997 3.8 c2s front spring replacement
997 3.8 c2s front spring replacement
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Discussion

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
quotequote all
Hi I'm after a pair of standard front springs for my car as 1 has broken. The colour marking is red green but i don't know what this means either hence can anyone point me in the right direction as there a fortune at the OPC

thanks

IREvans

1,126 posts

142 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
quotequote all
I’ve just changed a pair of front springs on a manual 997.2 C2S with standard chassis, and I’m fairly sure they had that colour marking. They’re were only £230 for the pair from the local Porsche dealer. I thought that was cheap.

FriedMarsBar

530 posts

52 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
quotequote all
How much gave you been quoted?

I've just been quoted circa £100 each from CG for OEM springs as part of full refresh.


Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
quotequote all
design 911.con want £311, who are CG as that price sounds better than the OPC who wanted £150 each

I dont want the car lowered as its fine as it is. it has PASM also but thought i could find a better deal at circa £80 a spring

Thanks for your replies

FriedMarsBar

530 posts

52 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
quotequote all
CG is Center Gravity.

It might be worth ring Type911 who are reasonably priced. Their site is a bit pants so a call is quicker.

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
quotequote all
Thanks, i've emailed them

Pope

2,653 posts

267 months

Saturday 4th June 2022
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Pretty sure front springs come as a pair if ordered from OPC.....

Just checked the last time I priced some - 198.93 +VAT; supplied as a pair.

You'll have PASM; watch out undoing the dampers: the PASM wire mustn't be kinked or turned while undoing the damper rod top nut or you'll damage it and need to replace the dampers - though to be fair, corrosion at the top mount/conical washers usually means you'll be replacing them anyway.



Edited by Pope on Saturday 4th June 06:48

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Saturday 4th June 2022
quotequote all
Thanks for the update. I'm replacing the dampers as there fairly corroded and also the drop links as they were a pig to get off so the car should be fairly good when I get it back on the road next weekend.

Will see if CG offer a better price but failing that will go via OPC if forced to

RossCo

Pope

2,653 posts

267 months

Sunday 5th June 2022
quotequote all
From a faff point of view building up two fresh dampers with all new parts is a sight easier than smashing apart 2 corroded assemblies - the top mount aluminium sections effectively join to the damper rod and if you aren't replacing everything you can spend an hour+ trying to separate the individual parts to get at the concave washers; bellows and bump stops that you'll need to swap over.

A oner a corner on springs is not expensive from any manufacturer.

The strut assemblies have an integrated top mount bearing, housed in a metal shield sandwiched with a rubber buffer between it and the spring - the bearings last a few years before water/dirt ingress makes them stiff resulting in creaks/clunks; for a complete job you'll be looking to replace them too:





If you decide to reuse any of the individual parts and you find it a struggle to separate the top mount, the easiest way seems to be inverting the damper after loosening the top mount nut and striking a drift against the underside of the top mount washer (item 6. in the above diagram); after sliding the bumpstop towards the damper body for access.

Slippydiff

15,899 posts

243 months

Sunday 5th June 2022
quotequote all
Pope said:
From a faff point of view building up two fresh dampers with all new parts is a sight easier than smashing apart 2 corroded assemblies - the top mount aluminium sections effectively join to the damper rod and if you aren't replacing everything you can spend an hour+ trying to separate the individual parts to get at the concave washers; -bellows and bump stops that you'll need to swap over.

A oner a corner on springs is not expensive from any manufacturer.

The strut assemblies have an integrated top mount bearing, housed in a metal shield sandwiched with a rubber buffer between it and the spring - the bearings last a few years before water/dirt ingress makes them stiff resulting in creaks/clunks; for a complete job you'll be looking to replace them too:





If you decide to reuse any of the individual parts and you find it a struggle to separate the top mount, the easiest way seems to be inverting the damper after loosening the top mount nut and striking a drift against the underside of the top mount washer (item 6. in the above diagram); after sliding the bumpstop towards the damper body for access.
Both of which will most likely be unusable anyway ...

