What type of shocks?

[e3photo]

I have an 88 coupe with about 114k on her. The ride is a bit rough, and I am not sure if the shocks have ever been replaced. I am not looking for a Lexus ride, just want a less bone jarring on every bump. So what did these come with, and is there a way to tell. Looking under the front, they just lok dirty and maybe black. The rear ones are a bright yellow. I noticed I can get replacements from our host, just trying to decide what I want, or need. Do I have to know the brand to change them out? I will probably go back to stock, or maybe sport as this is primarily a daily driver, not a track car.
Thanks for any input. So far I have put new footwell blowers and linkage in, and have great heat. I have ordered a new windshield washer pump and back flow valves, so I am starting to look ahead for the next project. I love the car and this site.

Cheers,
Emerald

[Paul K]

Emerald:

I just put new Bilstein HD's under my '89 targa, and the ride is great. There are quite a few threads out there on the subject- the search button is your friend!

Good luck,

Paul.

[175mph951]

+1 id go bilsteins....i wouldnt replace with stock boge if thats what you have...they dont last as long and arent warr. as long as bilsteins

[livi]

Yes, change them. They have done their duty after 20 years and those miles. Will transform the ride. I agree, Bilstein is a great choice. I picked the HD too and I am very happy. Of course, I do not track my car. Yet.

[Nine9six]

Originally Posted by e3photo

I have an 88 coupe with about 114k on her. The ride is a bit rough, and I am not sure if the shocks have ever been replaced. I am not looking for a Lexus ride, just want a less bone jarring on every bump. So what did these come with, and is there a way to tell. Looking under the front, they just lok dirty and maybe black. The rear ones are a bright yellow. I noticed I can get replacements from our host, just trying to decide what I want, or need. Do I have to know the brand to change them out? I will probably go back to stock, or maybe sport as this is primarily a daily driver, not a track car.
Thanks for any input. So far I have put new footwell blowers and linkage in, and have great heat. I have ordered a new windshield washer pump and back flow valves, so I am starting to look ahead for the next project. I love the car and this site.
Cheers,
Emerald

Emerald,
Both Boge and Bilstein are OEM for your car. However, the factory would not mix your suspension units.

Your rear shocks sound like they are Bilsteins (yellow). Your fronts are most likely Boge (black). If thats the case, it may be that the back shocks have already been replaced.

It could also be that the front struts were also replaced with Bilstein inserts, which simply drop into the existing Boge strut bodies.

How long have you had the car? Can you contact the previous owner regarding any existing records of shock and strut replacement?

[arbita1]

Originally Posted by Nine9six

Emerald,
Both Boge and Bilstein are OEM for your car. However, the factory would not mix your suspension units.

Your rear shocks sound like they are Bilsteins (yellow). Your fronts are most likely Boge (black). If thats the case, it may be that the back shocks have already been replaced.

It could also be that the front struts were also replaced with Bilstein inserts, which simply drop into the existing Boge strut bodies.

How long have you had the car? Can you contact the previous owner regarding any existing records of shock and strut replacement?

I'd agree with this assessment, that they were probably replaced with Bilstein's along the way. If they are yellow, they are the Sports, which may be the reason the ride is too rough for you.

You may want to go with the Bilstein HD's (which are green and softer setting). You can also look at Koni's which are adjustable.

[e3photo]

Thanks for the replies.

I had done a search, but probably missed the part on how to tell what you have. I did the old test of pushing down on the car to get it to bounce, and it don't bounce, so I figure the previous post are dead on about the replacement shocks. I would imagine that original shocks with 114k would bounce a little. These are definitely firm.
I have also noticed in other posts that most recommend replacing the rubber bushings and such when you get new shocks. Could this help the ride? I hate to take off good shocks, when maybe there could be something else lacking. Maybe I will get used to them, although the wife might not

Cheers,
Emerald

[bonkers]

Had my car's 20 year old, 64k mile Boge shocks replaced with brand new Bilstien HDs a few months ago.

With the shocks settled in and a professional alignment, the car handles sweet as can be. I went on a 600-odd mile road trip just before the swap and another just after and the difference was like night and day. Love it!

I have not tracked my car and don't plan to.

