Porsche 911UK Forum

Welcome to the @Porsche911UK website. Register a free account today to become a member! Sign up is quick and easy, then you can view, participate in topics and posts across the site that covers all things Porsche.

Already registered and looking to recovery your account, select 'login in' and then the 'forget your password' option.

à–hlins Fitted to my 993

Barryn

Well-known member
Joined
19 Oct 2013
Messages
261
Ok. :oops:
It's been a while.

The suspension has been in the car since May so now full bedded/settled in.
Now I must admit I'm a bit of an à–hlins fan, so may be biased, but this is really based on using their dampers for thirty years on different things over that time.
I fitted them myself (roughly) just so I could reduce the costs and do all the prep and cleaning that I knew I would need to do "while I was there" so spent two days going through all the bits and pieces.
New ARB's were also on the list as it was obvious I was still on the originals.

So, the plan was fit suspension then the ARB's then drive to Centre of Gravity to get all the important geometry set.
Some images..


34275062860_5f5f1b88c5_o.jpg

32865873434_29b0549be7_k.jpg



The old bushes.. shot.

36706141892_e3a7152a23_k.jpg

36044416874_123f8ab6d7_k.jpg


The previous shocks were Koni FSD's, I had no real issues with these but for a need (or perceived need) for the ability to adjust the damping.

36738749521_35f1a70b40_k.jpg


Hub separated, before a good clean..

36070076373_7c9388180f_k.jpg

Then the top mounts.
36707539242_8fe591e0af_k.jpg


New top mount plate offered up.

36878429805_76e5382fca_k.jpg


But decided that they should go the other way round, these are solid top mounts and are very nicely machined.
36482151520_740e7665be_k.jpg



36734827321_d1bd3fcf01_k.jpg

36481008950_bbf36a5e1c_k.jpg

Initial fitting, with new bushes and clamps. (SuperPro bushes used)

The car was then driven to Center of gravity for everything to be finished off properly
Chris and Pete really do know what they are doing and they share all the details of what, where, why and when, it was great to watch (I tried to help by not getting in the way too much)
The car was birthed after a test drive to assess the current handling then the before geometry was taken.
The company couldn't be better, a beautiful RS.

36040410984_0dcbbaee40_k.jpg

36066091213_10d7608e96_k.jpg

36478221170_de7436251e_k.jpg


The only surprise of the day was my lower arms, they had to go, but every cloud...
Chris has some brand new genuine replacements, so the job wasn't stopped.

36066091333_5922f84328_k.jpg


So then on to the final fitting and geometry set up, all the parts touched received a mark after torque checks.
The ride height was set at RS plus 10mm making for a best real world balance.

36874706815_75bae810d7_k.jpg

36901841475_858fd8a50f_k.jpg

36732156602_ca9f181444_k.jpg



The day ended with Pete and I going for a test drive around the same route as the morning to ascertain any differences.

Amazing results, the confidence the car gave as soon as you got going was well worth all the effort. What was a surprise was the better initial acceleration, due to less weight transfer to rear and vice versa, better more stable braking the front as there was less dive, and it tracks so straight..
Turn in, stability, transition through corners then out through to the exit was so well damped, really impressed. (Very happy)
This was straight out of the box, I have done about three thousand miles or so now and the newness (stiction) is none existent.
The combination of the the geometry and the dampers has been well worth it, and after all the checks I'm 100% sure everything under the car is right.
 
I fancy these on my 997. I was immensely impressed with the damping on my Megane that had them. Superior to any other suspension I've had or been driven on.
 
JonnyBaddeley said:
I fancy these on my 997. I was immensely impressed with the damping on my Megane that had them. Superior to any other suspension I've had or been driven on.

I can't recommend them enough.. go for it.
 
ms2015 said:
Lovely job Barry.
Have C of G done your setup yet?

See above.. more details ^ 🙂
 
Barry a fascinating write up - great pictures and looks like the job was handled very well - you did the dirty bit of course:)
The Lower arms were considered worn or not quite at the same degree of machined angle that they left the factory?
Lovely stuff - hope you are having a lot of fun driving it.
 
Great write up.

