237 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHRaceworks coilovers?
Reported or suspected cause
aos failure in spectacular fashion...all good
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
Thanks, turned out to be an AOS failure in spectacular fashion...All good though.
Leading evidence: 'aos failure in spectacular fashion...all good' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'aos failure in spectacular fashion...all good' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Adjust from there' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
It just sucks that this vendor turned out to be a little shady.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
The clunking/knocking I was experiencing in the front end was caused by the top strut nut being too loose.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I adjusted the shocks for more height, I also had to adjust the links to compensate.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
237 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
1 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Outcome without a verified action link
It�s still stuck in there I followed the install guide.
Anyone familiar with these?
https://172suspension.com/collections/172s-coilover-suspension/products/172s-porsche-996-coilovers
I saw an about page saying they started a years ago, with 996 coilovers, but Google didn't find much on them.
First off welcome!
Just seems strange that you showed up in less than 24 hours of this post. Coincidence?
I personally would write a review if I was totally impressed with your product and service...If not, you'd never hear from me again.
Techy I am not. But interested in more of what you offer. I hope to be shopping for a set up next winter if I can wait that long. They look well made from here!
I am interested. Have a 99 996 Cab with stock shocks and h&r springs. I like the lower ride height but the whole setup is aging and needs a replacement. What set should I consider for Street use only and a weekend car. No track.
What are the differences between the Novak and the 172? I read the description and it appears the Novak has more height adjustability which points to different parts between the two. It does mention that the Novak still has the 172 features like adjustable camber but what parts are different?
thanks for the attention.
couple questions before I pull the trigger that will help me, and maybe other get more comfortable:
- How long has Raceworks been in business, in MD and how long has the product been on the market?
- Units sold worldwide are in the hundred, thousands, or tens of thousands?
- Estimated number or % of major failures in the units (not including cosmetic stuff)
- Can you describe the testing process involved, if any for each until before shipping?
- where are the parts manufactured?
Not in the budget right now, but have been following this thread and I'm really impressed by the replies from Raceworks. Looking forward to reading about some installs from the folks who were able to order them!
Raceworks post were deleted as they are not a sponsor, however they have indicated they are in the process of becoming one. Once they are a sponsor we can add the posts back.
Update, I am currently talking to them via the online chat on the site and was told that they are just about done and will be shipped in the next few days (I was the last one to order btw). I highly recommend that you go to their site and ask any questions you may have to them directly since the response was quick and they were very helpful.
First thing of note is that they only come with rear sway bar links. I guess it's not clearly stated on the site, but I had assumed it came with both front and rear. Turns out that's only with the C4.
Will definitely update with pics and impressions as I get them fitted.
Edit: they come with rear. Lot longer than stock due to the height of the connection on the shock body.
Yep, looks like they just updated the site to clarify. Wish we would have known that before ordering. Also, the Novak is on sale for all models $980 now.
A few pics. Here's the rear comparison. This is at the max height adjustment. It's maybe 1.5in shorter than stock. But I assume the spring will compress less, so the minimum drop should be less.
Second pic shows the bottom cup threaded all the way off. There's a break in the threads I assume to show the minimum threaded distance (max height setting).
Everything feels pretty robust, but I don't have much experience with other coilovers for comparison - so take it with a grain of salt.
Got the drivers front on. The top 3 nuts are bit small, so I reused the stock ones.
The drop at max height is only about 1/4in.
I had to remove my caliper as the brake line was too short to allow the original strut to swing out. I read others did not need to do this.
I removed the 10mm holding the brake sensor wire on the left and the 10mm holding the brake line on the right.
I removed the pinch bolt and then loosened the 4 bolts I show on the bottom. Didn't need to touch anything else to get the old one out. The new one is much shorter. I used a jack to hold the wheel carrier up while I tightened the pinch bolt on the new strut.
My only complaints so far are the small top nuts, no matching bracket for the electrical lines on the back of the strut, and the adjustment nut on the top of the strut looks like it wouldn't fit in if adjusted at max towards the inside of the car. It's already tight to the inside with a middle setting.
Should have the other one in tonight.
Got the passenger front on. Same procedure as the drivers. Had to disconnect one of the brake sensor connections to the point held with the 10mm, not hard tho.
