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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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85.5 Suspension Options - Need Changing All the way Around!
I've got an 85.5, the rear struts are GONE. Dangerously gone. I've never been in such a bouncy/springy ride. The front struts too, as one of them is gone, the other seems okay (replace in a pair of course)
Designed Role * Spring/Summer Time Fun Car (these typically become daily drivers since I enjoy it so much) * Not a dedicated AutoX car, but may go ONCE a year, if that. * I enjoy low speed, high G, turns. Tires are ultra-high performance summer tires, as per the roll of the car. Not winter driven. So I am looking for firm (or adjustable), not bone rattling, but not plush either. Thinking maybe Bilstein shocks, Koni adjustable struts up front? What are some good options? 
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 09:25 AM
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Certified Rennwerker
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kansas
Posts: 1,906
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Yellow Koni's all 4, bigger sway bars and you are good to go and perhaps a 200 lb spring set...BTW fronts are struts rears are shocks. Springs do the hard work for stiffness the struts/shocks handle the damper rates on the upward swing of the chassis. Stiffer the strut helps keep the tire planted longer when unweighting.
Dal
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PCA " I've been everywhere, done everything......just can't remember any of it!" 
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12-04-2007, 09:48 AM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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heh, well, to my surprise, my 88S Koni M030 package arrived (bought in the parts forum 4 weeks ago). Me and the seller had a heck of time with the shipping agents, but finally it arrived! Going to clean it up and look at it
It should fit my 85.5, I've been told. =D I didn't think it was going to arrive so wanted to see what my other options were!! 
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 10:08 AM
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That Guy
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I agree with Dal..
-Turbo or 968 M030 sway bars -Dont mix and match the Bilsteins and Koni's. Go with four of the same brand so the valving is the same. Both are good choices, though i am a little more partial to Koni's due to the adjustability.. (Bilsteins are just as good). -200lb front springs are a good match if you dont want to screw around with the torsion bars in the back. The Weltmeister springs drop the car about 1 - 1.5 inches. You can drop the rear with the camber eccentrics but you will probably still have a .5 - 1 inch rake front to rear. Alternatively you can get the spacer springs which raise the ride height back up to stock. This is a 'budget' setup, but a very good one.
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Jon 1988 Granite Green 911 3.4L 2005 Arctic Silver 996 GT3 Past worth mentioning - 1987 924S, 1987 944, 1988 944T with 5.7L LS1 |
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12-04-2007, 10:09 AM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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Thank you both. =)
I may end up using some of that once I get a baseline, and other Pelicans will benefit from what you took the time to write. =)
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 10:11 AM
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Misunderstood User
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I went with a set-up as Jon suggests. Koni's all around, 200 lb springs in front (lowered the front about an inch), bigger sway bars front and rear. The only thing remaining is lower the rear and get an alignment. I like this set up very much.
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Jim 1983 944n/a 2003 Mercedes CLK 500 - totaled. Sanwiched on the Kennedy Expressway |
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12-04-2007, 12:04 PM
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Certified Rennwerker
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kansas
Posts: 1,906
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For a somewhat maxed out ride do mine.......400lb springs lowered to the max, belly darn near draggin' and M030 968 bars fr/rr then some spherical bushings, Koni's w/adjustable perches. Big ole' torsion bar, I think mine used to hold up the Empire State building.
 Dal
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PCA " I've been everywhere, done everything......just can't remember any of it!"
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12-04-2007, 02:03 PM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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Oh noes! My rear shocks on the M030 package seem shot.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-technical-forum/380791-these-shocks-blown-video-inside.html#post3625653 However, these seem okay... won't be able to test but I believe the seller said they were good when pulled (The shocks he said seemed a little soft but still good... so we'll see!) 
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 03:45 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MD.
Posts: 487
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That is not an m030 strut.
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94 968 Polar Silver/Black, LSD, 6 speed, Short Shift, Kenesis K58's, Adjustable Konis, M030 Swaybars, Dynatech Strut Brace, Design 1 Racing Lower Strut Bar, Air Box Mod, B&B Catback, RS Barn Chip, Big Reds 86 951 Black/Black Lindsey 3" Exhaust, Lindsey DP Wastegate, Lindsey Black Knob, 3 Bar FPR, MaxHP Chips |
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12-04-2007, 03:48 PM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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Quote:
Ummm? Why not? =) Supposed to be, I'm too green to know the difference, and I see a star inside that looks adjustable (if I had the right key)... The adjustable Koni's on my MR2 have a flat nipple that comes out and works with a twist knob... so how are the Porsche Koni's adjustable, normally... looks like I could fit an allen (though I think it has one more side than an Allen)... Help?
