM
Post
#7
|
|
Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,636 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
QUOTE(r_towle @ Jan 5 2010, 03:08 PM) I dont agree with the roller bearings. I had both...the rubber bushings do mask alot of road feel...there is not metal to metal. I don't agree with you not agreeing ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Most of the "road feel" is absorbed by the shocks, not the rubber bushings. With the roller bearings, the a-arms and trailing arms can rotate freely allowing the shocks to do their work. I have the Koni adjustable shocks and use them on the full soft setting on the street. Even with way heavier than stock springs, the ride is smooth. Except for those damn Kalifornia potholes that litter our freeways ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Andy |
|
|
|
| Greg44 |
Jan 6 2010, 07:46 PM
Post
#8
|
|
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 25 Joined: 13-September 09 From: Central Point, Oregon Member No.: 10,801 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Thank you guys for the info. I will try some roller bearings and some Koni's. Now I have to explain to the Wife why I need 900$ FOR STRUTS. Thanks again
|
|
|
|
| r_towle |
Jan 6 2010, 08:56 PM
Post
#9
|
|
Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,574 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States
|
QUOTE(SirAndy @ Jan 5 2010, 06:19 PM) QUOTE(r_towle @ Jan 5 2010, 03:08 PM) I dont agree with the roller bearings. I had both...the rubber bushings do mask alot of road feel...there is not metal to metal. I don't agree with you not agreeing ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Tough...best I could come up with... OR I dont agree that you dont agree with me not agreeing. |
|
|
|
| Eric_Shea |
Jan 7 2010, 08:55 AM
Post
#10
|
|
PMB Performance Group: Admin Posts: 19,275 Joined: 3-September 03 From: Salt Lake City, UT Member No.: 1,110 Region Association: Rocky Mountains  |
QUOTE I dont agree that you dont agree with me not agreeing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (I think...) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) The rubber isolating the suspension makes a difference. It's slight, on impacts, but it's there... How bout this: You're both right: When I got hard/no-resistance bushings (Elephants, Freemotion etc.) I was amazed at the feel and function of the suspension. To Andy's point... smooth. I've yet to try my Freemotions but, they have the same metal-on-metal makeup. I also noticed a certain harshness to slower speed events like driveway aprons and pot holes/irregularities on city streets. To Rich's point, the rubber masks this feel. I may eventually go back to rubber on my 911. I like Koni's on full soft as well. Next time I'm up in Dredford we could hook up and I could take a look at your car. |
|
|
|
| ChrisFoley |
Jan 7 2010, 09:07 AM
Post
#11
|
|
I am Tangerine Racing Group: Members Posts: 7,925 Joined: 29-January 03 From: Bolton, CT Member No.: 209 Region Association: None
|
I think the old rubber bushings lose a lot of the compliance over time that they had originally.
My DD still had oem front bushings with old Bilstein inserts until this fall. I switched to Delrin bushings and the harshness went away. The front end is still very stiff from the Bilsteins but I no longer feel a jarring effect from every bump in the road. If you really want the isolated feel of the original suspension I think its absolutely essential to install NEW rubber bushings. |
|
|
|
|
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 14th May 2024 - 07:44 PM |
Invision Power Board
v9.1.4 © 2024 IPS, Inc.