Odd suspension sounds

[CAP]

Around 3 months ago I had new Springs installed. Even since, I've had a slight metallic rumble (It's not banging and its not loud and I can't feel anything through the steering, it's almost a squeeking noise but not quite) coming from the front left.

Strut tower bolts (3) are ok.

Strut bolt (Single in the centre) is ok)

CV Boots, good condition.

Can't replicate any noise when bouncing the car around stationary, it only occurs when rolling between 5km/h - 35km/h can't hear it at any other time.

Any ideas? Sway bar link maybe? Need to get my hands on a trolly jack and stands.

[MR22ZZ]

probably the top coils rubbing together.

[CAP]

Thanks I'll take the wheel off and check that

[T_Money]

Autobarn is selling trolley jacks for really cheap at the moment. $20 for a 1200kgs and $30 for a 1400kgs (I bought this one). Pretty good quality for the price :)

[CAP]

Cool thanks! Great price

[kcorro]

Edited July 25, 2009 by kcorro

[vivioman]

I would check the strut tower rubber mounts...did you replace these when you changed the springs?

[MR22ZZ]

FFS Marcus you are full of crap sometimes...

I've been using the 'cheap' trolly jack for 3 years and never had a problem. I use it to lift and lower the car, that is all.

I ALWAYS use stands to hold the car up and not the jack.

There is nothing wrong with the cheaper floor jacks if you use them properly.

[T_Money]

FFS Marcus you are full of crap sometimes...

I've been using the 'cheap' trolly jack for 3 years and never had a problem. I use it to lift and lower the car, that is all.

I ALWAYS use stands to hold the car up and not the jack.

There is nothing wrong with the cheaper floor jacks if you use them properly.

Agreed :P

A cheap jack is fine so long as you use it with stands before getting under the car. using a trolley jack saves about 10-15 minutes when putting a car on stands. As opposed to using a scissor jack which has to be used in each corner to jack the car up, the trolley jack only needs to be used twice (Front and rear center jacking points) and takes a lot less effort. :)

[kcorro]

Edited July 25, 2009 by kcorro

[Rosegum]

Check to see if the saddle rubbers were changed with the springs. Mine weren't and i ended up having to do the whole job again.

Don't trust Pedders,

Dodgy mongrels charged me 800 just to put in a set of lowered springs after they had quoted me over the phone for shocks as well. I would have done it myself but work was too hectic and i didn't have the time.

When i caught some free time i got new shocks and dropped out the old ones to find that the springs were sitting metal on metal. So they hadn't even changed the saddle rubbers the new springs being shaped differently to the old carved clean through them and dropped some of the tension in the spring at the same time.

Im not sure if it was the same noise as your experiencing but lowered springs are going to present all sorts of new sounds you hadn't heard before.

And cheap trolley jacks, don't leave em up too long(although i have supported a front end on one for 2 weeks), keep the main piston shaft clean and oiled, don't over tighten the valve and you should have many happy years service. I have 2 $25 jacks that ive had for 4 or 5 years now and ive never had anything drop on me. We put one under each end of a chassis and push em round the garage to make space.

Edited September 1, 2007 by Rosegum

[MR22ZZ]

i am talking from my experience of a trolley jack purchased at autobarn. each experience is different.

so we are recommending if he was to get the jack at $20-$40 to also get jack stands for another $20-$30 for safety.

or he can just use the jack in the boot which is free although it can be harder to lift.

i think you should check the sway bar bolt to see if it is tightened.

even with the scissor jack, I'd still be using the jack stands, I've seen scissor jacks buckle too, does that make them crap?

[SuperDave]

Jack stands save lives

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/minister...=2005&mth=2

In case people are too lazy to click the link, the main point is 19 home mechanics died over a 4 year period to 2005.

Back to the topic. I had a squeeky noise also but happened at any speed when I hit any sized bump. Try shaking your engine and see if it squeeks, as one of my engine mount bolts had come out.

Edited September 2, 2007 by SuperDave

[T.J]

my k-mart jack failed on me the other day the o ring for the piston crapped out hard lol!

luckly i had stands under the car at that point cause i jacked it up then put stands under went to let it down only to find it was doing it itself lol! checked the o ring and it had disintegrated.

we used a piece of rubber tubing from bunnings to insulate camry springs top and bottom at toyota when we got spring noise complaints and that helped thats if its rubbing against the saddles

[Dead]

Hey guys, thought I'd keep the trend with Carlo's thread.

