Sachs strut assemblies

[Bukowski]

Sachs strut assemblies but other general q's too

Looking to replace struts.

I see for my late 944 NA the following strut assemblies :


Left(?)
Suspension Strut Assembly 94434303117 - Sachs - 944-343-031-17 | Pelican Parts

Right(?)
Suspension Strut Assembly 94434303217 - Sachs - 944-343-032-17 | Pelican Parts

I have original, I guess Fichtel/Sachs, struts with a plain spring.

I have some dumb questions.


Do the above strut assemblies have the shock in them? Do they include the bump stop? Other doohickeys?

What do the above strut assemblies require for installation - particular springs? The cap thing?

Should the above strut assemblies just work out of the box?

Can the gas shock insert be replaced?

[dlearl]

Originally Posted by Bukowski

Looking to replace struts.



I see for my late 944 NA the following strut assemblies :





Left(?)

http://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/94434303117.htm?pn=944-343-031-17-INT&catalog_description=Suspension%20Strut%20Assembly% 20&SVSVSI=1019



Right(?)

http://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/94434303217.htm?pn=944-343-032-17-INT&catalog_description=Suspension%20Strut%20Assembly% 20&SVSVSI=1019



I have original, I guess Fichtel/Sachs, struts with a plain spring.



I have some dumb questions.





Do the above strut assemblies have the shock in them? Do they include the bump stop? Other doohickeys?



What do the above strut assemblies require for installation - particular springs? The cap thing?



Should the above strut assemblies just work out of the box?



Can the gas shock insert be replaced?

I just did this on my 968. No, new bump stops/ bellows do not come with the above. WYSIWYG.

My car was in Las Vegas for 7 years, and is 24 years old, so when it failed safety inspection due to worn strut tower bushings, I replaced all four struts/shocks, the tower bushings, castor blocks, front control arm bushings and sway bar bushings. (Basically the shocks and everything rubber in the suspension).

It was waaaay overdue. The tech kind of chuckled when he told me the struts had zero rebound.

As for the inserts/struts, that depends on what you want to do. If your car is like my 968, if you have a non-030 suspension, you can either replace the struts with new OEM F&S struts or have someone cut the guts out of your struts so that you can replace them with Koni Sport adjustable cartridges. You can also do that yourself if you're mechanically inclined, it's not very difficult and can be done with basic hand tools.

[thomasryan]

installing the koni inserts is straight forward in your old housings.....it can be a cost advantage. konis should still be on sale right now

do replace the appropriate bump stop whether you buy the entire unit or the insert as the old stop is probably rotten. if your dust shield is ok you can probably just reuse it. do use the anti seal sucking washer with the koni inserts

you will need to set your front camber and toe. if your workspace is level, a digital level and a couple tape measures will get you close enough to drive it to be aligned.


I felt the koni compression setting in the rear was too harsh for a ragtop as only the rebound is adjustable....I went back to sachs in the rear after a few thousand miles on the konis.

[Bukowski]

I thought this would happen...


What Koni thing do I buy
How does it go in the original strut thing and what comes out

[thomasryan]

they don't do outside links here but the part number is Koni 8641-1414 Sport


Porsche 944, 944S, 944S2, 944 Turbo and 968 Koni Sport Strut Insert


the konis come with explicit instructions and Jason has a how to at paragon products.

you drill a small hole to relieve the gas pressure on the bottom cup.. slowly so you don't make a mess or get sprayed.

measure twice and cut once on the old housing. you can cut around the main shaft.

dump the guts.

you now drill a larger hole in the base for the single installation bolt.


if you do not own a spring compressor, there is a work around.

[thomasryan]

and these......Porsche 944, 944S, 944S2, 944 Turbo and 968 Bump Rubber.

[Bukowski]

In case you are wondering, this is very helpful

... I suppose I should ask Paragon, but - just coming from a bad experience with a different DIY rebuild to save a couple hundred - are there exceptions to the strut mod as pointed to above? Is this the fabled "Koni conversion" (if I have that right)? Who invented this modification? Can the cartridge be replaced in the future when the current one wears out? How so? It's not clear how this is better than the modification for Bilsteins that use a welded sleeve?

[Bukowski]

Koni 8641 1414 - is that the gas cylinder part?

Does Pelican have that?

All I can find is the complete strut assembly.

[thomasryan]

The early cars had a threaded cap on the housing to change the insert so there are only two options for the later cars....new assembly or the hacksaw modification.

If you want to maintain the original ride quality, replacing the entire unit is the best. The factory guys design a damping rate to a particular spring rate....it is a 'system'.

The sport inserts in the link will be firmer. Rebound is the only adjustment unless you drop a thousand bucks on the dual adjustable models.....which runs through my mind when I have to drive through town on less than stellar pavement.

The Sachs are around 215-220 each if you price shop so just a Benjamin more than the konis. If you like a supple ride, that would be the route I would take.....especially if you have passengers that might say something))

[thomasryan]

I don't see the koni insert on pelican. Is your car with the M474 option?

[thomasryan]

Here are the instructions for the inserts.

https://www.*****************.com/kb_results.asp?ID=50

[Bukowski]

Not M474.

Do the original springs work with the Koni's?

[Jfrahm]

I am using KYB SB102 boots and bump stops with stock sachs struts.

[thomasryan]

yes, the konis work fine with the stock springs up front.


I went the same route as dlearl plus spring plate bushings. rides like a dream.

[dgcantrell]

IMHO, modifying the Sach strut housing for a cartridge setup would be more trouble than it's worth. I considered it once but decided that I'd just find some M030 struts some day and do it right.

[Bukowski]

After looking a bit more, it appears that all Pelican Parts has for me is the Boge/Sachs?

... Will any other shocks fit in the modifications described/ linked to above? Say a ... blasphemy ... Gabriel?

[thomasryan]

from my understanding, over the counter inserts are going to be for the early threaded top housings.

my preference is the B4 bilsteins on cushy cars and B6 on sporty things but not many options on the later offset cars.

[Jfrahm]

If I had to attempt to make a non-Koni hacksaw mod insert I'd probably start with a B5 Passat / Audi strut since it has a stirrup you could mod into a mounting post. Still too much work IMO.

[Bukowski]

Are the Sachs/Boge strut assemblies rebuildable? I see the Koni's are an $800 core at Paragon...

[DannoXYZ]

Both Sachs & Boge struts come in rebuildable and sealed versions.