Anyone here run Bilstein PSS9's?
12-28-2009, 09:53 AM
#152
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For the money, the Bilsteins are hard to beat. Definitely a very solid monotube shock which can be set-up to work extremely well. The stainless finish makes the shock bodies very resiliant to corrosion and they are truly a coilover you can live with on a daily basis w/o requiring rebuilds every 20K miles (Ohlins, Koni, etc advise that rebuilds be done every 20K miles).
With that said, the out-of-the-box PSS9's are not a "perfect" competition coilover. The spring rates are somewhat soft (340 F/ 240R), but with adjustable swaybars and/or revalve (and different spring rates), these can be set-up to be right up there with the 3-4K coilovers. Tom Kenna and Rick Jung went 1-2 in STU this year in Jung's Evo that uses PSS9's.
P.S. Speaking of FatCat, I'll probably be going with a set of their bumpstops with my PSS9's. I don't plan to slam my car, but it will be lowered at least 1-1.5" lower than stock, and if I get into my bumpstops, I want to be sure my car will still handle predictably.
With that said, the out-of-the-box PSS9's are not a "perfect" competition coilover. The spring rates are somewhat soft (340 F/ 240R), but with adjustable swaybars and/or revalve (and different spring rates), these can be set-up to be right up there with the 3-4K coilovers. Tom Kenna and Rick Jung went 1-2 in STU this year in Jung's Evo that uses PSS9's.
P.S. Speaking of FatCat, I'll probably be going with a set of their bumpstops with my PSS9's. I don't plan to slam my car, but it will be lowered at least 1-1.5" lower than stock, and if I get into my bumpstops, I want to be sure my car will still handle predictably.
12-28-2009, 11:24 AM
#153
Right on. I am in total agreement. For selfish reasons, I would like to see you up the spring rates and daping sooner than later, but I'm sure the factory settings will be a fun upgrade from your stock springs... and a bit more tolerable on the street than a pure STX setup.
On a side note, I used to run against Tom and Rick occasionally in STU back in San Diego (and Max H). Moving the RX8 out of STU was a very good move.
On a side note, I used to run against Tom and Rick occasionally in STU back in San Diego (and Max H). Moving the RX8 out of STU was a very good move.
12-28-2009, 11:37 AM
#154
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For budgetary reasons it definitely won't happen until late 2010/early 2011. A few different people (including Strano) have also recommended that I run these coilovers "box stock" for a season. This way when I do invest in a revalve ($125/shock from Bilstein), I'll have a better understanding of my overall needs and target spring rates.
Even with 600+lbs spring rates, these coilovers are still very daily driver friendly. Rick drove his family in his STU Evo to the SEMA show in Vegas a couple years back.
Yeah, the RX-8 definitely was outgunned in STU. All three drivers are definitely top notch and are always in the trophies or winners circle!
Even with 600+lbs spring rates, these coilovers are still very daily driver friendly. Rick drove his family in his STU Evo to the SEMA show in Vegas a couple years back.
Yeah, the RX-8 definitely was outgunned in STU. All three drivers are definitely top notch and are always in the trophies or winners circle!
12-28-2009, 10:03 PM
#156
http://www.fatcatmotorsports.com/
They have a whole range of bump stops available. This can be very helpful in fine-tuning a stock-class autocross car, where you have very little that can be changed. For a car with coilovers, it's perhaps not so important, but I suppose a judiciously chosen bump stop might let you lower the car a smidge more.
BTW, Shaikh typically likes to start with HDs, not PSS9s, for his rebuilds. He uses Ohlins internals. I'm not saying he wouldn't do PSS9s, but when I asked him about this last year he encouraged me to send him some HDs if I wanted his double-adjustable coilover setup.
He's a good guy, and helped setup Jerry Jenkin's ES Miata, '08 and '09 national champ, who is in my region. Jerry speaks very highly of his FCM setup.
They have a whole range of bump stops available. This can be very helpful in fine-tuning a stock-class autocross car, where you have very little that can be changed. For a car with coilovers, it's perhaps not so important, but I suppose a judiciously chosen bump stop might let you lower the car a smidge more.
