changing front struts in 1996 993

[tshih]

Anyone has link to the correct procedure for changing the front shocks? Does the alignment get disturbed and new alignment be done after replacement of the shocks? Or can they be replaced without disturbing the geometery?

[kang]

Try this:

http://p-car.com/diy/sus/

[rcwaldo]

Yes, you will need to have an alignment after the shock replacement.

The fronts are quite easy to do. Only real trick is dealing with the brake line. You have two choices, one: Dremel a slot into the brake line bracket that is spot welded to the shock that allows the brake line (hard line) to slip out, or two: disconnect the brake line at this connection.

Good luck!

[Bruce SEA 993]

The p-car.com DIY are perfect for this job.

Question...only the fronts? Most change the front and rears at the same time. The car could be unbalanced with only the fronts new.

Cheers

[tshih]

Thanks all, will save up and do all 4 next year. Are the rears a real pain to get to the top of the shocks inside the back of the engine compartment.

[Don Plumley]

The right side is easy as you can just pull the airbox. The left is a bit harder, I already had the heater blower assy off - in my mind the extra 20 minutes to pull off the heater blower is better than 1 hour trying to reach around it and get the shock tower bolts off. An air rachet makes it pretty easy too.

[RallyJon]

New DIY on Rennlist that you should check out, too. Very complete and better/more photos.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=258810

[bill3667]

Just did this over the w/e, rear's upper 4 nuts are not hard but then I've got long skinny arms. I did not remove the blower motor on the left but you will need to remove the airbox cover on the right (very easy). Just keep a flashlight handy and DON'T drop any of the nuts.

I used both the p-car.com DIY and the one from Jeff Snyder on Rennlist, very, very helpful, both of them.

[InTheAir]

Originally posted by RallyJon
New DIY on Rennlist that you should check out, too. Very complete and better/more photos.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=258810

Thanks for posting the link, Jon.

The DIY that is uploaded to Robin's site (p-car.com) might be a tad outdated now. I have kept the one at Rennlist up to date--you can tell by the "update date" at the top of the first page (be sure the use the one with the most recent update date).

Hope it helps.

[InTheAir]

Originally posted by tshih
Thanks all, will save up and do all 4 next year. Are the rears a real pain to get to the top of the shocks inside the back of the engine compartment.

It takes some patience, but it can be done without pulling a lot of the engine parts off. Specifically, when I did mine (see the DIY that Jon posted), I removed the airbox to provide a bit more room on the right side. On the left side, I just used the area that was available (did not remove the heater assembly) and that was enough.

I also did it with a shorter ratchet.

[Tom W]

I watched as both my rear shocks were removed to replace the springs this weekend while at the track. It took about 25 minutes to remove the shocks, swap the springs and replace the shocks. My engine compartment is a little more open than most though.

[Bill Verburg]

some of us do have an easier job of changing the rears than others.

[RallyJon]

Bill, you have backdated heat WITH A/C? Does that work?

[Don Plumley]

It's not backdated, it's a factory RS heat bypass tube. I've done the same to mine - and AC works fine. I had to put in a couple of resistors (one to simulate the motor, the other to trick the temperature input) and kept in the ballast resistor.

[Bill Verburg]

Like Don said