Problems with Tein and other hard suspension kits.

[celica gte racing]

Hi,

I have the HA installed on my car. I had this knocking noise from well before I installed the suspensions. But lately it got quite worse and annoying so i took it to the dealer and found that the part pictured in the attached diagram (I don't know what it is called) was out of place and that I needed a new set. The guy at the dealer was really rude and said it was the coilovers for sure, because they are too hard.

Now, to my knowledge, nobody else has similar problems with theirs, whether they are teins of hotchkis. I tried telling him that it had this from before, but he was not "convinced". He also told me that replacing will end up with the same problem over time again.

so, what do you think of this, how much do these triangles cost and anyone else had similar problems?

[SuuPaSeDan]

Is it happening to both sides? Because if it is not then it can't be the teins unless you installed it wrong.

[celica gte racing]

the right side was completely diagonal, the left was "starting" to do this... I had the thing installed by another dealer, they didnt correct the length of the bar that connects the strut to the stabiliser, it was about 2 inches longer precised by the manual, I drove it like that until i realised this and fixed it...

[RXvedub]

That is the lower control arm. Energy suspension makes the bushings for it.

I think it is the coilovers. All springs that are small diameter with a high number of coils make noise. It is caused be the coils hitting each other when the shock contracts.

[autxr]

Originally posted by RXvedub
I think it is the coilovers. All springs that are small diameter with a high number of coils make noise. It is caused be the coils hitting each other when the shock contracts.

If the coils are hitting each other then the springs are biding and they are either A) too short, or B) not long enough.

Coil bind isn't something that just happens with stiff springs or lowered cars, it's what happens when you don't do it right.

*If* you are getting coil bind, then get a longer spring and lower the perch. The suspension should hit the bump stop before the coils bind.

As for teh part in the diagram that the arrow is pointing to, yes, as mentioned, it is the lower control arm. If it is out or place and noisy, then replace the bushings.

Scott

[Raymund]

Coil binding on 400:500lb/in springs rates!? I really doubt that. Maybe the tender springs. It might be that their is no preload. The spring is fully extended while the dampers still has some rebound travel left into it.

[Kendo]

Okay the "clunking" noise from my front is becoming progressively worse, but I will note that I can only hear it when traveling at lower rates of speed when the suspension needs to move.

When I jack up the front of the car I shake the the front end I can't find any problem. But my shaking on an unweighted supension is insignificant to the weight of the car hitting a recessed man hole cover at 15 mph.

In the past I did check for any rubbing on the coils and I didn't see any marks which backs up Raymunds thoughts that this is not going to easily happen on the super stiff Tein HA springs.

The wearing of lower arm bar suspension bushing idea seems like a reasonable failure point. What is the best way to check this out?

[celica gte racing]

Its not the coil overs that are making the noise... i used to have the same noise when i had my lowering springs. This "knock" occurs when you brake and let it go, thus when you release the braking momentum. At the beginning it was noticable only at low speeds, lately it was noticable at high speeds too. It is not only the noise, you can feel it too.

The guy at the dealer lectured me (in french hehe) that this was not straight and that was not the right angle, this and that. The *******.

[WAR]

I'd like more info on this. Was it the front mout or rear mount of the lower control are? was the bushing/s gone or what the steal around the bushing/s bent? or was the arm itself (the steal) bent? and if the arm itself was bent was it the front arm or rear arm?

I run the tein HA's too and have had no problems myself.

[RXvedub]

Originally posted by celica gte racing
Its not the coil overs that are making the noise... i used to have the same noise when i had my lowering springs. This "knock" occurs when you brake and let it go, thus when you release the braking momentum.


What you are talking about is the brake pads shifting.



posted by KendoOkay the "clunking" noise from my front is becoming progressively worse, but I will note that I can only hear it when traveling at lower rates of speed when the suspension needs to move.

This is the coilover. Try this take a heater hose or a whire loom cover and put it in between the top and bottom coils. This will fix your problem. Bolieve me I am a Lexus technicion and have this problem on GS's and IS's with the stock springs. I also noticed this on 3 sets of coilovers that I have installed in the past. Tein HA, JIC FLTA2, and something from Australia for a WRX.

[Kendo]

RXvedub thanks for the input; I will try your trick with the hose around the coil.

When you say, "put it between the top and bottom coils", are you saying it only needs to go on the top most coil and bottom most coil of the spring ar should I have some hosing around every other coil so there is no coil metal to metal impact? Do I need to put it between the helper spring and the perch? Could you please elaborate?

Still also curious to know how to test for worn lower control arm bushings?

[Jesse IL]

Yes please explain. From what I can tell, the clunking comes from the springs shifting around in the perches, which they don't fit very tight to. Are you saying wrap the top and bottom coil to prevent this?

[MSR27]

Hmm, Ive had HA's for 2 years now and I dont hear a knocking noise....

[RXvedub]

Ok ready? I will try to explane this as well as i can.

everything is open to improvisation, ok.

while the car is on the floor check to see how many coils are touching each other on the top and bottom, front and rear. SAFTY FIRST!!!!. You know what to do next.