There's plus (left) and minus (right) symbols on the rebound adjustment. Anyone know which way is soft? They come fully turned to the plus side. I turned them 5 clicks to the right.
Can definitely feel the spring rate increase over stock. Feels great on regular and mildly bumpy pavement and makes you want to really slow down for any big bumps.
I had a shimmy going over bumps since my RF shock blew. It is no more.
Corners are way more fun. With blown fronts I was always second guessing the car and wondering if I would understeer or not. I still get some understeer but the feedback is much more consistent making it predictable.
This is all just a 30min drive impression and only with the fronts swapped.
Good to hear! Quick question for you, did you have any issues with the wheel hitting the wheel well? When I ordered the coils I forgot I use 285-35R18 instead of the standard 285-30R18, was wondering if you think It�s going to be an issue.
At max setting I'm only down 1/4in. Plus the higher rate should reduce the compression distance under normal conditions. So if you're not rubbing with a stock setup then I'd guess it'll be ok.
Take a pic of the gap measurement like I did for comparison.
Figured out the plus and minus. There are 32 clicks. Turned it all the way minus (clockwise) and it was very under damped. Feels worse than a blown stock suspension. Likely because of the higher spring rates. Turned it back up to mid (16 clicks) and feels pretty normal. I think a bit firmer will suit me well.
Good to hear! I'm glad you got the fronts installed and thank you for your initial driving impressions!
I'd be interested to see pictures of your ride height and where your coilovers are set to.
I removed my front and rear struts/springs. I'm ready for the coilovers to arrive and get installed.
Mike
Here's a pic of the ride height in the front. I have them set at max height.
Also, found another issue while poking around waiting for my new top plates. One of the rears is missing a bump stop. Getting a little concerned about their Taiwan manufacturers QC processes.
I don't track, but would love to do a corner balance just to see if I feel the impact. Might rig something up later this year to DIY if I'm feeling bored.
Thanks for the pic regarding ride height. I'll probably want to be a little lower.
That's definitely concerning regarding the bump stop...not something I wanted to hear.
Me too, lol
Mike
I would normally tend to agree, but neither of this issues are highlighting a big quality concern. They're both mix ups that can be easily remedied. And Raceworks has been very responsive on both - like <2hr response time any time of the day.
Fronts ride great with just an initial setup and the build quality is definitely high. Time will tell on the robustness, but a 3 year warranty makes me think Raceworks is willing to stand behind these. Most others in this price range are just 1 year.
For me personally, I just wanted to get something on to replace the worn out stock suspension. Even just stock shock replacements was getting close or exceeding the price of these and that's reusing the springs/bumps/top plates. With these being rebuildable, I don't plan on having to get a new suspension setup for a very very long time.
Yeah I'm at max. They say up to a 1.5in drop which would pretty much eliminate any gap as I show in my measurements above. I might take it down a touch, but I have no interest in a slammed ride.
They're tossing the bump stop in with the correct top plates, so no extra delay. Will update as soon as I get them.
Hopefully this is a isolated case. However I do agree that their customer service has been good. I asked them about an issue with clearance due to my rear tire size, and they offered a potential solution for me if I have any issues.
This is my sentiments exactly. I'm currently in the market for a set of coilovers and was interested when this thread came along. I'll continue to pay attention as the progress continues but I'm not very impressed.
For me, this coilover setup will be replacing my worn-out
M030 RoW (us spec) suspension and I'm simply looking for same ride height as I have with the M030 and hopefully comparable performance, if not better.
I sent an email yesterday to check ETA for us with the Eibach springs...haven't heard anything yet.
I'm glad to hear they are taking care of you with the minor issues you've experienced.
Mike
They responded to my email yesterday. They're busy.
I'm being told that the remaining kits should be shipping within the next few days. Fingers crossed.
Looking forward to receiving and getting these things installed.
Mike
^^^
I'm sure they'll get back to you. I took them a full day for them to respond to my last email.
Edit: My car is down. It's in pieces waiting for these parts and I'm in the middle of a move...so I'm definitely anxious to receive these...
Mike
Looks like I'll have everything I need to get the rears on by Saturday. Definitely looking forward to other people's impressions.