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 04:16 PM
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That Guy
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Those look like M474 option struts. M030 struts all came with an adjustable lower spring perch..the M474 came with the standard fixed lower perch (what you have pictured). The M030's were also valved a little stiffer i believe. I am pretty sure they are still adjustable though.
If the struts / shocks are worn out, you can have them rebuilt or just do the 'hack job' conversion and put in the Koni inserts. You could have done the same thing with your current strut housing.
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Jon 1988 Granite Green 911 3.4L 2005 Arctic Silver 996 GT3 Past worth mentioning - 1987 924S, 1987 944, 1988 944T with 5.7L LS1 Last edited by Techno Duck; 12-04-2007 at 04:56 PM.. |
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12-04-2007, 04:52 PM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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The seller told me they are from an 88 944S, and are the option suspension. Was there only one option? So are they definitely M474's? What do I use to adjust them? Is there an external dial (like my MR2 came with, white knob), or do I use a tool that fits?
It looks like the struts themselves have been replaced as I can see what looks like a new red seal when looking at the strut with the cap removed. =)
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 05:02 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MD.
Posts: 487
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They are m474. You may get lucky and the knob from your MR2 will work. You can look here on Pelican, I am sure you buy the koni knob separately.
Or you can use some pliers.
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94 968 Polar Silver/Black, LSD, 6 speed, Short Shift, Kenesis K58's, Adjustable Konis, M030 Swaybars, Dynatech Strut Brace, Design 1 Racing Lower Strut Bar, Air Box Mod, B&B Catback, RS Barn Chip, Big Reds 86 951 Black/Black Lindsey 3" Exhaust, Lindsey DP Wastegate, Lindsey Black Knob, 3 Bar FPR, MaxHP Chips |
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12-04-2007, 05:06 PM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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There is no flat nipple/head to grab. It is a socket, and I need a tool or knob with extension to insert and turn.
Is that normal? Anyone have pics?So it's M474... I should get the matching shocks then... =) Also, Pelican says "951-343-031-06-OEM Front Sport Gas Koni Strut Assembly With Adjustable Dampening, M474, Left, 944/944 Turbo (02/85-88), Each " So I can adjust the strut, just not the height, which is fine. =) Edit. Just checked one - 951 343 032 06. = Front Sport Gas Koni Strut Assembly With Adjustable Dampening, M474, Right, 944/944 Turbo (02/85-88) So good guess above. This is the knob my Mr2 has, but looks like it might come with the right adapter... However, it's also plastic, I think the inside of mine is metal... Anyone have and adjust there M474?
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
Last edited by phoenix_iii; 12-04-2007 at 05:24 PM.. |
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12-04-2007, 05:09 PM
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Certified Rennwerker
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kansas
Posts: 1,906
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As Techno stated you should have all 4 the same shocks/struts, do not mismatch.
Get the spring cleaned up and look for colored dots, once you do we can tell what rate and option they are for sure. Dal
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PCA " I've been everywhere, done everything......just can't remember any of it!"
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12-04-2007, 05:28 PM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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Quote:
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 05:33 PM
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Certified Rennwerker
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kansas
Posts: 1,906
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Yellow? How about red white or blue? My manual has nothing on yellow but again I am a year off on specs.
Dal.........My pleasure....GL!
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PCA " I've been everywhere, done everything......just can't remember any of it!"
Last edited by 924Sman; 12-04-2007 at 05:45 PM.. Reason: add for politeness |
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12-04-2007, 05:35 PM
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That Guy
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Yellow dots are correct for M474 struts from a 944S. From what ive read in thefactory manual, only certain cars M474 equipped cars, most notably the later ones (manual states mid year '87 models) came with the adjustment tab. Im not sure how you adjust the older style ones.
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Jon 1988 Granite Green 911 3.4L 2005 Arctic Silver 996 GT3 Past worth mentioning - 1987 924S, 1987 944, 1988 944T with 5.7L LS1 |
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12-04-2007, 05:47 PM
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Quality
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia area and Morristown NJ
Posts: 951
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It does say adjustable on the housing, and the part # was full readable. =)
So hopefully I can get an official answer. =D Love you guys though, all input appreciated.
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85.5 944 NA 5spd - Sold but not forgotten 89 951 Turbo S - Revival in progress...
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12-04-2007, 05:51 PM
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The Kraut Burner
The Bratwurst Burner
Das Boost
