996 Suspension Self Install

Hi I have a 03 996 and would like to install H&R coilovers. I like to attemp it myself and would liek to find out if someone has done it before. What is the level of differculty in doing this, I installed the coilovers on my Audi S4 before and didn't have any problems. Also, do anyone have instructions on how to do it. Thanks in advance for any advice. Waylon 03 996

Gobie I installed a set last year by myself.They are straight forward install.Should take about 4 hours.Then off to have corner balanced and ailignment. mgm

just make sure you have the proper tools...i had the coil overs when i bought my 996 in 2000, and boy was it tough without the tools. The darn front brakes are so heavy if you have the car on a jack stand, we needed a pump jack just to lift it so we can connect it back to the coil over strut. as mgm said it should take 4 hours if you have the right tools. it took us 7 hours to do it with improvising.

I installed my coilovers as well (I also had an S4 before the P Car). Compared to the S4 install, I would say that the 996 may even be easier in some ways. The front suspension requires less disassembly than the S4 and the rear is very straightforward. The only thing to keep in mind is that when you install the rear shock assemblies, make certain that you position the sway bar end link mount low enough down the shock body so that the sway bar wont conflict with the lower control arm. If you don't, it will be a bit of a pain to "screw" it up or down the shock body after since it has to be spun and there is very little room at the bottom. I don't remember what my initial setting was for this but I can take some pics this weekend and post. By the way, depending on the year of your car and whether or not you have driven it in a "salty" winter, you may want to consider changing the upper strut (front) bearings while you're in there. These cost me a whopping $12.00 Canadian each. Use some waterproof grease on them since Porsche didn't have the foresight to actually seal them. Good luck and don't be afraid. It was easier than I thought it would be.

are the cup sway bars different than the street gt3 bars? Great setup. Got any pics? What tools are involved exactly. I am going to probably do my car as well as my father's 993tt in a few months. He has a full 30k snap on garage though so I know I have seen most of the tools needed, i.e. spring compressor or what not. Thanks.

I'll be at a friend's shop tomorrow so I'll try to take some pictures. Special tools? If you remove the top bolt from the front struts and then disconnect the front wheel bearing housing/hub carrier at the ball joint (piece of cake), you won't even need a spring compressor. I don't remember if I actually needed a compressor for the rear shock assemblies either. It's pretty easy. 1- Remove the under-hood panels that cover the front strut bolts. 2- Either a)remove all three bolts or b)remove the one large (22mm?) central strut bolt 3- Remove the strut "pinch" bolt (also locates the sway bar links at the top side) and the strut assembly should be somewhat loose 4- if you removed all three mounting bolts (the ones used for front camber adjustment), then pull the strut assembly down and out of the car (be careful as it comes dangerously close to the fender lip). If you removed just the single large strut nut at the top then the assembly will come apart under the pressure of the spring and you'll be able to maneuver the spring and stut out seperately (provided that you actually unbolted the lower control arm at the ball joint) 5- try to get new upper strut bearings (**** cheap at the dealer) and bolt the new assembly into the car (I don't remember how many inches of threads I have under the perches and lock collar nuts but start at just below centre of the threads. 6- Lift up the carpet in the interior behind the rear seats (it just lifts out of the way) 7- remove the top bolts for the strut mounts (I think that there were threee per side) 8- remove the large bolt and nut holding the strut assembly at the bottom of the lower control arm 9- remove the sway bar end link mount (where it connects to the strut assembly) 10- assemble the new H&R assembly and position the sway bar end link mount so that it is approximately one inch above the bottom of the adjustment threads at the bottom of the new shock 11- install the whole assembly into the car 12 adjust height to your liking. I have just over one large finger space between my tire and the front fender and about two fingers in the rear (two fingers in the rear? I don't like how that sounded). 13- align the car and enjoy. There will be very little spring settling as time goes by. I would recommend the following for tools: 1- Standard socket set (air compressor would be nice for the large upper strut nuts) 2- a couple of medium pry bars 3- a rubber/plastic hammer (to smash on the floor when you tear the skin on your fingers when looseing some bolts) 4- waterproof grease (for the front upper bearings since the grease that Porsche uses is best suited for indoor use (read: crap) and most people like to drive their cars outdoors) 5- no more than three American beers (or two imported or Canadian beers) per corner 6- wife or other form of significant other for foot massage 7- friends for motivation and gloating If you work on it this weekend and you get stuck, email me at [email removed] and I'll get it on my Blackberry. I'm happy to try to help if you run into any snags. Oh crap, I forgot something. Make certain that your H&R kit comes with these blue teflon washers that fit around the front shock bodies. These should be placed (with a bit of grease) on the lower spring seat between the anodized aluminum and the bottom of the front spring. This will avoid and potential "binding" noises. If your kit doesn't have them, get them somewhere else (who knows where?). Sorry for the long reply but I hope that this helps. And to your question about the sway bars, cup are the same as street but that's what most of the guys call them.

I could not have asked for more! Thanks pics will be cool especially at what the sway bar mount is at number of thread from bottm? Thanks!