Took a nice long drive last night and dialed in the adjustable rebound a bit more. As I said before, I planned to go a little bit more to the "+" side. The car felt a bit vague at the mid setting (16 clicks), so I brought it up to 8 clicks from full "+". It feels very solid now and settles very quickly after any road upsets (we have a lot in Dallas). Over very sharp bumps at higher speeds it doesn't feel harsh but you hear more of a clunk. I went with the pillow ball top plates as opposed to OEM rubber. I'm guessing this is the side effect of that. Would be cool to compare the same setup on rubber just to know exactly how much steering feel you give up and NVH you reduce, but I'm not unhappy the the tradeoff point these offer as built.
Based on playing around with the rear shocks and discussing with Raceworks, it looks like my interpretation of "+" and "-" was incorrect. "+" (counterclockwise) opens the bypass and "-" (clockwise) closes it. So my full "-" setting was a fully closed bypass and I guess the full hard setting. It did not feel good, but it wasn't in a jarring way like I would expect full hard to feel. It was in a vague bouncy way. Maybe it's what overdamped feels like.
Here's some more detailed pics I took while getting the rears ready for the plate swap and added bump stop.
I tried to take the top nut off with a hand wrench but of course it just spins. The countering option of a 10mm on the black threaded section is not enough to hold the shaft against the 19mm nyloc nut. Was recommended to try an impact wrench with no counter instead.
End with everything pulled off. You can barely see the locking ring inset.
The swaybar attachment point coming off. it has two allen screws to tighten it down once it's set where you need it. Feels like steel based on it's weight.
Bottom threaded ring (aluminum) that holds the spring tight and sets your preload. It has a plastic insert between it and the spring to reduce noise. Second plastic insert goes between the top of the spring and the top holder. Be interesting to see how these hold up over time.
Shot of the spring alone
Number on the spring. I believe the 12 indicates the spring rate of 12k = 672lbs/in. The site indicates standard rates of 400F /700R
Side shot of spring
Cup that screws onto the shock end to set the height. It feels like aluminum based on the weight, but the bushing insert is definitely steel as it is much heavier.
Top of the shock with the bumpstop and cover pulled back.
Yep, general quote is 2-3 weeks for direct shipping from Taiwain (Novak). Some people got the Eibach upgrade which has to come the the US site and get re-valved which of course takes longer.
Got the new top plates. Looks like the bolts are a bit beefier when compared to the 986 plates.
Still waiting on the missing bump stop to get everything together and in the car.
^^^^
That's really really disappointing. I'm sorry to hear that.
Please let us know if you have any issues...
Edit: Did you order the Eibach option or the standard Novak?
Mike
Really?? That�s sad to hear. I emailed hem and got a reply within 30 mins. Did you check their hours I know they are not open on Monday�s. He said the contact in Taiwan is at a trade show so no shipping info but that they are in transit. Anyways I�m sorry to hear about that especially since I have been getting timely responses. This leads me to believe the rennlist promo might have them stretched thin due to the q/c issue and what I can only guess is inconsistent feedback.
I've had really good response time as well and I know they've been watching this thread. I'm surprised they're not getting back with you.
Got the bumps today. They upgraded me to the 172 model bumps for the trouble. These have the bump incorporated with the dust cover.
Got them apart very easy using an impact. I recommend this by far over trying to counter with a wrench.
Unfortunately, started a big garage project that's delaying me getting the rears installed quickly. Maybe sometime this week.
Nice to see they gave you upgraded parts as a replacement. Mine should be on their way, so hopefully I can join you in the installed club soon. I might be taking the car on a trip from NY to Detroit in a few weeks, and I think that would make for a heck of a review/article on how these coils hold up.
After initially ordering the Novak, I upgraded to the 172's. My understanding is the only difference between the two is the springs, valving...and apparently, the bump stops.
Mike
I ordered the 172s with Eibachs. Got a confirmation on March 30th and a follow up on April 9th. Then radio silence. Checked the spam folder just in case and nothing.
Very disappointing...
this is starting to look like "here are the parts, put it together yourself"
straight to Ohlins for me after this thread
imagine a shop was doing the work and had to wait for parts and the shop charged you storage while your car is apart with missing parts... cost more than Ohlins at that point
I think u r comparing apples and oranges. These r entry level coilovers at an entry level price. I know people r anxious to get there parts but the vendor was clear on how they r assembled and shipped and that takes time. I think it falls back on the old saying... time, quality, cost; pick 2.