[burgermeister]

I *think* I have original shocks (boge) in my 88, 151K miles. I know there is no gas pressure in them at any rate. Overshoot for a bounce, measured with a dial indicatior, is absolutely minimal. My car rides as good as can be expected.

Ride height much lower than factory settings can cause a rough ride - check the height using the factory method (not the fender lip method).

As can eccentric suspension bushings (especially in the front - pull the torsion bars and see if they're hitting the A-arms).

[stlrj]

Assuming it's been lowered, your suspension could be resting on the rubber bump stops.

[e3photo]

Thanks for the input.
I will have to do a search and learn how to check ride height. I am new to suspension, but learning quickly.

Cheers,
Emerald

[HarryD]

While not the most accurate, you can get a quick check on ride height by measuring you fender arch heights.

FWIW, the "bounce test" does not work with torsion bar cars.

If you are seeking a nice street ride, go with Bilstein HD and you should be fine.

Look at the rubber inhte rear springplate housings, the metal thing you see sticking out is the the torsion bar end. If it is touchinghte bolted in plate, the bushings are dead and need to be replaced.

You can see the end of the rear torsion bar and it's cover in the left hand side of this picture (thanks Highfield!):

[rnln]

hi e3photo,
may I jump in for couple related questions?

hi bonkers,
How much taller your car sits with Bilstein HD, after it settle down?
Did you have to adjust the way your car sit (adjust hight/low)?

HarryD,
Do you know the different between Bilstein HD and sport?
Which one is harsher?
I assume the sport is shorter. Doest that mean the HD will make the car sit higher?
Can you compare between HD and sport, how much higher each after they settle?
After search and read a lot of opinions on this board, I still can't tell why someone choose all HD while someone else choose HD in the front and sport in the rear. Do you know the advantages/disadvantages?

Thanks.

[HarryD]

The Bilstein HD's are set for a comfortable street ride while the Sports are a tad bit shorter (good if you lower your car) and provide firmer damping that many on the track prefer.

Why HD front and Sport rear? From what I have been able to find out, the front of a 911 is very light and the softer HD in front gives a more compliant (i.e. better controlled) ride even on the track. The sport rear helps control excessive squat and rebound in the rear. Steve Weiner's Web pages explain much of this (http://www.rennsportsystems.com).

[porschenut]

Even a 911 with stock Boge shocks doesn't have a comfortable street ride, IMO, which is fine since it's not supposed to. Bilstein HD is an upgrade that is stiffer than stock.

[burgermeister]

Originally Posted by HarryD

FWIW, the "bounce test" does not work with torsion bar cars.

The bounce test works the same on torsion bar cars as on coil spring cars - it lets you know if there is still oil in the shock. And that's probably all it lets you know.

But, as long as there is oil and a reasonable amount of damping, the worn shock should not cause a poor ride. Poor handling and roadholding, who knows, but not poor ride. After all, luxury cars have much less damping that sports cars for a reason.

[Flieger]

Unless you call a bouncy ride a bad ride...(underdamped)

[bonkers]

Originally Posted by rnln

hi bonkers,
How much taller your car sits with Bilstein HD, after it settle down?
Did you have to adjust the way your car sit (adjust hight/low)?

I can't tell you empirically what difference the HD's made to my ride height becuase I didn't measure before I had them changed. Immediately after the change it was noticably higher but after about a week, week and a half the shocks had settled and it looked the same as it did before to me.

By the way, my car is stock US ride height. I didn't want it lowering even to Euro ride height: I like the taller look and I didn't want to worry about every curb and speed bump. Handles just fine.

As far as Bilstien HD vs Sport, John Walker who did the work and is well known around here for his technical advice told me that the Sports are stiffer which helps counteract a tendency for the rear end of the car to squat under hard acceleration.

[rnln]

Thanks everyone. Look like I will ahve to send John a PM for thse detail questions. Hopefully he will have the time to type.
Again, thanks guys.

[bonkers]

Originally Posted by rnln

Thanks everyone. Look like I will ahve to send John a PM for thse detail questions. Hopefully he will have the time to type.
Again, thanks guys.

If it helps any, John's initial recommendation was to lower to Euro height and go with HDs at the front and Sports at the rear. When I told him I didn't want to lower and I wasn't going to track the car he switched to HDs all round.