Average life for stock suspension?

[drpaulmarsh]

What is the average life for a factory set up of struts/springs etc..?

Also "when they go..." what characteristically will I feel when cornering? :drive:

Absent visible leakage, can one tell too by visual inspection or palpation?

Paul

(1999' C2 Coupe w/ 18" wheels with 73k miles)

[PeterC4]

What is the average life for a factory set up  of struts/springs etc..? 

Also "when they go..." what characteristically will I feel when cornering?  :drive:

Absent visible leakage, can one tell too by visual inspection or palpation?

Paul

(1999' C2 Coupe w/ 18" wheels with 73k miles)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is a good question. I'd like to know too. My sense is that shocks may wear faster than springs and how you drive may impact the life.

[PorschePRH]

I spoke to a service writer at Champion Porsche in Florida when shopping around for my car and I asked him this very question. He replied "life of the car, they don't seem to wear out."

That's what he said. He wasn't trying to sell me a car or service (I live in Texas), I was just talking to him about the cars in general.

[x5rap]

I have a '99 tip coupe (Feb-98 build date) with 36K miles and no M030 option. The shocks with their seals, etc. are original and now seven years old. The car is 1K miles and 2 months new to me. It is "darty" in higher speed turns and it tends to bob up and down when it's hard into turns on anything but the smoothest road surface. New shocks are on order.

Shocks don't last the lifetime of a car. I don't care what Champion says. Seals in the shocks go. Some will drive a Porsche like it is a sedan, and they'll never notice worn shocks but I concluded that seven years is enough on a set of shocks on a car I like to drive hard any clean chance I get. I'll let you know how it changes the handling.

[Gator996]

x5rap is correct, the guys at champion are wrong. Big surprise! :rolleyes:

I could tell you about other things Champion has been way off on in my own past dealings with them ..., but I promised my mother that if I had nothing good to say about someone I wouldn't say anything at all. :censored:

Worn shocks (dunno about springs :unsure: ) will make the car float like a big sedan when going over uneven terrain. Just replaced the Bilsteins in my '79SC after it began to ride like a big 'ol caddy going over some patches of uneven road. When the guys at Foreign Affairs in Pompano :thumbup: (just down the street from Champion) looked at the shocks they had been leaking. These were Bilstein inserts and they had lasted between 8 or 9 years without any racing...strictly daily driving.

I've had the new shocks & struts in for a month & a half and the car stays planted firm when going over all terrain...even traintracks, etc. Overall the car feels noticeably tighter. :clapping:

Edited April 6, 2005 by Gator996

[HEDDOK]

Paul

I have "palpated" many body parts when I was a med student and intern but can't remember ever "palpating" shocks! Am considering giving my Boxster a rectal exam to check out the soot in the exhaust tips but will hold off on any more invasive procedures at present.

Take care.

Brad

(Psychiatry)

[PorschePRH]

An easy test you can do to find completely gone shocks is to have someone drive the car on the freeway for you while you watch each wheel from another car. An older, bumpier, section of freeway is best.

If you see any of the wheels bouncing up and down rapidly over the bumps, then the shock is completely gone for that wheel. Doesn't really help for partially gone shocks...

Just about any other test requires removing the shock, which is a pain.

[SPR]

Mine were worn at about 30k. The car was underdamped at that point, but I do drive the car hard 75% of the time.

[gas-man]

:05 PM

If you really want to have an idea if you shocks are still functioning, some suspension shops have the tester for the shock absorber. They put the car all four wheels on some kind of stationary machine where the machine will simulate bumps and curves the car will be subjected to and then grades the suspension as well as shock absorber. I knew about this when i was in New Jersey and having my car ( Mercedes E-320) going thru state inspection where they did the same test.

[Hroussard]

An old trick to figure out if your shocks are shot is to simply press ( with your hand and putting your body weight on) the body down above each of the wheels. If the car rebounds more than once, you're in for new shocks.Then stand in front of your car , spread your arms and grab the bumper and try to shake the car from left to right Do the same in the back .If it's loose and/or makes noises , buy new shocks.

HarryR C2

[SPR]

Yeah that is what I surmounted it went over one revolution in the bumps denoting underdampening.

[MarkC]

What about suspension bushes? I do not believe the shocks on my 00 cab are worn but the ride is awful - bangs and crashes. Could just be the California roads or the 18" rims. Just do not remember the test rides in other cars with 17s riding as badly. Makes my old '68 Healey feel smooth.

Anyone else feel a 911 is too harsh or am I becoming a wus (rhetorical).

Mark

[PeterC4]

Anyone know what it costs to replace a set of shocks, in dollars?

[bet]

MarkC,

What is too harsh for every day driving is all subjective. That said IMHO, there is a huge difference, between the ride of 17" and 18" wheels. Of course tire construction also has an effect.

My Blizzak LM-25's on 17" rims rides so much more smoothly and is less harsh than the Conti's on 18" rims. Personally the 18" don't bother me but I will admit that the 17" offered a very nice ride.

[x5rap]

A set of replacement Bilstein sport shocks for a '99 996 is about $US860 for the shocks and depending upon who installs and aligns, about another approximately $400 or so. If the dealer does it, count on $300 each for the shocks, 4.5 hrs at their labor rate just to install the shocks plus a chunk for the alignment, maybe $250.

I can buy OEM Bilstein shocks online, get them installed at a shop who'll then take the car to another shop where it will get an alignment performed on a Bosch rack, all for less than $1,300 total.