Certainly, if a shop was doing the work this would have been a bit more hairy but a far cry short of $3k Ohlins. Definitely took a risk getting these with basically no reviews out there. We'll see if they get their QC tightened up with the next shipments.
For me, a couple of part swaps wasn't a big hassle. The more interesting thing will be the ride quality and longevity. Hopefully, I'll have some more details soon on the former. The longevity piece will obviously take some time...
Well said on a very good point, taking that into consideration I will say that the initial statement was � two to three� weeks, my order is now on week five, with my car in the air on a rack, lol. As a small business owner for the last thirty years I can attest things happen beyond your control, and the smaller the business ,the larger those � things� can affect service. To my standreds communication has been professional ( abit a little slow) ,and on top of the situation.
Communication in situations like this is so important...It only takes one bad review to sway potential customers to go elsewhere!
I had really hoped (still do) that you guys get it all together. There's nothing worst than receiving the wrong or missing parts while your car is up in the air.
I just went through this and lost a week when I need my car to get to and from work.
That�s how I�m feeling about this, it�s most likely just that they are having an issue that�s causing this. I just hope they come soon. I was planning on doing this install with my school club, and my schdule only lines up once every 2 weeks. Hope it ships out soon.
I�d loved to get Ohlins, but they are nearly three times the cost on these. But I can�t afford them, and finding a used set is hard to find. If you are able and willing to spend the money on them then more power to ya. I hope I hope I don�t come off as a fanboy, I�m just excited to finally modify my car.
Requested an update and they got back to be right away.
They are expecting them to arrive in the US mid next week and they will turn them around right away after refitting with Eibachs.
I am in no rush so I expected this from a new player with international logistics to manage. I am curious to see how consistent they will be with customer service to manage delays.
Good news! I got my shipping label and it says that it will be here on Tuesday! Hopefully it has everything!
I'll make updates on how things are going!
That's what I've been told too.
However, my situation is a bit different. I'm actually in a bit of a rush as I'm in the middle of a move from CA to WA and my car is torn-down in the garage waiting for these to arrive so I can get the car back on the road...so much to do...and not that much time, lol
Mike
A little, lol
Originally, I had no idea it was going to take this long to get the coilovers. Luckily, I'm not planning on completing the move until next month. So I do have some time to get this project completed.
Mike
Any recommendations on the ball joint tool. also were there any other tools I should buy/rent? I'm doing the install during school tomorrow. I'll be sure to post pics.
I didn't have to remove any ball joints on my 2000 C2 cab. I think I wrote out what I did earlier in the thread. I did have to pull the calipers off the wheel carrier tho to get enough flex for pulling the stock struts out.
thanks! i will have to make a dash to the store and get them! Watched some chrisfix videos and am also going to get thread locker. another question for any cab owners, how difficult was it to install the rears? because I'd rather send the rears to my indy for 300 than mess up my top that i just spent 2k on fixing.
Rears are the easiest. Put the top in service position (just beginning to open) and snap the two cable ends off the ball sockets in the back. Then you can fold the back up and yank up the carpet. The 3 bolts for each top are then easily removed.
I used the ball joint puller for both the front and rear. I removed the ball joint portion from the arms in the rear to gain access to the lower strut bolt with my impact gun.
Mike
Does anyone have pics of them doing the rear? It�s still stuck in there I followed the install guide. I have a free day so tomorrow I�ll try and finish up the rear.
The stock one is stuck? Did you get the bottom bolt out. Are the top 3 loose? The end link off? If so, then just pry the bottom out. It'll just pop off and fall down.
I feel like this is a recurring trend but I ended up finishing the rears at my school. The long ones are for the rear**
**Edit I mixed them up raceworks contacted me and clarified the issue.***
Rears are in and I must say the rears ride SOOOO much better. And it handles far better. I do need to finish my adjustments as my car looks like a gasser at the moment.
I received my shipping notification and these are expected to land on Saturday...perfect timing for the long weekend.
I'm hoping to have this thing back on the road on Monday with the new suspension.