BTW, Shaikh typically likes to start with HDs, not PSS9s, for his rebuilds. He uses Ohlins internals. I'm not saying he wouldn't do PSS9s, but when I asked him about this last year he encouraged me to send him some HDs if I wanted his double-adjustable coilover setup.
He's a good guy, and helped setup Jerry Jenkin's ES Miata, '08 and '09 national champ, who is in my region. Jerry speaks very highly of his FCM setup.
12-28-2009, 10:30 PM
#157
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George provided some great info. For the PSS9 application, I'll be looking at the 36mm or 46mm bumpstops. They run $64 for a complete set of four (4).
Here's a link to the FatCat bumpstop application guide: http://www.fatcatmotorsports.com/FCM....htm#Bumpstops
Correct. Which is why I'll be going with the Bilstein engineer who revalved Jung's PSS9's when I do mine. Not saying Shaikh can't do them, but he prefers to work with HDs.
Here's a link to the FatCat bumpstop application guide: http://www.fatcatmotorsports.com/FCM....htm#Bumpstops
Correct. Which is why I'll be going with the Bilstein engineer who revalved Jung's PSS9's when I do mine. Not saying Shaikh can't do them, but he prefers to work with HDs.
12-30-2009, 05:22 AM
#160
Got mine in last night! Quality looks really good. Better than my old KWs and way better than my old Helix
Looking at them, the fronts come with theur own bumpstops and thw rears don't appear to use any at all. Of course the instructions are aweful, so maybe Peppy can confirm this or not.
Looking at them, the fronts come with theur own bumpstops and thw rears don't appear to use any at all. Of course the instructions are aweful, so maybe Peppy can confirm this or not.
12-30-2009, 09:09 AM
#161
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^ Do you have the ability to accurately measure the length of the front Bilstein bumpstops? The rear uses a tapered progressive rate spring. It'll be interesting to see if the kit uses a bumpstop in the rear.
I heard the instructions are a bit sucky. I think Peppy said they were like the picture instructions you get with Ikea furniture!
I heard the instructions are a bit sucky. I think Peppy said they were like the picture instructions you get with Ikea furniture!
12-30-2009, 09:40 AM
#162
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the rears are inverted monotube, so the bumpstops are enclosed in the outer lower portion of the tube. I would assume that they are using bumpstops, never heard of a damper that didn't, but the only way you'll know is to disassemble your rear pss9 and find out 
12-30-2009, 10:11 AM
#163
^ Do you have the ability to accurately measure the length of the front Bilstein bumpstops? The rear uses a tapered progressive rate spring. It'll be interesting to see if the kit uses a bumpstop in the rear.
I heard the instructions are a bit sucky. I think Peppy said they were like the picture instructions you get with Ikea furniture!
I heard the instructions are a bit sucky. I think Peppy said they were like the picture instructions you get with Ikea furniture!
Pretty happy with how they look and can't wait to get them on. But, I gotta work this weekend, so Itll have to wait till next thursday.
12-31-2009, 09:20 AM
#168
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Sounds like Bilstein did their homework with this kit! Looking forward to getting mine.
12-31-2009, 09:28 AM
#169
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If not, I could take pics of a F&R PSS9 side-by-side with a F&R stock shock when mine arrive. I have konis on my car right now, so my stock shocks are off the car and in a box @ home.
12-31-2009, 09:21 PM
#171
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Ya, the instructions are horrible. I had to second guess myself 3 or 4 times before being happy with the way they were assembled. It's all worth it in the end though.
Last edited by Peppy@kacework; 01-01-2010 at 05:23 AM.
12-31-2009, 10:39 PM
#172
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Once I receive my set, I'll be sure to take several pics and post them. Look for pics in the next 2-3 weeks.
Well, I might have a few questions for you during my install weekend... 
01-05-2010, 05:06 PM
#173
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Ordered a set of PSS9's today. Got one of the last RX-8 sets in the country. Seems like Bilstein USA is out of them and won't get another shipment in until ~2/15. Major thanks to Stranoparts.com for tracking those coilovers down - he made quite a number of calls to locate this set for me! 
Also ordered a set of 17x9 Enkei RPF1's.
Also ordered a set of 17x9 Enkei RPF1's.