Shocks

[EA911]

Well it looks like I'll need to get some new shocks installed very soon and wanted some advice on which shock to upgrade to. I have a 69T non hot rod and commute twice a week via twisty mountain road and the usual weekend fun trips. Since my T doesn't have much HP I wanted to get the handling down first and then maybe some engine mods when the time comes for a rebuild. Running stock torsen bars with 15mm front sway and 18mm rears.

So should I replace them with:

A. Bilstein greens
B. Bilstein yellows
C. Koni
D. Boge
E. Revalved shocks

Thanks in advance.

[John Z Goriup]

As a direct response to your question, I recommend the Bilstein Green shocks.

However, to maximize the effect of the new shocks, I submit you can dramatically improve the ride & handling if you also install all new OEM stock rubber bushings front and rear at all locations. That step hasn't been practical in the past since OEM bushings were simply not available (unless you purchased entire new front A-arms and aftermarket bushings for the rear ), but now are. ( Elephant Racing, San Jose )

The total effect of all the above, combined with appropriate, relatively fresh tires and suspension alignement after a mild lowering will amaze you.

[304065]

Koni adjustables on their softest setting. Bilstein Green (Heavy Duty) may have too much valving for stock torsion bars on a light weight 69T.

I agree with John completely about the bushings, it will make a giant difference.

[t6dpilot]

What are the Bilstein Yellows - sport?

[70SATMan]

What are the Bilstein Yellows - sport?

Typically referred to, yes.

The big question is what front struts are on the car??

[EA911]

Thanks for all the replies. The car currently has the black struts with Boge inserts.

As far as bushings I'm planning on replacing them all when I upgrade the shocks. I already installed the rears with Elephant PB bushings when I lowered the car and probably should replace the banana arm bushings as well.

The fronts seem to need the most bushings plus I'll upgrade to turbo tie rods and install some washers for bump steer. All sway bars have fresh bushings as well.

So is the recommendation to go with Bilstein greens based on my intended use? or are they too heavy duty for my light weight car. I do want to have a little softness to roll the car around the corners and I figure the stock torsion bar should give me that.

[John Z Goriup]

the fact that your car has the Boge struts presently answers the big question re which inserts will fit.....certainly the green Bilsteins will.

304065 makes a good point about the green Bilsteins possibly being too agressivly valved, but I personally believe the superiority of the Bilsteins over any other shock absorber is such ( longevity, reliability, instant response to deflections, consistent performance over exteremly long service life, best support in the industry ) that I would install them and then drive the car until I assessed their suitability, and then have Bilstein revalve them according to your needs and instructions if they are not exactly what you want. They have an enormous amount of experience and long history of performing this service over the years and can easily & effectively custom-taylor the shocks to your exact prefernce. Relatively speaking, the re-valving is not that expensive if you deal with Bilstein directly. They have done this for several of my cars in the past and have always hit the bullseye dead on the first time based on my description of what the shocks were doing and what I wanted them to do.

Incidentally, I wouldn't describe an Elephant poly-bronze equipped rear suspension as being entirely non hot-rod. Since you have the PB bushings in the springplates I would certainly go with the uni-ball bushings for the trailing arms to complete the rear package. That change won't cause a deterioration in ride quality as long as you already have the PBs in the trailing arms. All you'd need after that is a 20mm Smart-Racing ARB with new WEVO mounts / consoles. Again, the results will amaze you, and you just may find that the standard green Bilsteins are the perfect match to your set-up.

Please let us know what you decide and how it works after you install it.

[EA911]

Thanks John and all -

Do you recommend the monoball strut top camber plate bushing or just the harden elephant racing rubber bushing? I have limited porsche funds for this month so trying to put the parts into priority. I'm going to assume the monoball trailing arm bushing is a must to complete the rear.

Cheers!

[EA911]

tAll you'd need after that is a 20mm Smart-Racing ARB with new WEVO mounts / consoles.

The car did not come with any ARB so I did weld smart racing mounts to install stock 18mm porsche S sways.

On a side note:
The Wevo ARB mounts only fit properly on cars that already have factory mounts. For some reason 1969 (and perhaps other years) did not have the same frame structure where the mounts would normally be so Jerry Woods fabricated their own mounts to fit perfectly on these cars.

[John Z Goriup]

Thanks John and all -

Do you recommend the monoball strut top camber plate bushing or just the harden elephant racing rubber bushing? I have limited porsche funds for this month so trying to put the parts into priority. I'm going to assume the monoball trailing arm bushing is a must to complete the rear.

Cheers!

whatever you do, do yourself a favor & DO NOT install monball top bushings on a road / weekend car. You should bear in mind that all the suspension bushings on the car are in a rotational application, and thus do not directly feed the total sum of vertical forces into the chassis structure EXCEPT the top strut bushing.

If you do use Monoballs, I guarantee your car will ratlle, it will be very noisy, harsh, you will feel the slightest bump, gravel and irregularity, and ultimately, on a road-driven 911 monoballs top bushings are gross overkill, totally unnecessary, and will frustrate you without improving your ride and handling one iota......in fact, they will destroy your ride and any comfort. New Elephant rubber bushings are the only way to go for anything less than a dedicated track machine.