I have the D2's in. Uber. It oversteers more now hehe.

HOWEVER... I've noticed that there are some clunking noises coming from the front.

Front left: When being turned close to full lock, or going up a driveway, makes a clunking noise 'as' you're turning the wheel.

Front right: Going over slight bumps and humps, makes a duller clunking noise.

They're fine so far though besides that. Do I just need to wear them in or spray under there with some WD40 or something?

Cheers guys

Nelson

[daviboy]

Apparently thats a common condition with D2s, im getting my 2nd hand set installed this saturday and thats the only thing im worried about. You gotta Grease up the Pillowball Top mount. and make sure all bolts are tight.

[SuperDave]

They're fine so far though besides that. Do I just need to wear them in or spray under there with some WD40 or something?

Cheers guys

Nelson

Nelson,

I find that using gear oil gives longer lasting results. Proper grease might work better though, but haven't tried it.

Regards,

Dave

[Dead]

Cheers guys, I'll let my suspension place down here know when it goes in next week to have the ride height and rebound adjusted more ;)

Thanks heaps!

[Brad!]

had a whiteline front strut on and got king lows.

Any bump i went over it was making a knocking noise.

Strut bar comes off, knocking noise gone...

NFI

[SuperDave]

had a whiteline front strut on and got king lows.

Any bump i went over it was making a knocking noise.

Strut bar comes off, knocking noise gone...

NFI

Were you using the spacers with the Whiteline front strut bar?

If you were then I'd be lost too.

[selyaT]

CAP I think I have the exact same suspension noise as described by you in this thread. Nothing has exploded yet, so happy days :) it's hard to produce the noise but it happens when I'm driving down our street which is a very steep slope.

[T.J]

sure it isnt a brake noise? put the car on stands and leave in neutral and spin the front wheels up and see if its comming from the brakes

my cars got all sorts of brake noises but the pads are only half worn i just ignore it now the squeeking and graunching i think is due to rust on the rotors where the pads arent touching

[DANZZT231]

i doubt it is coils rubbing each other. king springs are not progressive. there is only a few revolutions to make a spring so kings use less steel. there is so much space between each coil.

compare with c-one, eibach, tein or trd they wind more revolutions for progressive springs. there is less gap between each coil. trd and eibach come with insulators but tein and c-one do not but you can get something from bunnings to insulate the coils and prevent noise.

if they are rubbing each other you should be able to see the kings yellow paint being rubbed off. even if you cannot stick your head under the wheel arch to see properly just run your finger around the coils to see if it is rough.

i do not recommend the cheap trolley jacks. they are cheap for a reason and loose air. i use the jack that comes with the car over a cheap trolley jack as it is more reliable. also only the scissor jack is able to fit under my side skirts. and the trolley jack never fit under the engine it was a hassle to drive up onto bricks.

I thought King Springs are progressive springs?

[selyaT]

sure it isnt a brake noise? put the car on stands and leave in neutral and spin the front wheels up and see if its comming from the brakes

my cars got all sorts of brake noises but the pads are only half worn i just ignore it now the squeeking and graunching i think is due to rust on the rotors where the pads arent touching

LOL I've had all sorts of brake noises too but they come and go. This one happens when I'm not braking too. I'm not too worried about it anyway

[SILVABULLIT]

I thought the cheap trolley jacks were hydraulic not air?? Need to do some homework there Marcus. the noise you are hearing after changing springs is because the the rubber boot that goes on the top of the spring and covers the top of the strut shaft isn't installed properly. when you turn the strut,spring and the top plate all turn as one but if the top plate and rubber isn't installed properly it will allow the spring to touch the top plate and you'll get a funny clunk noise and the spring drags on the top plate. I have done many sets of springs and have seen heaps of top plates not fitted on the strut shaft correctly down onto the stepped section of the strut shaft. They then just tighten it up and the top plate is sitting about 3-4 mm roughly higher than it should and thus the spring has less tension on it and can move. the top plate has 1 or 2 small cut outs on it(From memory) and the rubber had 1 or 2 tags on the edge. The rubber has line up with the cut outs and the lip of the rubber must also sit around the edge of the top plate as well to stop the spring from touching in any way.