Re: A rough ride!

Hi Good folks of Pedro's Board!

A quick question. I have a 2002 Base 986 that has been a fantastic car. has about 83K on it now and all I have had to do to it other than normal stuff is the ignition switch, AOS, and a motor mount.

The car up until recently has been very smooth, quite over bumps etc....but seemingly all of a sudden it just feels like any bump at all, small or large, makes the car feel as though it is falling from a cliff. Very harsh and noisy.

Is it possible that all the shocks wore out at the same time or do you suspect another problem?

Thanks for any and all ideas on places to begin my investigation.

Greg

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gregsterInMO
Hi Good folks of Pedro's Board!

A quick question. I have a 2002 Base 986 that has been a fantastic car. has about 83K on it now and all I have had to do to it other than normal stuff is the ignition switch, AOS, and a motor mount.

The car up until recently has been very smooth, quite over bumps etc....but seemingly all of a sudden it just feels like any bump at all, small or large, makes the car feel as though it is falling from a cliff. Very harsh and noisy.

Is it possible that all the shocks wore out at the same time or do you suspect another problem?

Thanks for any and all ideas on places to begin my investigation.

Greg

If it has suddenly warmed up where you are...Check tire pressures first. You might find the tires a bit over-inflated. Even if they are ok try lowering the pressure a PSI or two. IIRC the settings (for 17" tires) are 29psi front, 36psi rear. Try 27/34 and see how you like it. I'd not go below 26/33 though I have no input other than my gut telling me that's low enough.

A harsh ride -- like every pavement seam is like hitting a curb, every Bott's dot is like Mt. Everest -- has been my experience with my 02 based now for a while with over 276K miles on its original suspension/steering/shocks. Same for my 03 996 with just over 108K miles. I do run the tires at their recommended inflation pressures.

In fact, the 996 often has its tires inflated to what are the inflation pressures for max load, though I can't recall off hand what these are. The car's ride is a bit harsh but I'm used to it.

BTW, the only suspension/steering component my Boxster that I've had replaced are the front sway bar links. One suffered a failed rubber boot and that was that. Replaced. The car felt the same after as it did before. Also, whichever tech works on the car when I have it in for service road tests the car and reports the car feels just fine, so I have not bothered to replace the shocks, or any other suspension/steering components.

Thanks Marc,

I must say, no bouncing, just a thud or BAM! kind-of going over any pot holes, small sharper bumps are the worst.

Just feels like my suspension is gone. Even a co-worker of mine rode in the car with me the other day (had never been in a P-Car before) and she made a statement something to "wow, I thought a Porsche would ride smoother"....Thats when I decided I had better start looking into it.

G.

When did you replace the motor mount? It it was around 40K miles, there's a good possibility that it is kaput again.

The mount was replaced only a few K ago.

It seemed to be nice for only a short time after, then Bam, roughness abounds.

back to diagnosis.

A seized component could do this. Sometimes shocks seize. Do all 4 corners move?

Might you alignment have gone way out? When my (blue) car was out of alignment it crashed over stuff. An alignment let it roll over them I speculate it was basically dragging its wheels sideways over bumps (by a very small degree)

Tire pressure change? Just checkin.....

Sudden changes are odd. What have YOU changed? Work done? Weather? Sunspots?

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

it just has a very Harsh ride....both front and rear of the car. The "sound" that I mention is more like you would think of driving a car with NO suspension at all. everything is Jared when going over even the smallest bumps, such as manhole covers, smaller speed bumps, gravel, potholes etc....

The mounting plates and the alignment suggestions both make sense to me and I will begin having those looked at.

The only "Changes" I have made were the motor mount and New tires a couple of weeks ago, but the harshness began before both of these changes. I was in hopes that the motor mount would do the trick....to no avail.

I know people have suggested "its a sports car and they ride tighter that sedans, etc...." Well I have owned 7 P-Cars including another Boxster and they have all had better ride comfort than this one all of a sudden. Including my old 911s...

I have some work to do! Thanks guys

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gregsterInMO
it just has a very Harsh ride....both front and rear of the car. The "sound" that I mention is more like you would think of driving a car with NO suspension at all. everything is Jared when going over even the smallest bumps, such as manhole covers, smaller speed bumps, gravel, potholes etc....

The mounting plates and the alignment suggestions both make sense to me and I will begin having those looked at.

The only "Changes" I have made were the motor mount and New tires a couple of weeks ago, but the harshness began before both of these changes. I was in hopes that the motor mount would do the trick....to no avail.

I know people have suggested "its a sports car and they ride tighter that sedans, etc...." Well I have owned 7 P-Cars including another Boxster and they have all had better ride comfort than this one all of a sudden. Including my old 911s...

I have some work to do! Thanks guys

post but my Boxster's ride is the twin of your car's ride. Well, maybe the twin. More on this below.

Anyhow, I'm pretty sure the car didn't ride like this from new.

But there are no signs of any bushing break down, no clunks, bangs, creaks, squeaks, etc. The shocks still work and do not leak. The alignment seems to last a long time and the tech never mentions finding any suspension items loose or showing signs of trouble or having any difficulty bringing the car into alignment.

As I mentioned before the car gets road tested after servicing and the tech -- not always the same one every time -- comes back to tell me the car feels fine. I mean given the miles about all the tech would have to do is tell me something's not fine and I'd probably have the something addressed, so it is not like anything he finds is going to be a negative for him.

Oh, I will add that it seems warmer weather affects my car's ride more than it did before. We had some warm/hot days a week or two back and the Boxster was quite transformed from it cold weather state. The ride is noticeably smoother, less harsh, the car quieter overall. Then the weather got cold again (well, cold for what passes for cold around here) and the covered wagon experience was back.

If I had to make guess it is almost like the car's suspension bushings got harder all of the sudden. Maybe this is a precursor to them wearing out? They start out (so to speak) soft, then as time passes get harder and then as more time passes start to fail?

Bottom line is I'm not at your car and can't judge the severity of what you are experiencing. Maybe your car's ride is much harsher, more severe, further away from the norm than my car's ride.

So, my best advice is to have the car checked out by someone intimately familiar with these cars and get his opinion.

LIke I started out with, be sure you let me (well, here) know what you find out.

Clearly its getting warmer, nto colder, so thsi is more theoretical.

But shocks become much firming in cold weather. Its pretty simple: the hydraulic oil gets thicker.

But i seriously doubt this is the OP's problem. I'm just commenting.

Did you mention how many miles ont eh car and what suspension components have been replaced?

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

It is like riding in a Covered Wagon! Hot or Cold, but admit-ably, more so when it is Cold.

I will post when there is a diagnosis. "if ever there is one"....

Thanks again Gents.

Is there sudden body movement that makes it feel like it's falling off a cliff, or is it the noise(s)?
Does the noise seemingly come from everywhere or just from one area, a particular corner of the car perhaps?
If just one corner, perhaps there's been a suspension failure, such as a broken or loose strut mounting point.
If it's a centralized noise, maybe that plate that some of the rear suspension components mount to is loose... ?