shock part replacement question

[Mark_T]

I will be replacing the rear shocks on my 99 (90k miles) as one is seeping. I picked up a pair of low mileage, used shocks to use. I will re-use the existing springs. The shocks came with bellows but no other parts.

So, referring to the diagram below, given the mileage of my car, are any of the other parts shown likely to need replacement? Specifically, I am asking about parts 2,3,4,5,8,9,10.

Thank you, gents!

[Steve Tinker]

I replaced my shocks with PSS9 coilovers a couple of years ago and found that parts #7 & 8 (rubber boot & bump stop) were torn, parts # 2, 3, 4 & 5 were OK (as long as rust hasn't taken hold), but the rubber seal ring (item #10) & fastening nut (item #1) need to be replaced every time you remove the shock.

[Mark_T]

Thanks Steve

[jakeru]

#8 should be in your list. Others can probably be reused (based on my experience with a 110k mile 2001), but do inspect metal parts (e.g, 5) for corrosion, and rubber parts 2, 3, & 10 for not being cracked.

Nut #9 IMO can be reused, but make sure to torque it sufficiently and make sure the interference locking feature still has some additional friction. (New shocks would come with new nut #9, FYI.)

Rubber part #3 would also be good to replace with version matched to your springs, but unfortunately I found is NLA from Porsche, and 987 part it supersedes to seem to have wrong (much too thick) dimensions. So maybe just hope your old rubber part #3 isn't torn, and reuse.

Also, I can't give you much encouragement that it's a good decision to put on *used* shocks after going to all the effort you'll find is necessary to replace them, or to only refresh one end of the car without also doing the other, but it's your car and your $.

FYI I found my original front shocks were pretty much blasted away and worthless on my 110k mile boxster, (much worse than the rears, which are beefier), even though they weren't leaking, so just because your front shocks arent leaking does not mean it's a good decision to keep running them, IMO. I would replace all four as a set, or your car's handling could become unbalanced. (Which should be a high point, not a low point IMO, on a car with such good handling potential as the Boxster.)

[Mark_T]

Good info, thanks. I would normally agree completely on not using used shocks, but these came from a car with only 13k miles and I got all four for less than the price of one new shock. Not the ideal, I know, but unfortunately a budgetary reality, at least this time around.

[jakeru]

Only 13k miles and replacing all four is sounding pretty good! Best of luck with the project.

[rah rah 986]

I replaced my rear struts on my '98 with nice used struts at around 80,000 miles. I replaced part numbers 3 & 10. I probably could have reused #3 which were under $10 each, but, #10 were badly dry rotted and practically crumbling. For some reason, they were quite expensive at over $40 each. But, it would have been foolish to have kept the old ones. The job was not real easy, so it makes sense to do what's needed while you are in there. The used struts have worked out fine. I have purchased a pair of low mileage used struts for the front which I have not yet installed. I've read that the fronts are quite a bit easier to change than the rears.