So ..let's state a proposed ideal for Auto-x and another for track.

Thoughts?

 

No worries. I'm sure it's a easy task. Just remove the rubber cover, and click to the settings.

I'm not so sure I wanna start experimenting with my toe-in/out though... In anycase, I don't have the control arms for that, only camber.

 

911RSAmerica, do you have sunroof? I'm thinking of going 5F/6R as I do have sunroof and I'm thinking the extra weight is pushing the car down more thus not damping as well as I like them to be...

Disclaimer.
It's a personal preference of how I like my suspension to be (slightly harder), not be be misunderstood as the PSS9 is not working well!

 

No sunroof, 5 will make the car feel bounce on the highway do to the increased rebound.

 

Thought I'd pipe in here!

Mine is set at 9f/9r for the street and will be trying your collective suggestion at 6f/7r today.

For track I use 4f/2r or 3f/1r, I get to control/ much reduce understeer as the rear balance is more unsettled and easier to rotate under throttle control. Other settings are 3mm total toe out front and 3mm toe in rear(we are metric here!), front camber -2 deg and rear -1.3. Negative camber induces toe in so in practical you may want to toe out the front to negate this effect and effectively my rear has additional toe in due to the rear Neg camber, front toe out increases turn in capability of the car and rear toe in for straight line stability. My H&R 19mm Rear Sway Bar at the softest setting, strut bar and chassis brace. Tyre pressures reduced front (28psi) and increased rear (31psi). These are the handling bits on my car therefore comparison can be subjective rather than objective but as a direct comparison with these settings I lap a 5.6km circuit 5 seconds faster than if everything was set at stock factory geometry settings. My entry speed is higher and balanced, promoting a higher exit speed.

Bster - Quote "I'm not so sure I wanna start experimenting with my toe-in/out though... In anycase, I don't have the control arms for that, only camber."

Just for your info you do not need rear control arms to adjust the toe, front and rear toe is readily adjustable without any type of kit. Im sure you know but in case you don't, the rear camber is also slightly adjustable via the large bolt at the end of the stock rear arms. Too much rear camber will enhance rear tyre grip and one will still end up with too much understeer.

Good luck bud!

edit: forgot to add frt n rear endlinks + PU trailing arm bushes frt n rear as parts also replaced.

 

the car is still too bouncy at low speed when i set the shocks to full soft. Should i try the 6-8 or 6-7combo? Have you guys found that to be a good way to cure the bounce?

Also, i was thinking of rasing the car to help out with ride. Did you guys get spanner wrenchs with your PSS9's? Ours didn't come with them.

Thanks guys

 

When you say "bouncy" do you mean that after you go over railroad tracks, the chassis keeps bouncing? Or do you mean that the car rides rough?

Turning the shocks up, especially the rebound, will help with the car being bouncy.

Here's a place that makes some nice spanner wrenches to adjust your ride height:
http://www.joesracing.com/catalog/item.php/23/

 

Do you all understand just what you are adjusting? Sounds like maybe 911RS is one of the few who do.
Mixednuts, ... if you run those settings on the track then it must be made of glass for it to be that smooth. You should never run the rebound that firm, especially in the rear.

Changing these settings for the street will help little. The rebound setting is something that can really help fine tune on the track, but if you were to do it right for the street then you'd be getting out of the car and adjusting them for each different road you drive on. I can see going 7 and 7, but never firmer rebound then this for everyday street driving. (9 being the softest, right?)
Anyway, it is up to each his own. Just for those that read this thread and are trying to learn, I just wanted to throw in my 3 cents.

 

isellem,

The answer is "yes". Yes, you should try adjusting to somewhere in the neighborhood of 6f/8r as it should actually improve your ride quality. Yes, a set of spanners should have come with the PSS9s. I would suggest playing with the damper settings first though.

Scott
90SM

 

cool thanks! i will give it a shot! Sucks that my PSS9s didnt come with spanner wrenches!

the car just has the low speed "jitters" other than that it is good!

 

Hi

Suddenly I feel a need to justify myself!

If the track was made of glass it wouldnt be a track but it is new and very smooth , anyway the car does not bounce at any part of the track if thats an indication. I believe you had PSS9 on your car at one time so I dont doubt you know what you're talking about. These numbers works for me, if you've tried it please share your experience but dont forget the PSS9 is not a race kit and after 2004 build, bilstein reduced the damping a notch softer because they received too many complaints it was too stiff for road use. Not quite sure what you mean by never running rear rebound that firm though. In a 1 make FWD race series I currently partake in all 25 cars, though individually set to driver's needs, end up being similiarly set up with the rear rebound near max point and that with a full race suspension kit. Go figure.

Im pleased with this set up as it suits my circuit driving style and sharing my experience here as points for others to ponder, for certain the car handles more neutral to oversteer and doesnt "drag" the rear end (understeer).

