PSS9 install with new parts?

I'll be doing a PSS9 install on my 02 C2 Coupe and I want to just install them with new upper mounts, bearing perches, etc. My current ones (42k miles) make noise at low speed, so I don't want to reuse them, plus then I don't have to dissassemble them to reuse the parts. I've been researching for days now and have a few questions. 1. If you look at the parts breakdown on the 996 front struts, there is a choice of the normal upper mounting plate and the X74 mounting plate. Besides twice the cost, what is the difference bewteen the two? Since a PSS9 is closer to an X74 than the stock setup, should I go with them? 2. Anyone have a complete parts list that has to normally be swapped from the old struts to the new PSS9's? 3. I assume that if I rarely, if ever track the car, then monoballs/camber plates are not worth the trade off in noise and harshness for street use? 4. I'll be doing this myself, most likely with a bud, and I have had the car up on 4 stands before, but it seems like there is no real advantage to doing that, vs just the front all up, and then the rear all up, correct? 5. Am I correct in assuming that I can go to heavier, adjustable sways at a later date w/o having to redo anything? 6. I'll get the car aligned & corner balanced after it settles a bit, and I dial in ride height.... new sways do not require any re alignment, right? 7. I've done struts before..they all have little quirks. I have the instructions on the ROWM030 install from Renntech that I am using as a basis. It does not mentions having to pop the ball joints, yet the Porsche manual and 986 instructions says to pop them. I have air tools, a fairly well equipped garage, a couple of jacks, and spring compressors, so what's really required?

Well, a few more hours of research yielded a few answers, so if anyone has the few left I need, it would be greatly appreciated. 1. If you look at the parts breakdown on the 996 front struts, there is a choice of the normal upper mounting plate and the X74 mounting plate. Besides twice the cost, what is the difference bewteen the two? Since a PSS9 is closer to an X74 than the stock setup, should I go with them? 2. Anyone have a complete parts list that has to normally be swapped from the old struts to the new PSS9's? ANSWERED...The PSS10 Bilstein instructions show exactly what parts are need from Porsche, and are the same for the PSS9. 3. I assume that if I rarely, if ever track the car, then monoballs/camber plates are not worth the trade off in noise and harshness for street use? ANSWERED, No need for camber plates unless you need more than the -1.5 you get with stock plates and PSS9 lowering. 4. I'll be doing this myself, most likely with a bud, and I have had the car up on 4 stands before, but it seems like there is no real advantage to doing that, vs just the front all up, and then the rear all up, correct? ANSWERED, No advatage to having the whole car up, just need front or rear all up when replacing the struts with CO's. 5. Am I correct in assuming that I can go to heavier, adjustable sways at a later date w/o having to redo anything? 1/2 ANSWERED..Rears nothing has to be undone. Fronts are still questionable. 6. I'll get the car aligned & corner balanced after it settles a bit, and I dial in ride height.... new sways do not require any re alignment, right? ANSWERED, Possibly..alignment, no, but If the original sways are at all preloaded, then the corner balancing will have to be redone. Replacing them, normally, however, does not affect anthing. 7. I've done struts before..they all have little quirks. I have the instructions on the ROWM030 install from Renntech that I am using as a basis. It does not mentions having to pop the ball joints, yet the Porsche manual and 986 instructions says to pop them. I have air tools, a fairly well equipped garage, a couple of jacks, and spring compressors, so what's really required? This one is still vague. It really appears that for the 996, you can leave ball joints intact, if you have spring compressors. Still would like to hear from someone that has actually DONE a PSS9 install, tho....

Perry, You do not have to pop the ball joints. I installed an M30 on my 996 and left both front and rears in place. You do need to exert quite a bit of a push downward to get the strut to clear the fender though. If you have a helper, this should be easy.

Thanks Stephen, I can assume then, that the use of a spring compressor, which would allow easier compression of the shock rod itself to make the shock as short as possible, would be very useful? Did you also install the M030 sway bars?

The spring compressor should help, but I didn't find it helpful doing the job by myself. The rear shocks, even with 90k miles on them , were to stiff for to me to compress and pull. If you have a helper you may be able to compress the shock a bit while a helper pulls it out from under the body. I cannot remember where I got the DIY info, maybe Renntech. I put racers tape along the fender lips to keep Murphy away. The news strut assemblies will not be as tall and slide back in much easier than the stock units. The fronts are not hard to clear the fender if you bend the locating tab flat and allow the assembly to slide down in the hub carrier a bit further. I did put new M030 sways front and rear. They are a definite improvement and probably should have come factory installed IMHO. rear sway is a 5 minute install, front takes a bit longer since you need to remove the undertray. Total install time for me working alone was about 8 hours.

Thank you very much!!

You do not have to separate the ball joints or a spring compressor. You will need another person helping you but the replacement is relatively easy. Just did it on a 04 C2 and a 99C2 (PSS9s and X74).. pm me if you have any specific questions..