Pope

2,653 posts

267 months

Sunday 5th June 2022
quotequote all
Slippydiff said:
Pope said:
From a faff point of view building up two fresh dampers with all new parts is a sight easier than smashing apart 2 corroded assemblies - the top mount aluminium sections effectively join to the damper rod and if you aren't replacing everything you can spend an hour+ trying to separate the individual parts to get at the concave washers; -bellows and bump stops that you'll need to swap over.

A oner a corner on springs is not expensive from any manufacturer.

The strut assemblies have an integrated top mount bearing, housed in a metal shield sandwiched with a rubber buffer between it and the spring - the bearings last a few years before water/dirt ingress makes them stiff resulting in creaks/clunks; for a complete job you'll be looking to replace them too:





If you decide to reuse any of the individual parts and you find it a struggle to separate the top mount, the easiest way seems to be inverting the damper after loosening the top mount nut and striking a drift against the underside of the top mount washer (item 6. in the above diagram); after sliding the bumpstop towards the damper body for access.
Both of which will most likely be unusable anyway ...
Agreed; lost count the number of times I've seen where bits are reused - job takes longer and generally worse off afterwards.

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Friday 10th June 2022
quotequote all
Hi I've ordered a new set of springs from OPC and collect them tomorrow AM £238.

I've also received a new set of discs, textar pads, bumpstops and drop links so will get on with the rebuild tomorrow. The bearings seem fine so i will re use them as the car has only done 65k

I bought the dampers about a year back when a set was offered to me as the original dampers were fairly rusty

Looking forward to driving the car again

Thanks for all the comments


Pope

2,653 posts

267 months

Saturday 11th June 2022
quotequote all
While you're there get the conical washers/spacers at the top of the damper rod if you haven't already - the corrosion eats away at them and reusing seems to restart the issue on the new ones.

OPC generally have them in stock.

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Saturday 11th June 2022
quotequote all
Many thanks Pope. I'm just off to collect the springs

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Saturday 11th June 2022
quotequote all
£4.49 for taper washers and free coffee. Great service, thanks for the exploded view also.

Unfortunately the textar pads i ordered are the wrong size and is it ok to reuse the dampening pads

What should i be paying for a set

Thanks

IREvans

1,126 posts

142 months

Saturday 11th June 2022
quotequote all
Rossco196x said:
£4.49 for taper washers and free coffee. Great service, thanks for the exploded view also.

Unfortunately the textar pads i ordered are the wrong size and is it ok to reuse the dampening pads

What should i be paying for a set

Thanks
The anti vibration damping pads aren’t expensive, but you could reuse the old ones. You’ll have to carefully remove them from the old pads, and get some high temperature self adhesive tape to fix them to the new brake pads.

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Sunday 12th June 2022
quotequote all
Many thanks, any recommendations for pads, ideally low dust as the wheels seem to get covered in less than 15o miles.

What price are they and are Pagid any good

Thanks

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Sunday 12th June 2022
quotequote all
Forgot to say i've been offered Brembo pads to go with the new brembo discs i'm fitting and they dont come with counter weights.

What is the real reason or difference

Pope

2,653 posts

267 months

Tuesday 14th June 2022
quotequote all
AFAIK added mass alters the specific resonance of a part - in the case of pads it can stop/reduce vibration and noise in an operating range. If the pads don't have the added weight they may be noisier I suppose?

The anti-squeal plates locate in the pistons but screw together - they can seize in the pistons too. If yours come out put a smear of copper slip on them before refitting and they'll not stick next time.

Rossco196x

Original Poster:

141 posts

94 months

Tuesday 14th June 2022
quotequote all
Hi Pope and thanks for the reply. I called the local OPC who wanted £240 for a set of pads. I've no intention of doing track days so a set of Pagid pads are being fitted and the saved cash can go towards 10 litres of Millers 10w50 for the next oil service instead.

Other than that the dampers came out of the callipers easily so i will get the off side finished this AM and then crack on with the NS ready for its MOT.

Can't wait to see if the car handles any better!