Mike
So I did the install again because I used the wrong endlinks. I made the ride height higher, or so I thought. It�s sitting low again. This was an issue on my side not the suspension by the way. Also my car seats left to right. This issue happened before but when I was on the wrong endlinks I was able to make it stop. Any tips?
I received my Coilovers on Saturday.
Initial impressions of the coilovers and quality are good.
I installed them yesterday afternoon. Installation went smoothly. No surprises.
I haven't put the car on the ground yet. I want to measure and check several things before I do. I'm not looking forward to adjusting the ride height...since I'm using jack stands...but...its gonna have to be done.
I'm expecting to have the car on the ground tomorrow.
Mike
My bad let me make this clearer. Note to self don�t rush while using the phone
I used the wrong endlinks, and decided to Install the proper ones. This made the car sway from side to side. I�m an attempt to fix this I re installed the coils. This reduced the swaying big time. However the swaying still happens
I adjusted the shocks for more height, I also had to adjust the links to compensate. Didn�t know about the preload however.
Driver side
Passenger
Driver link
Passenger link
I've actually finished the coilover install and my car is on the ground and rolling. I'll need to adjust the ride height in the rear...it's a bit too high.
However, first, I'm going to have to diagnose a knocking/clunking noise that I hear coming from the front end while going over bumps. I'm not quite sure what it is right now...seems like it has something to do with the front struts...moving...not sure but, I'll be taking a look tomorrow morning.
Mike
I guess I erased my previous comments when I added the pictures. Oops.
TheYoung911, your swaybars seem way too low (as if they might scrape the pavement). I've put pictures below of my cars, not saying they are right and yours is wrong, but every 911/996 I've been under has the anti sway bars tucked much closer to the suspension arms than the way you currently have yours set up. I'd definitely evaluate whether yours is correct. Also, you don't want any side to side twist in your swaybars when the vehicle is on the ground (and driver weight added, ideally) - that is to say, you want zero preload for typical street use. The adjustable end links you have are perfect for dialing that out (assuming they are the right fitment).
Also, it looks like you rubbed through your undercoating (and maybe paint and primer?) when you were set up so low. You might want to clean, prep and touch that area up.
Rdrcr, any chance you got monoball top mounts? They eliminate the damping rubber found in stock mounts and can transmit more NVH. I could see that resulting in more noticable "clunking".
I got an email by raceworks and they helped me out in my coilovers setup, I made some simple mistakes. Also as for the touch up how do I go about that seeing that I went through all the paint?
I asked about the rubber mounts as well because I think the monoball in the front is maybe a bit too harsh. They said it might be possible to use the stock mounts but weren't sure.
It seems the rubber ones they offer are only for the rear. They were surprised I even asked about the front as stock ones would give up the camber plate. But I'm not dropping much so it's not a concern for me.
I haven't checked if the stock mounts would work yet.
I can't imagine why the stock mounts would not be fine, as long as the diameter of the shaft where it enters the mount is the same or smaller than stock. Every suspension I've ever used did.
I did get the monoball top mounts. I was expecting a little more NVH but, not clunking.
I would associate clunking with unwanted movement of components, not something that is securely mounted to the vehicle.
I'm going to be inspecting several areas of the front suspension in a couple hours. The camber plates are tight (though will need adjustment) but I didn't check to see if the top nut to the strut is tight. I would assume that this would be tightened from the factory. I'm gonna take a look at this too. Moreover, the only component I didn't replace during this installation was the lower 'coffin' arms.
Mike
^^^^
Thank you for the info!
The clunking/knocking I was experiencing in the front end was caused by the top strut nut being too loose. I tightened it...a little...and the knocking/clunking is 95% solved. I believe torquing it to the correct specs will completely resolve the issue.
Aside from that, my test drive went well. There's a little bit more NVH but not much. Unlike so of the other folks here, I'm going to wait for an alignment before I venture into the canyons for a full evaluation of the performance.
I also contacted RaceWorks to get their specs if they are any different from the ones posted above.
Mike
With my alignment completed, I was able to get the car out in the canyons for my initial driving impressions. Not knowing where to begin regarding the dampening settings, I simply set all four coilovers at the middle setting, front and rear.