You need tubbing that is thin, I use the clear stuff with a good size diamiter. WD40 and grease. white grease or disk brake grease, or what ever you have will work.

Lossen the spring purge so that the coil has like 4" of play. Spray WD40 all over the coil and wipe it clean.

Cut a pice of tube to like 2" (what ever will slide without binding. you will know what i meen.) Spray WD40 in the tube. ( byou can actualy use white lithium grease in the spry can to do both thies steps.) Smeer the top or bottom coils with greese. (which ever you are doing at that time.) Lube it up like its JAIL BAITE! Slide the piece of tube about one coil past the last 'touching' coil. Remember looking at it before you lifted the car? Then cut another piece and do the same untill you cover the coil to the end.

NOTE: If you can not slide the tube up, slit the tube and slip it in between the coils using grease to keep it in place until the car is lowered.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p426cc678ab96c6c96c53012c750f2cb7/fbd1f57a.jpg

There is more but am tired of typing and that is the idea any way. post any questions. just to let you know the easiest stuff to use is the wire loom stuff that is wound up. Will have a pick of it tomorrow night.

[cachtran]

Damn.. i have the same problem on my Tein SS... at slow speed.. it's getting lower too.

damn.. this seem hard to follow.. cus i am stupid.

well can someone do this.. and post step by step instruction.. i hate those noise.. i thought it was my front sway bar being loose.. or something

[RXvedub]

Ill be done biulding a pair of coilovers today. I will post an instructional later today with pics.

[celica gte racing]

Originally posted by RXvedub


What you are talking about is the brake pads shifting.
.

nope, this happens when you create the same momentum by downshifting. I got it fixed tho, both control arms replaced.

$900 :(

[RXvedub]

Ok, here is a pic of what you basicly want to do. You can use the wire loom stuff, but I use somthin that is a teflon/urithane base. It his hard to find but you can use the electrical stuff, or hose.

I put pictures so it is easy to understand.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p430ba5d881ba6606005239a266c05ebf/fbcf1429.jpg
Thies springs wont have that problem, but you want to cover the coils that touch when they are compressed.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p9f7fae1941d4a647d9d78decef739994/fbcf0594.jpg
I can rebiuld the shock in 10 min, and valve it to my specs. Its pritty cool.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p39977357e3f6cd2957b3af2a1614c7d8/fbcf1402.jpg

[NSX_GTR_LM]

i hope this works, cause i have the HA's, and so does my buddy, and we are having the same problems. I was having the creeking problem with positive accelleration as well. Pissin me off, 1300 dollar setup, and the cars sounds like ****. when these teins go, I am just gonna get the AGX's and throw the progress springs back on, I had no trouble with them.

[ToyoGT]

i'm getting coil bind on my ground control/koni yellow setup. thing is, i have the ground controls raised to the very top and it's still like a 2.5" drop :(

sounds like i need taller springs from ground control to fix the problem???

[Kendo]

Well I tried the wire loom wrap (spiral wrap) around the coils and it only reduced some of the noise. So while it is better I still believe there is another problem. Thanks for the input RXvedub.

I looked at the lower arm control arms and they both seem fine although it is difficult to determine whether the bushings are worn. Again insight into how to determine worn bushings on the lower control arm would be appreciated.

As I plan to mount an oil cooler in a couple of weeks I guess at that time I will pull all the underside plastics, the bumper, and try to see if I can find anything that might be causing this noise.

NSX_GTR_LM, I also had a creaking from my right rear shock when I first put them on. I found that it was the upper shock bushing and that adding a little white lithium to that bushing solved the problem. I did not remove it but just sprayed it on from the inside of the car where the adjusment knob is located.

[Blue Bomber]

My Tein S-Tech springs came with that stuff already on. :)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid63/pd8414f5248d0fb09b3d16f34b946bd12/fc08730d.jpg

[Rockts]

I have this tok-tok noise only sx front suspension... i Have D2 coilover with 7 kg springs-rate... I driving crazy for find the problem :)

[Auto[BoT]_GTS]

could it be the endllinks?

[Rockts]

:worthless

[hombredelassrta]

i spent a few days last week (as i just never had long enough span of time to do it in a day) with my whole suspension off and re torqued down all the bolts under the car. A large number of them were not longer at spec however the bolt you are pointing to the in the pic actually was still in spec. There are deffinitly allot less noises now coming from the front of my car now that everything is torqued. My guess is that with my tein SS's set to full hard on daily driving (could not allow allot of travel due to wider wheels rubbing) that is just rattles things loose under there. I have since raised my car up 3/4's of the way on the coils and set the suspension to about 8 clicks so hopefully all goes well for a while now

[d's gts]

I have this tok-tok noise only sx front suspension... i Have D2 coilover with 7 kg springs-rate... I driving crazy for find the problem :)

this thread is fvcking 4 years old

[hombredelassrta]

lol wow it really is.