suspension problem, teins+ kybs Options

[soven]

This has been a problem that has been bugging me.

my left spring is moving in its position causing popping sounds when I turn at slow speeds(parking lots) around full lock or close to full. It also creaks when I go over big speed bumps. No sound when I am travelling at speed, only parking lots when I am turning the steering at very slow speeds.

This happened after I got my car professionally lowered with Tein springs and KYB shocks. At first, the front shocks wasnt changed because i had the sports suspension(non superstrut). I thought it was the front shocks dying so I left it at that.

Then I bought the Toyota shocks(whole strut assembly) and put it on with a friend of mine. Manufacturer torque specs were used but the noise was still there. When the car is jacked up, the spring on the noisy side can be turned using my hand while the quiet side is fine(does not move). Any ideas?

[trdproven]

The springs are not tight, this happened to my car twice. Redo the installation on that bad side, install the spring and before you drop it back down make sure it isn't loose or moving by feeling it with your hand.

You will know why but before you do so, when you first jack up that side, feel the spring, you will notice it is loose, cus when you turn the wheel, it will make a clunking noise. If the installation isn't holding firm, make sure you redo and make sure it is fitted right.

Good luck.

[soven]

Cheers for the reply.I will give it another go when I get the time.

The thing is, this happened on the same side on two separate installs. First one, tyre shop did it. Second one, me and a friend did it and it was done with a torque wrench. Not dismissing that it isnt an install problem, just looking for more ideas before having to redo it again.

[hurley97]

I hope you find an answer to the creaking noise over speed bumps. my car does that too. I have KYB's and Tein's too but I had the same noise with my stock suspension so its something else

[soven]

looks like the spring is not captive....

[LewFX]

check your end links and tighten em really good

[97lestyousay]

Sounds like the top cap may not be positioned correctly, or spring is not seated as stated above.

[trdproven]

not seated right, believe me, had the exact same problem, kept redoing it till the sound disappeared. i know bcus its when i turned full, it popped with a clunk sound. after u install the bad side again, and before you jack the car back down, make a friend turn the wheel, and look at the spring if it moves unnaturally, second, do a tug back and forth on it, so you know its tight, and that should do it.

[OOBE]

Same thing happened to me with the Tein/KYB combo. I re-did it and the sound dissapeared.

[playr158]

the crink and pop you are hearing is from the spring binding...very common on lowered cars w/new springs

what happens is as you turn the wheel the spring twists until the static friction between the spring and the top hat is exceeded by the springs energy exceeds and it pops...the easy solution GREASE the top of your spring where it meets the top hat..most people don't do this and get the binding problem..the spring needs to beable to rotate around that top hat. www.evilspeed.com has bearings that you can place up there as an alternative to greasing

[soven]

hey playr cheers for that. Sounds like the most plausible reason for the clunking. Will re grease it.

[trdproven]

Not sure about playr158's solution because even if you grease it, the spring is still not seated in a good position anyways.

[playr158]

, believe me, had the exact same problem, kept redoing it

yes and u can just "keep redoing it" with your expert work until u get it right.
i've done a good # of these and not one customer complaint sooo yea.......u just keep redoing it i'm sure one time you'll get it right do it the right way the first time it should sit in its little grove very nicely....

This post has been edited by playr158: Dec 16, 2006 - 3:30 PM

[soven]

well, I had a bit of a play. few days ago, I took a wheel brace to it and tightened it right up. Not as much noise anymore but , it is more noticeable now when I am halfway turning into a slope where one wheel is on the slope and the other isnt(one with sound). I get a sound as though my springs are unbinding or something . Still waiting for friend of mine to bring over the tools therefore can't take it all out yet.

So, how the spring works... am I correct in saying that it should sit snugly in its place without movement from what I see from my right side which doesnt have problems. I noticed that the rubber part where the spring sits on is quite badly torn. Might that be a cause of problem? Anyone have a diagram or can give me an idea of what could cause the spring to rotate in its position. can't quite remember now, was it just the topnut which is responsible for holding the spring down or was there other things.

[playr158]

the spring relative to the bottom of the housing shouldn't rotate it should stay fixed....the spring relative to the top perch should rotate a little when its being compressed or the wheel is turning (hence why u grease the top)