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YOUR RESEARCHPSS9 - should rear springs feel softer once installed?
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Replace by pss10s
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PSS9 - should rear springs feel softer once installed?
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Leading evidence: 'Replace by pss10s' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check point' (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.
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I know on my Benz when I replaced the springs after 24 years it was obvious they had been totally worn out for some time.
PSS9 - should rear springs feel softer once installed?
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Suggestion
Did you double check your point to point dimensions?
PSS9 - should rear springs feel softer once installed?
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Trying to figure out why newly installed PSS9 (after corner balancing and alignment neg 2 camber all around, 0.04 deg toe in per side up front, 0.24 deg toe in total in the rear) feel crazy loose above 130. It feels like the problem is in the rear. Softening it to 5f/5r helped, but I'm wondering if maybe the rear springs have gone soft and it effectively makes the car overdamped in the rear and dance at high speed. Is it normal that it is easier to push down the rear of the car than the front? I would think not, given what the spring rates are supposed to be, but maybe the engine weight makes this normal?
Something is wrong. I have PSS9s on my '02 C2 and the rears are hard as a rock. I installed them myself maybe 9-10 years ago, and they were the best upgrade I have ever done to transform the handling of the car. Better anti sway bars helped too. You can't manually push down on the rears at all with out a TON of effort. And I am not at full hard, I think 5/6 F/R IIRC. The "helper" gap springs are fully compressed, and only un sprung when on my lift or if you catch air. If your helpers are not fully compressed, then the length settings are wrong.
The helpers are fully compressed. I'm wondering if maybe for some reason the main springs got worn out. The front is as you describe, but the rear I can push down on.
Are they actually new? PSS9s are old, replaced by PSS10s. I assume you got them used, (since you suspect worn springs)but way more likely the coilovers them selves might need a rebuild (valves & seals) which I have seen. I don�t see how the springs can be �worn�. Springs, especially Bilsteins, don�t wear. Did you double check your point to point dimensions?
Not new, just newly installed. The struts were rebuilt by Bilstein and never used since that. From the date code I would say they have 14 years of being installed on the springs though. I know on my Benz when I replaced the springs after 24 years it was obvious they had been totally worn out for some time. 14 isn't 24, but the car they were on saw track use, so...maybe?. Point to point dimensions were checked, but the car has also been corner balanced. I found that you can order new springs from the UK for about 267 US shipped, so in a few weeks I should have those to put in, the cost is low enough that it's better than first sending the shocks to Bilstein to be checked out.
If anybody comes across this later - new springs in, rear still feels softer than the front when compressing by hand but it has made an absolutely massive difference in how the car drives.
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