987S Suspension Refresh

[vitaminc]

After AX season ended I debated with myself for a while whether I should leave the car as is, refresh the suspension, or just replace the car. I ruled out leaving the car as-is because with 120k miles, the suspension is very tired and clearly worn out. And I ruled out replacing the car as the price gap for something that would be an upgrade vs a lateral move to a different car that still had worn out suspension was too much.

So, fresh suspension! Then the question became whether to keep it OEM or go for coil overs, upgraded sway bars, etc… I decided to stick with primarily OEM-type components for next season, and then I can do further changes if needed.

With that decision made, I bought a lot of parts! I decided on the Bilstein B6 as they are slightly stiffer than stock but work with the existing springs. And I got Tarett adjustable rear toe arms because the OEM replacements were out of stock everywhere. So if I lower it later with coil overs I’ll be set for keeping the rear toe in check.

And since I plan to do the install myself I got a QuickJack. Because I deserve it

Now I just need to assemble the jack and get to work…

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[blueline]

I like the plans and your way of thinking!

[aboyandhisdog]

I did this exact same project last spring and even used the B6's also. You might not need those bump stops as the B6 has then built into the bottom's of the struts and you can't even get to them. Let us know how you like the B6. My ride is a tad harsh at times with them (for me). I even called Bilstein and they said I should have bought the B4's! Very helpful...thanks a lot! SMH...

You are going to love the Quick Jacks! With them, there is almost nothing that you can't do. There are still some projects that I wouldn't trust myself doing, but at least it isn't because I can't gain access to most all of the car. I use them frequently for all my vehicles.

Awesome project - keep us apprised of your progress and let us know how you like the B6's. I love them 90% of the time, but that other 10%, not so much. I will admit though it is kind of hard to know how much of the poor ride is the dampers and how much can be attributed to the lower profile tires these cars have. I just ordered new 17" wheels to replace my 18's so we'll see if a little more sidewall helps.

[vitaminc]

I did this exact same project last spring and even used the B6's also. You might not need those bump stops as the B6 has then built into the bottom's of the struts and you can't even get to them. Let us know how you like the B6. My ride is a tad harsh at times with them (for me). I even called Bilstein and they said I should have bought the B4's! Very helpful...thanks a lot! SMH...

You are going to love the Quick Jacks! With them, there is almost nothing that you can't do. There are still some projects that I wouldn't trust myself doing, but at least it isn't because I can't gain access to most all of the car. I use them frequently for all my vehicles.

Awesome project - keep us apprised of your progress and let us know how you like the B6's. I love them 90% of the time, but that other 10%, not so much. I will admit though it is kind of hard to know how much of the poor ride is the dampers and how much can be attributed to the lower profile tires these cars have. I just ordered new 17" wheels to replace my 18's so we'll see if a little more sidewall helps.

Thanks for the feedback! I wasn’t sure about the bump stops; I figure I’ll return them if not needed.

Since most of my miles are to/from AX events- typically 100 mi each way- I hope the B6 isn’t too punishing. The car has basically no damping now, so I’m sure it will feel much firmer in comparison!

I’ve also got a new motor mount to install and am considering repainting the brake calipers since the suspension work will be easier if they are not in the way.

[aboyandhisdog]

I think I'd do the motor mounts as a pair. If one is sketchy, the other one isn't far behind. I put the RS mounts in a couple of years ago and am very happy with them. Nice and tight! But the new OE mounts are good too!

[vitaminc]

I think I'd do the motor mounts as a pair. If one is sketchy, the other one isn't far behind. I put the RS mounts in a couple of years ago and am very happy with them. Nice and tight! But the new OE mounts are good too!

You confused me for a moment there- the 997 has two motor mounts, my 987 only has one!

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticl ... Mounts.htm

Though now that I look at it, I think I got just the mount bushing and not the mount itself. Not so useful since I don’t have a press to swap them out.

[aboyandhisdog]

Good catch! I had no idea the 987 had just one mount. I learned something today...guess I can go back to bed now!

[renns70]

Nice pics of your purchases. I've heard a lot of good things about Bilsteins on 987s and 997s and how they work with stock springs etc. And yes, you deserve those Quickjacks! I'm jealous!

[vitaminc]

Progress has been slow! But that is pretty typical for me. Anyway, I finally got around to unpacking the QuickJack and started putting it together. I was very excited to finally have a use for my vice Now the thread sealant is curing and I hope to do the final assembly and bleed the system tomorrow afternoon.

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[aboyandhisdog]

You're going to wonder how you ever got along without Quickjacks! I'll be using mine on Monday to R&R the starter and Y-cable.