Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

I just bought a set of Bilstein shock absorbers from JJC Race and Rally for a 1991 S2, but they don't fit. This is not JJC's fault, as apparently Bilstein say on their documentation that the 34-000403 cartridge type shock will fit all models of 944 - and that is plain wrong. Porsche changed the design on the front in late '86 to make them non-rebuildable, so the cartridge type will not fit. Unfortunately, nobody seems to have told Bilstein. JJC are picking them up and refunding my money, so at least they give good service. Now I need to find someone who can supply the correct shocks.

Bilstein do know. I talked at length with their technical fellows at the Autosport show in January. Their inserts need Boge struts or modified normal struts.

It isn't as simple as with the Konis where you lop off the top, but they can be converted and the dampers are far better than Koni now, I believe.

Id suggest holding on and speaking to Olli Snellman, or anyone else who can convert later type Sachs struts to a screw on top type.

Can you retrofit Boge dampers to an earlier car or is it not that simple?

One thing that isn't clear from the documentation I have read - how do you know if you have Boge struts? Are these the ones that were fitted pre-87? and who made the struts fitted after 86?

Boge/Sachs made them

they changed the top part to crimped instead of screw on and no longer an insert.

for Koni you cut the top of the strut off about an inch below the crimp then drill a hole in the bottom to bolt the insert into the remain of the strut.

with Bilsteins you have to fabricate the screw on part or cut the top off an old screw on type and then weld that on to the remains of your old strut.

bit more complicated

Sorry to hijack this topic but does that mean on my 1985.5 944 LUX I can fit off the shelf Bilstein front shock absorbers without any need for modification?

Would this still be the case if I where to fit camber plates.

I have no idea about this sort of thing so this is really useful info.

I think they are designed to fit the Std top mounts the aftermarket shocks, so I would say yes but I'm no expert.

I say that because you can fit standard shocks in adjustable top plates