First and foremost, prior to the installation of these coilovers I was experiencing suspension clunks, knocks, harshness and wandering while driving on the highway. I determined the cause of these issues to be my completely destroyed front strut mounts and my well-aged suspension.
So, obviously, I expected these coilovers to cure my suspension issues. Thankfully, along with new EPS front �tuning-fork� arms, the new coilover setup indeed solved all the clunks, knocks, harshness and wandering I was experiencing. My confidence has been restored and new suspension functions as expected and the car is once again a joy to drive.
With the Eibach springs and my current dampening settings this coilover setup is about as firm as I�d want for a street car. There is a little more NVH. I have a feeling that this is most likely caused by the pillow-ball strut mounts. However, the added NVH is only slightly noticeable and is more than tolerable, in my opinion. Honestly, you have to expect some compromise between comfort and performance with any aftermarket solution, especially at this price.
On the road and in the canyons I feel the performance of these coilovers is very good. Much better than my previous setup but, I never had the opportunity to drive a 996 with a �brand-new� M030 RoW suspension. With the RaceWorks coilovers my car corners much flatter, the feedback is better, the car is very predictable and the rear end is planted with lots of traction. A couple things I didn�t like was the steering was a little light in some situations and the car felt very much like a skateboard which punished the front tires in tight corners.
With today�s testing completed, I feel I can achieve better traction going with softer dampening settings. And, that is my plan.
Mike
Front struts from the knuckle? They can be pretty tight. I had an extra set of hands for that part of the disassembly. We just twisted and turned and they came out.
Mike
Those bolts can be extremely difficult. Take your time, do a lot of soaking with solvents, and keep turning the bolts to try to get the solvents to penetrate the connection. The problem with this connection is the dissimilar metals (steel bolt through the Aluminum carrier). You should remove the assembly from the car so you can get better angles for pounding on the bolt end and for applying heat (with a heat gun is better than a torch). Be careful with the heat as you can damage the aluminum of you're not. Order new bolts now, and use anti-seize when you put everything back together. Good luck
I have an update on the (lack of) communication issues I have experienced with this vendor. I have been patient and unwilling to say anything negative in hopes of a positive resolution.
That time has passed.
On 30 March, I ordered the 172 SE with Eibach springs. Paid in full and expected an update within a few days for shipping, etc.
On 09 April, I received the following message:
I replied with my information and within minutes received this:
Then, nothing for nearly a month. On 08 May, I sent this message:
By 14 May, no response. Keep in mind, we're now at 6 WEEKS with no product or advisement of if/when anything would be coming. Oh, and no response. After I posted here on 14 May, I get this:
I have difficulty believing this as we had traded emails in early April with near immediate responses. At this point, I'm frustrated, but willing to give the benefit of the doubt to them and just get a refund. As I explained, this communication issue would always hang with me and I wouldn't be able to enjoy the product with a lingering bad taste. He said he understood and would process a refund:
On 20 May (six days after being told a refund would process within 48 hours), I checked my account and no refund had posted. I reached out (again) to advise and ask for an update. No response. The next morning, I sent the following:
Here is the response I received:
While he is correct that I asked for a refund, I don't think it was MY responsibility to ask to be informed about a potential delay in shipping - a note in mid-April from him with this quote would have kept me informed and engaged: "I�m very sorry for the delay, the surge of orders overtaxed our production and due to the amount of Novaks sold, we inadvertently sent ALL of our premade 996 parts overseas and had to get your parts machined to make up for our lacking inventory." But apparently, it was my responsibility to ask where the product that I paid in full for, with a "two to three weeks shipping" promise was after six weeks.
Today, eight days later, I have received NEITHER a refund nor any further communications. I have contacted my credit card issuer and have disputed the charge. I am likely out $1,400 at this point but I wanted to share my experience with this vendor as a caveat for anyone considering their product. I don't know if the product is good or bad and I won't speculate as to the quality. It may be a very good substitute for more expensive upgrades, but I would have concerns dealing with this company.
Shoddy company - no two ways about it. Scream it loud & far!!! To come here with the sales pitch he gave originally, and then come up with every excuse in the book as to why he couldn't/didn't get back to you is just lame and clearly a diversionary tactic. The only mistake you made was to not dispute the charges earlier.