Looking to switch my dampers our in the next 6 months for something more track orientated, but still road useable.

Currently looking at KW V3 or Bilstein PSS10 - maybe I need to add some Ohlins into the mix!
 
Nice work!

What is the compliance like over small and large bumps?

My friend's 996 C4S on sports suspension was horrible. Hard and jiggly over all surfaces unless perfectly smooth, with lots of noise and felt thumps coming through into the cabin.

My C4 on B8's and H&R springs has better compliance and less noise than his C4S but big lumps in the road do come through. Body control is better though than other 993s I've ridden in.
 
Nice to see a 993 on Ohlins. What a great combination. I just took delivery of a set of R&Ts for my old 2006 MINI: I just got a bit tired of the ultra firm ride of the Bilstein B14s and - like you - wanted a bit of adjustability. The poor 997 on the other hand will need to stay on its Damptronics...
 
Nice one Barry, great pics and write-up :thumb:

I take my hat off to you for removing the old suspension and installing the new - nice job. Also a fantastic opportunity to spend some time checking the condition of bodywork and undercarriage and give it a bit of a clean-up too.

It must have been a great feeling when you experienced that immediate improvement once it was all set-up correctly.

Now it's all bedded in, when does the playing with adjustments start?? :lol:
 
The best way to describe the feel of the car now is firm, it is just very well damped, it doesn't dive, crash or skitter, and no extra noise.
It is harder but in a good way :oops:

The roads up here can be rough with dips, crests and compression's that did upset the car especially if you backed off on the power (due to unfamiliarity of the road for example) you could feel the weight of the engine trying rebound a little bit fast and "push" you a bit or threaten to over take you..
The car is balanced now, I feel the front end better and the back end of the car now has a controlled depth to it, the dampers are in control not the other way round.

The chap who does my MOTS races a Renault cup car with track Ohlins on and he said I was going to ruin my car!! So I was a little worried, these are not track dampers, they are absolutely perfect for the driving I do.
My wife has been with me on a few trips this summer and hasn't batted an eyelid, no complaints at all. (whilst she isn't fully calibrated she would have certainly complained if the ride was harsh)



Sutton said:
Nice work!

What is the compliance like over small and large bumps?

My friend's 996 C4S on sports suspension was horrible. Hard and jiggly over all surfaces unless perfectly smooth, with lots of noise and felt thumps coming through into the cabin.

My C4 on B8's and H&R springs has better compliance and less noise than his C4S but big lumps in the road do come through. Body control is better though than other 993s I've ridden in.
 
I think I would have considered Ohlins if I was intending to track the car as they make excellent components, my experience of them is mainly on motorcycles when I raced.

I have a Targa so no intention of track use and thought the FSD set-up maybe more suitable, not to mention cost.

Trev
 
Thanks Tony.

I like to take some time over this stuff and I'm not paid by the hour so I can really make sure it is spot on. Though rolling around under the car for few days certainly works some muscles..
Everything is so well put together on these it is a pleasure to
work on them. So this is a win win.

Off to Fort William next week I will be tweeking then.


MilSub said:
Nice one Barry, great pics and write-up :thumb:

I take my hat off to you for removing the old suspension and installing the new - nice job. Also a fantastic opportunity to spend some time checking the condition of bodywork and undercarriage and give it a bit of a clean-up too.

It must have been a great feeling when you experienced that immediate improvement once it was all set-up correctly.

Now it's all bedded in, when does the playing with adjustments start?? :lol:
 
FSD's work really well are great value for money and are a definite improvement over standard so good choice :thumb:


Cameltoe & Heel said:
I think I would have considered Ohlins if I was intending to track the car as they make excellent components, my experience of them is mainly on motorcycles when I raced.

I have a Targa so no intention of track use and thought the FSD set-up maybe more suitable, not to mention cost.

Trev
 
would suggest some clear wax (bilt hamber) for those lovely threaded sections for the spring collars/locknuts, altho Ohlins are great quality they still rust up on there in winter etc. i put ohlins on my mx5 sprint car and it transformed the handling :thumb:
 

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
124,354
Messages
1,439,445
Members
48,708
Latest member
JLav211
Back
Top