Boxster Suspension R&R

[CJ_Boxster]

There is something missing from the directions on the front strut install... once the Strut is removed you will see 2 arrows back to back stamped into the hat. When you reinstall this on the car... should the arrows point left to right or front to back?

[insite]

There is something missing from the directions on the front strut install... once the Strut is removed you will see 2 arrows back to back stamped into the hat. When you reinstall this on the car... should the arrows point left to right or front to back?

good catch! the arrows point along the side of the car, so front to back.

[CJ_Boxster]

Sweet! Thats how i installed them. Glad i dont have to unbolt them and reinstall it just to fix that.

[pomocanthus]

I recently ordered RoW M030 from Sunset and expecting it in late Feb. :clapping: How much should I expect to pay to have it installed? I've read your posts and am a little skeptical that I can get it done in one weekend. She is my daily driver.

Thanks,

Hung

[Highlander]

I recently ordered RoW M030 from Sunset and expecting it in late Feb. :clapping: How much should I expect to pay to have it installed? I've read your posts and am a little skeptical that I can get it done in one weekend. She is my daily driver.

Thanks,

Hung

Expect to pay about $800-$1000 if you get a dealer to do it, $600-$800 for an independent.

Good Luck

[juniinc]

Good job highlander, very nice!

[wsp8]

Just completed the same suspension install using the above directions. Great job on those, but I do have two additional comments:

Separating the rear lower control arm is certainly an easy way to go, but it took the second side before I realized that slacking the parking brake cable would easily give me the necessary clearance to remove the strut intact.

As a result, I have apparently stretched the first cable. It adjusted okay, but it sure looks odd in the console. I'll switch it out soon.

And, on three of the four sides I had backing plate contact with the rotor. Guess I wasn't paying that much attention, but it's been a royal pain to track down what that noise was and to fix. In fact, the front still is an issue. I'm going to remove the fronts for track days, anyway, but I gather they must be cut away if you're not replacing the hub bearing.

Any suggestions.

The M030 kit is a little stiff in the cold (40's), but it definitely handles even better. At 60 it's much smoother. Can't wait for the first track day.

[Ron986]

Graeme,

I recently completely changed my suspension over to the ROW M030 setup. It was the first time I have ever worked on Porsche suspension, and I used your guide. It was a great help to me during the process. Good illustrations and clear instruction.

Thanks for taking the time to put such a great guide together.

One note to potential users: When you get to the rear suspension, I found it much easier to unbolt the lower control arm at the chassis, than to split the lower ball joint - even though I have the Porsche type splitter tool. Just clean the adjuster cams good with brake cleaner first and let them dry, then mark the cam positions with a sharpie before loostening the bolts. Then its easy to put them right back in the same positions.

Unfortunately because those eccentrics have so much slop in them, this in no way guarantees that you're at the same alignment as when you started. If you've ever aligned one of these cars you know that if you turn the eccentric, often no change in alignment will occur for the first 1/16 of a turn!

You may be fine - but I'd suggest getting an alignment.

Quick question - did you still have to disconnect the axle doing it your way (removing the eccentric bolt)?

Right, but it puts it back close enough to get it to the alignment shop. For me, it's a given that anytime your changing suspension components an alignment is mandatory afterwards. I wouldn't even think of not doing one.

I already had the axle loose before I decided to go with removing the excentrics bolt, but no, you wouldn't have to.

My experience, just installed h&r 1" lowering springs springs on both ends, is that in the rear the drive shaft needs to be disconnected at the differential to allow enough play to pull the lower control arm out of the pivot point on chassis (eccentric bolt). Drive shaft disconnection is easy using the method in Graeme's guide (6 mm hex, 15" extension, using park brake to stop rotation).

In summary, at the rear, I disconnected; the driveshaft at differential, lower control arm at pivot point (eccentric bolt) on chassis, toe link at hub end, trailing link at lower control arm only. This allowed lots of play to drop the hub carrier and remove strut. I did not disconnect; brake line, wear sensors, ball joint, diagonal brace, chassis mounting of trailing link, driveshaft from hub, brake rotor.

I pulled the brake caliper off the rotor and hung to one side (no brake line or wear sensor disconnection) and did not need to compress the spring.

p.s. I found that piling a few layers of paint masking tape on the wheel well lip and fender saved chips as I wiggle the strut around to remove it from the hub carrier (of course this was after a nice little chip due to removing the first strut and ticking the fender with the top of it!)

I've ended up spending an afternoon per corner... I am slow and generally careful, also due to having to buy the non-standard tools to do this job; 18 mm socket, 18 mm wrench, 6 & 7 mm hex drives.

Edited March 30, 2010 by Ron986