If you're looking for a less expensive option for coil overs, just go with BC. They are an established company with a good product and good product support. I know many people who have their suspension on their cars (including several 996s) and everyone is very pleased with it.
https://www.bcracing-na.com/products...lovers/porsche
I'm pretty sure they also offer a 996 narrow body option, but it's not showing up on the site right now, you might need to contact them.
Luckily, aside from them changing the product description and altering the parts which were supposed to be included in the kit...I had the opposite experience with communication.
What you had to deal with is inexcusable. I'm very sorry to hear about your horrible experience.
You are doing the right thing by requesting a 100% refund from your CC company.
Mike
The FEAL 441s look great, but you have to get the "Max Travel" set to run stock height, and don't include drop links. I think the BC Racing coilovers are a closer comparison, but again and don't include the ability to run stock height (MINIMUM DROP on the BC coilovers is 2 inches!).
If you aren't going lower than than 30 mm, there's no reason to go beyond the X74, unless you actually plan to twiddle with the dials, which I contend very few people with adjustable suspensions do. Most people set and forget. Also, there are the non-adjustable Bilstein options...
I did! Also I see my gut feeling that they got too many orders held true. However the fact that they took that long to issue the refund is disappointing to say the least.
The fact you had to do all of that is extremely disappointing. Having used the coilovers, it seems that while the product is good the service is spotty. I got my coils, and they have made my car great, and I�ve been one of the lucky ones in terms of service. But if I had a situation like yours I wouldn�t reccomend these. Good on you for being patient, hope you get your money back and they improve their communication in future.
I dont understand why u think u have thrown away $1400. U paid with a cc and r disputing the charges. U decided to not accept the product due to an unacceptable lead time. The cc company will refund the charges it just takes 30-60 days. This is how the process works, u even have emails with the vendor agreeing on the refund. U will get your money back. I have vendors refund items and sometimes its the cc company holding the money for 30-90 days too.
I'll be looking forward to hearing some feedback/reviews from other members who have received and installed their RaceWorks coilovers. I'll be especially curious to see where everyone is setting their dampening and which springs and what tires they are running.
I'm going real soft (and the car feels good)...anything close to middle settings is too hard and over-powers my tires.
Edit: I just drove my 996 from CA to NV. The car rode very well over all different types of terrain. I'll be heading from NV to ID on Saturday and from ID to WA on Sunday.
Mike
My car is stuck for a while but I found 8 clicks off full soft to be about right. But I have 6k springs up front (336lb), I think you might be stiffer. Note I've only actually run the car with the fronts swapped so far.
How much preload did you use? They recommended 0-15mm for me, I'm gonna start with 7 and go from there.
How many clicks did you count per absorber?
I didn't mess with the preload. I installed them as set from Raceworks.
I have the Eibach springs with standard spring rates which I believe to be the same 336lb front and 672lb rear (although on the springs themselves it looks like 400/650). My 996 is equipped with the M030 RoW swaybars so that may have an effect on the stiffness I'm encountering while cornering. Thus far, in the front, the softer the better for my setup and tires.
Mike
I counted 32 clicks across the range from full hard to full soft. So on each shock I'm 8 clicks from full soft. Does that make sense?
I believe they came with basically 0 preload, just right enough to hold the spring there. If you jack it up and take the tire off you should be able to loosen the two collars to see how many turns it takes until the springs are loose. The guy I talked to said he preferred more like 15mm of preload. Might be worth playing with as it could impact your traction. I'd agree your stiffer roll bar is probably playing a role as well.
We've counted the same clicks. That's good.
I'm currently running 5 clicks from soft in the front and 10 clicks from soft in the rear.
The car feels really good but, I haven't had the opportunity to take it out in the canyons yet with these settings...I'm hoping to have that opportunity soon.
I'll have to look into adjusting the preload if I can't find a reasonable compromise.
Mike
Having had both my fronts and rears done, the car drive much much better than before. It�s surprisingly comfortable on the highway and is pretty comfortable on the street
I don't have my rear rubber top mounts. I have exchanged numerous emails with them without getting an answer. I plan to install as is (ie with the monoball mounts) in the coming weeks.
They could have a great product if they could get their customer service together.
So here is my review. I can go more in detail in a separate thread but this is it in short.
Pros:
Affordable
Fairly Easy Install
Great ride quality
Grip feels dramatically improved
Great Customer Service*
Low increase in NVH
Cons:
Service is hit or miss, either really good or big PITA*
Install manual could have been better
Small NVH increase (Not bad but do keep this in mind)
*I personally put customer service as a pro on my list because I had a good experience but others have not, so in fairness It is also listed as a con.
You say "
NVH increase (Not bad but these are
coilovers
)
" - just so you know, not all coilovers add NVH. I have Bilstein PSS10 on one of my 996 and have never noticed any increase in NVH.
Thanks for posting your experience. I installed my set today and I was pulling my hair out trying to troubleshoot clunking from the passenger front on my test drive. Was scared I missing a bolt and the whole thing was gonna fall out. Nut was loose. I also recommend you guys get a ball joint remover from amazon. Makes the job a lot easier.
You're very welcome.
I should have added the 'clunking' you experienced to my review...
After installing the Raceworks coilovers, I too was experiencing clunking and though I must have missed something or didn't tighten something with regards to the suspension. I put the car back up in the air (a difficult task in my situation) and re-torqued all the bolts. I put the car back on the ground and went for another test drive only to find the clunking still present. I was baffled. However, the only nut I didn't check was on the coilover itself. I tighten the top nuts on both front coilovers...clunking gone!
So basically, I solved two clunking issues...the first caused by my worn-out factory suspension. The second, due to the coilover top nuts not being torqued correctly.
Mike
My 996 has been sitting in the driveway and will not run.
It's getting towed today to Dundon Motorsports for diagnosis. I'm hoping to get it back on the road soon so I can report back with an update on the coilover settings and performance...
Mike
How do you know when you are at max height? I have put my fronts on, but I am not sure about ride height as they are so much shorter than the OEM shocks.
Speaking of which, mine were in such bad shape. I am nearing 100,000 miles and they must be original.
I adjusted them to max before putting them on. I think there's a thread break on the shock that shows the maximum it can be threaded out.
Did you put any preload on? I didn't on the front originally and now I'm thinking maybe to add about 7mm. RW recommended anywhere from 0-15.
Actually I might be mixing the thread break up with the rears. I think the fronts just stop turning once they are at max. Here's a pic of the thread break on the rear.
There is no thread break on my fronts...and I can completely screw them off.
I am putting 10mm into mine, as per the "manual".
In the coming days I will get the rears on, and I can see where the ride height is at. If there is much more than 1/2 inch drop...well I won't even be able to get it out of the driveway.
Yeah they have a different setup on the 4s. Be curious to know what RWs recommends to determine max height. Would be scary to thread it too far out without knowing and have it potentially fail.
I did, and they responded within an hour. looking at their site they updated their product lines. I recommend using the contact us section of their website. It seems to get me responses faster.
I have about 500 km on them now. I had to blue loctite one of the collars this week, but otherwise they have been OK.
I have sent them numerous emails, tweets, facebook postings etc. They just ignore me.
I have no idea what to even say, the coils ride well, but they seem to be super hit or miss. what email did you use? I know they changed their email. It seems like I'm one of the few getting service from them, and they've been spectacular. The only reason I hesitate to recommend them is because of their spotty service.
The fact that you have to work so hard to buy a costly and critical component screams red flag when there are so many other competitive options up and down the price spectrum. Don't waste time on these jokers.
Anyone have any updates on their Raceworks coilovers?
I haven't put too many miles on mine since my 911 has been in the shop since June, I should be getting it back this week.
Just curious how these coilovers are holding up for folks.
Mike
Well...
Just great. The only post-install issue I had was one of the lockrings wouldn't stay tight. After some blue locktite it has held since August (about 2500 km). I think they broke-in a little, and I am very happy with the ride.
Would I buy them again? No. No I wouldn't.
Next year I am going to try to swap my rear stock top mounts in. Having done a few long trips, I do think there is more NVH (or at least NV) and would like to see how that changes things.
^^^^
Thanks for the update. I just got my car back from the shop after a very long engine repair visit.
I'd agree, there is a bit more NVH but, not too much. Totally acceptable in my opinion.
I'm going to go back to FULL soft and adjust from there. Something still doesn't seem 'right' with the handling characteristics.
Mike
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