To qualify the little knowledge that I'm sharing here I do have some good years experience in competitive rallying and circuit racing FWD, RWD and AWD. I understand the principles in question and yes I do know what Im adjusting.

I appreciate your contribution to this subject but your first line came down as a little condescending and Im feeling very sensitive today, blame my wife - she keeps asking me to be a more sensitive man.

Best Regards

 

Mixednuts... sorry if I did come off that way. It's just that people here are talking about "firming" up the shock with the adjuster. In fact the dampening is always the same no matter what the adjuster is set to.
Setting the PSS9s below 3 in the rear causes what's know as Jacking Down. Unless you are running a much higher spring rate back there, the shock is way to slow to recover to max stroke. Now if in fact you are on a smooth track then you may not really notice this, but in any track here in the northeast you really do notice it. Setting to 1 is certain disaster.
Now, if the PSS9 changed it's valving since I purchased mine in 2004, I take it back as I have no experience with the new shock.

 

I, for 1, dare to say that I have no idea what I'm talking about.

I thought that if you dial that adjuster, the shocks with either firm up or soften (isn't this damping?) ? Could you please give a rough explaination what the adjuster does then?

What I do know is, when I go over a undulating road on the expressway, instead of going 1 bounce and carry on my way, I go 2 or 3 bounces and then on my way.

Wouldn't you "firm" up that shock in that aspect?

 

I don't want to make like I know all about this stuff, just sharing what I do know.
Dampening is the adjustment the compression stroke. Rebound is the adjustment of the return stroke. The PSS9s only adjust the rebound. So, in fact when you firm up the rebound the car will be less bouncy as the shock is resisting the spring return. What happens on a race track, especially a rougher one, is that if the rebound is to stiff then the shock can not recover it's stroke fast enough, so every bump you go over the shock gets shorter, until the car starts hopping. Very bad in rough corners on the track or the road.This can happen in just a couple of seconds.

 

Thanks Onasled,

That did clear up some misunderstandings that I had.

 

Hi O

Everything is cool.

There can't be a variant to the PSS9 can there? On the PSS9 kits changing the **** position between 1-9 adjusts the rebound and compression rates.

Regards

 

Not sure if this really means anything but the Bilstein website says the adjustment is both compression & rebound.

http://www.bilstein.com/autos.php#systems

PSS 9 System
The Bilstein PSS 9 Suspension provides the ultimate in performance tuning. The fully-adjustable monotube gas shock absorbers offer a selection of nine precise compression and rebound settings, from comfort to competition. The front and rear progressive rate springs allow accurate adjustment of the vehicle ride height and center of gravity for the level of performance you seek.
Now you can enjoy the kind of precise suspension tuning formerly available only on race cars. The PSS 9 system puts you in complete control. Whether it's a weekend of competition or the daily commute, absolute handling and control are just a few twists away.

 

Since I'm going to do coilovers for my GP, then I guess I need to read this thread several times, to understand more about the suspension.

 

Keep your GP suspension parts if you upgrade to coilovers. You will be replacing springs and shocks front and rear.

PSS9s will allow you to adjust ride height to your desire from a little lower than stock to 2" drop or until your tires rub and you can't drive.

Each shock has a dial setting from 1 (stiffest) to 9 (softest) which is adjustable from under the car- fairly easy to do quickly.

For most street driving a soft setting front and rear will work but it can depend on your tires and alignment. I use 9 front and rear for daily driving and an assortment of different wheels and tires- it's fine.

For track, driving school or autocross you can choose a moderately stiff setting about 3 to 6 in any combination front and rear but usually the same settings right and left. 1 or 2 is definitely stiffer and much rougher on the road- it can be jarring.

If you are using your GP for street use only then you don't need adjustable endlinks. You don't need to crossbalance your car.

 

I'm now on 4F-5R for the streets, and used that settings at the F1 track at Sepang, Malaysia and it handles well. It's not jarring nor does it feel uncomfortable. In fact, it's more comfortable than when I was on 6F-7R!!

Only now, can I use the term " it handles like it's on rails". I'm thinking of trying 3F-4R just to see how it is.

Your mileage may vary.

 

bumping this excellent thread. installing mine tomorrow

 

For what it's worth, I had a very good discussion with MINIHUNE since he was here in Singapore for his son's chess competition.

He suggested I try 6-front and 5 rear(street) and 7-front and 5 rear (track), opposite to my "thinking" and I did. It's awesome! Strange idea to me, but works so much better than my 5F-5R that I was using.

It's all good now.

 

Let me know how it goes

 

just finished putting the last tool away. I set it at 6F/7R. I'm much happier with ride height vs. the previous setup....noticably lower than stock, but not slammed and I've got the front rake back. now for the test drive

 

Congrats.
I'm sure it will look good and perform better.

Stop by Osbourne Park high, Manassas, on Aug 18th, I will autox there. I would love to see you ride.