Ordered new inserts from Pelican a month ago ( KYB), pulled out the old ones (Koni) insert the new ones and find they are a little long (long enough the top bolt will not engage the housing). Koni has an appendage that fits a recess on the bottom. Does this mean I can only use Konis or can the KYB's have their bottom reinforcement machined off to fit? Pelican sales was not knowledgeable enough to solve the problem. Hate to send the things back without accomplishing anything, plus dealing with the USPS. Can't think this is an isolated case.

They are too long for the threaded top to close over them on the strut?

Are your strut tubes OEM 914-4 or ???

Check on which struts you have in there as noted above.

Then send those KYBs back & order some great Konis or Bilsteins - which are far better than the KYBs IMHO!

I have a similar question - it is the "check on which struts you have in there" that gives me concern, how can you tell what is there? Do most of the struts fit in each other's tubes? Specifically - will bilsteins fit in a boge tube (I'm assuming that I have boge stock from the factory)?

damn I hate being a newbie, so much to learn, so many questions....sigh.

thx

td

Green strut tube = Bils. Black = Boge/Sachs.

Thanks for the interest. I've owned the car for 20+ years and bought a pair of Konis not knowing there were fitment issues. Finally got around to putting in the used Konis and what came out were also Konis and also used up (you can't always believe those swap meet guys) especially when you want to believe in them. Sooooo bought the bargain KYB's and find out they are too tall for the strut housing to engage the flat threaded nut. The struts were black at least when I bought the car. Not all is lost I'm getting even better changing the darn things.

Get the number off the barrel of the Konis. That can be cross referenced to the Porsche number, and then to the Kill Your Backs.

The Cap'n

Blessing in disguise... gives you a good reason to send them back and get real shocks. One of the best things you can do to a 914 (real shocks and remove the KYB's).

I just replaced my front inserts with Bilsteins. I had no idea what inserts were in the struts but, the PO sold me the car with KYB's on the rear and 50 series tires all around. My ride was HARD until I switched to the Bilsteins. Kill Your Back is right, along with other parts of your anatomy! I only changed the fronts but, the ride is MUCH better. DO NOT USE KYB!

Depending what struts you have in front (part #) will determine what options you will have to work with. Maybe. I say maybe because I could not find my strut p/n anywhere online. I still don't know what car my struts originally came on. I took a chance and bought the struts for the closest similarity I could find to my p/n.

Good Luck!

Oh yeah, for those that still debate whether to put oil in the strut tube, my drivers side had oil and the passenger side was dry.

I agree with the NON use of KYB's ,I also have discovered to my dismay that 914 strut housings ( espeically 73 &74 ) have holes in the bottom where the balljoint pin sticks up into , basically what ever fluid you use in the housing to cool the insert will eventually leak out . The 911 struts that I have delt with , 911T '70 , 911 later '89 have no hole in bottom , not sure of other years , but the point is 914 strut housings have holes in the bottoms= Leaky.

Jack

My Orange 914 in 2009 had the original Boge's all around with dates from 8/72

Putting Bilstein's all around was like going to Heaven.

Green front strut inserts and yellow rears, with 140lb Weltmeister springs.

Like a totally different car.

I can change lanes at 80 like it is a slot car.

John