Bilstein PSS9 or Manthey KW Suspension
Discussion
I think I've got this KW stuff recently fitted and it seems to make precisely no difference to the outgoing PSS9 setup.
However, I'm reliably informed it's cunning stuff but I doubt very much it will diminish in any way whatsoever, the likelihood of me pirouetting orf in time honoured fashion at Silverstone this Thursday.
Schnell, schnell!
Rolter Whirl (das Nord635schleife.)
However, I'm reliably informed it's cunning stuff but I doubt very much it will diminish in any way whatsoever, the likelihood of me pirouetting orf in time honoured fashion at Silverstone this Thursday.
Schnell, schnell!
Rolter Whirl (das Nord635schleife.)
John,
A well known GT2 hoonist (993 elitist) uses it and according to our mutual fettlman, is worth a punt: not as pricey as Eibach but no worse than PSS9s and a change is as good as a rest and all that so why not?
Frank Bucholz (above, sometime bass player with German heavy rock pioneers 'Das Scorpions' during their 'Virgin Killer' tour of 1977, now serial corporate raider, junk bond addict and all round playboy) can probably shed immensely more light than I.
I just get in, plant my foot and trust to luck.
Btw, I've heard a vicious rumour that are the badgers no more about the hedgerows of Copse?
A well known GT2 hoonist (993 elitist) uses it and according to our mutual fettlman, is worth a punt: not as pricey as Eibach but no worse than PSS9s and a change is as good as a rest and all that so why not?
Frank Bucholz (above, sometime bass player with German heavy rock pioneers 'Das Scorpions' during their 'Virgin Killer' tour of 1977, now serial corporate raider, junk bond addict and all round playboy) can probably shed immensely more light than I.
I just get in, plant my foot and trust to luck.
Btw, I've heard a vicious rumour that are the badgers no more about the hedgerows of Copse?
Is the Manthey KW setup specifically road/Nurburgring focussed in that it's fit & forget & your car would monster the NS if you have the ability. Compared to PSS9's which have adjustability but no specific "named tuner" setting.
The KW's should still be adjustable - in a similar fashion to PSS9's - KW's also have s/steel which means (allegedly) less grief when re-adjusting ride heights etc.
The KW's should still be adjustable - in a similar fashion to PSS9's - KW's also have s/steel which means (allegedly) less grief when re-adjusting ride heights etc.
I suspect that both are a bit more track orientated than the OE stuff and by far the biggest improvement will come from the geometry dialed into the installation.
At the end of the day, race cars use suspension that would make a road car totally unusable on the road (had one of them), so what's good for the track is useless for the road.
All suspension will have a compromise somewhere, you just have to decide (or hope) that an aftermarket suspension kit has its compromise somewhere you are happy for it to be.
If a good compromise is installed badly, it will be substantially worse than road or race suspension, in all conditions. Research the bump and rebound rates, the spring rates and the amount of travel available. Ask for graphs of the dyno runs and compare these with the other options. Look for smooth ovals and look for un-fading consistency. Heavy springs will put a huge load on the dampers and may have them fading badly after 20 minutes. Fine for a race where the track is flat and smooth, disastrous for a typical UK A/B road. How do the spring rates compare? Are they in pro-rata to the original rates? If not, how will the different rates change the car's balance? Will they lead to snap oversteer? Terminal understeer unless always trail braking? How will the car handle in the wet?
My big observation is that most people who have taken the plunge will tell everyone how much better it is. Few will actually say that they wish they had left it alone, or will say they have wasted their money. People are like this as they do not wish to be seen as a fool who was parted with his money. There is a notable exception, above.
Decide at which point across the scale you want your suspension to be optimal and then find a manufacturer and installer that can supply what you want. But look at the specs and the rates to see if the salesman is telling the truth.
I have a bit of 'previous' in suspension design.
At the end of the day, race cars use suspension that would make a road car totally unusable on the road (had one of them), so what's good for the track is useless for the road.
All suspension will have a compromise somewhere, you just have to decide (or hope) that an aftermarket suspension kit has its compromise somewhere you are happy for it to be.
If a good compromise is installed badly, it will be substantially worse than road or race suspension, in all conditions. Research the bump and rebound rates, the spring rates and the amount of travel available. Ask for graphs of the dyno runs and compare these with the other options. Look for smooth ovals and look for un-fading consistency. Heavy springs will put a huge load on the dampers and may have them fading badly after 20 minutes. Fine for a race where the track is flat and smooth, disastrous for a typical UK A/B road. How do the spring rates compare? Are they in pro-rata to the original rates? If not, how will the different rates change the car's balance? Will they lead to snap oversteer? Terminal understeer unless always trail braking? How will the car handle in the wet?
My big observation is that most people who have taken the plunge will tell everyone how much better it is. Few will actually say that they wish they had left it alone, or will say they have wasted their money. People are like this as they do not wish to be seen as a fool who was parted with his money. There is a notable exception, above.
Decide at which point across the scale you want your suspension to be optimal and then find a manufacturer and installer that can supply what you want. But look at the specs and the rates to see if the salesman is telling the truth.
I have a bit of 'previous' in suspension design.
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff