noise after coilover install?

[wgale]

Hey,<p>I installed coil-overs two weeks ago. Since then I have been getting a high-pitch squeaking sound in the back-right and the odd low pitch creaking sound. I assumed the low-pitch creaking was the sway bay settling in a new position in the bushings, but the squeaking is throwing me off. I checked everything and it's all tight and in the aligned. Has anyone else had this problem and figured out what it was.

[mx-3 12acer]

I *still* have a sound from dropzone coilovers and brand new KYB GR2's that i was told was made by the spring "unseating" when the wheel extends away from the car. I do not understand how any drop around 2" or more would work with any set up though... gc, dropzone, with out unseating. My car sounds like a POS now! Although i know the answer to my noise, and answer to how to fix it and keep the drop would be helpful.

[mx-3 12acer]

**Bump**

[Jackattack]

I roll on GC's fully slammed all the time and no noise or problems...Ground control is the only coilover set up I would trust on the mx-3...the rest are sketchy and crap.

[marshmallow15]

exactly. everyone always buys cheap-o (like i did) parts not made for the mx-3 and wonder why the hell there's a clicking noise or other noise coming from the car.

[Jackattack]

damn strait...save your pennies and do it right the first time.

[mx-3 12acer]

are you having any problems marsh??? when you go over big bumps do yours make noise? I don't think it is the dropzones... even though they are cheap, could it be install. I paid some aftermarket shop to do it. They were kinda stupid about it though and tried to rush it through... <p>Question: Does the nut that tightens onto the top of the back strut need to be tightned *all* the way down too the metal washer?... also the rubber washers/spacers... i had a lot of those left over, could that be the problem, that they didn't put any in?<p>Thanks for replies.

[mdavis]

I don't think it's the difference between the two brands. They aren't real coilovers - and work in the same way. I installed my Ground Controls per the instructions and they make an annoying knocking, too...

[perhapsadingo8yerbaby]

A few words from Vaughn... The link following the excerpt below has Vaughn's entire article on MX-3 suspension mods.

"I have been receive a lot of e-mail about a knocking noise coming from aftermarket springs. Normally coil binding is about as well come seeing a cop pull in behind you at 100MPH. When coils of a liner rated spring bind (contact each other) the number of active coil suddenly change. The fewer the coils the stiffer the spring becomes but when liner rated spring bind almost all the coils touch at the same time sending spring stiffness through the roof effectively turning the spring into a steel tube. Progressive spring manufactures actually design the first coil or two to bind on purpose to increase spring rate but maintain a reasonably comfortable ride. If you noticed the first few coils are closer together. the more coils the softer the spring. It is probably when these coils bind that you are hearing the knocking sound. Unfortunately this is inherent to the design of this type of spring."

http://www.mx3gsr.freeservers.com/susp.htm#align

<small>[ September 04, 2004, 04:34 AM: Message edited by: perhapsadingo8yerbaby ]</small>

[thebox]

ok a couple of things. first of all, i highly doubt any coilovers for the mx-3 use a progressive spring, i know for sure ground controls don't. i also think that the "coil binding" theory doesnt answer with coilovers because i cannot imagine for the life of me how a spring as stiff as they are (and mine are 300/250, not real stiff) would be able to compress that far; it would have to be compressed SO far!!! I just can't think thats right, but who knows, i can be very wrong. I'm pretty damn sure it is incorrect to assume this is the reason coilovers make sounds, regardless. What is far more likely is something in the coilover setup is just plain moving around. this is what is the case with my car, there are several pieces that just shift around a little bit while driving. it isn't any big deal, it just sounds like @$$. the spring shifts around on the seat and the upper perch (sp?) and it makes a TON of noise even for a tiny little movement.

The other thing i would like to address is HOW DOES ANYONE WITH COILOVERS (with the design of GC and DZ) NOT HAVE NOISE??? I almost don't believe a person who has either of these setups and claims no noise. what did you do different?

[Gro Harlem]

Umm....YES Groun-Controls DO have progressive rate springs....they are eibachs.

These cheap crap garbage ebay coilovers (dropzone, arospeed, etc.) might, but progressive springs = more expensive to make, so I personally doubt they are.


I have ground-controls on my car and *gasp* my car doesn't have ANY clunking noises EVAR!!

I installed them so they won't shift (which is what causes clunking in the first place). It was a pain in the arse to get it to not shift, but the way it is setup works for me.

I have zx2 SR struts and ZX2 SR strut bearings on the top hat.

I basically removed the lower spring perch completely from both front & rear struts. Welded a metal ring around the bottom of the strut body to hold the threaded coilover sleeve in place. Once I slipped the sleeve into place, I welded some metal above the sleeve to prevent it from moving up/down. Sounds ghetto, but it works and keeps that damn thing from shifting.

Then I installed the springs & plastic top things like you are supposed to. Result is no clunking when I go over bumps.

The only sound I get in my suspension is the sound of my passenger rear strutmount..stupid thing creaks & i'm too cheap to buy a replacement.

[2.5mx3]

Wil, I think most people with the coilover noise are talking about the actual springs moving around under there, and not the sleeve. GC supplies those rubber O-Rings to prevent this from happening, and for me at least, they've done a sufficient job.

Guys, Luc St. Pierre and I coordinated a group buy a little while back for some coilover shims that solve this problem for the most part. I installed them on my front coilovers and now the clunking sound is pretty much gone.

Here's the thread I started some months ago:

http://www.mx-3.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=000864

[thebox]

Originally posted by Gro Harlem:
Umm....YES Groun-Controls DO have progressive rate springs....they are eibachs.

These cheap crap garbage ebay coilovers (dropzone, arospeed, etc.) might, but progressive springs = more expensive to make, so I personally doubt they are.

Sorry for my dumbness but i was under the impression that a progressive spring = a spring with a section of coils wound closer together and a section of coils wound not-so-close together (which is responsible for the progressive rate)... did i explain this well enough? like the H&R springs I had, where the top part of the spring had coils real close together and the bottom coils were very spaced out... but the eibachs that are on ground controls have no such coils, all of them are evenly spaced...

was i entirely wrong?

[mdavis]

Originally posted by thebox:
ok a couple of things. first of all, i highly doubt any coilovers for the mx-3 use a progressive spring, i know for sure ground controls don't. i also think that the "coil binding" theory doesnt answer with coilovers because i cannot imagine for the life of me how a spring as stiff as they are (and mine are 300/250, not real stiff) would be able to compress that far; it would have to be compressed SO far!!! I just can't think thats right, but who knows, i can be very wrong. I'm pretty damn sure it is incorrect to assume this is the reason coilovers make sounds, regardless. What is far more likely is something in the coilover setup is just plain moving around. this is what is the case with my car, there are several pieces that just shift around a little bit while driving. it isn't any big deal, it just sounds like @$$. the spring shifts around on the seat and the upper perch (sp?) and it makes a TON of noise even for a tiny little movement.

The other thing i would like to address is HOW DOES ANYONE WITH COILOVERS (with the design of GC and DZ) NOT HAVE NOISE??? I almost don't believe a person who has either of these setups and claims no noise. what did you do different?

I completely agree. I would also like to make mine quest, though.

[thebox]

Originally posted by Gro Harlem:
Umm....YES Groun-Controls DO have progressive rate springs....they are eibachs.

This has been killing me... so i did a quick bit of research (which means i can still be very wrong, and it's cool if i am, i just want to figure this out because i don't want to be stupid) and I found a link about springs that leads me to believe that the ground control coilovers in fact do not have progressive springs. unless i completely didn't notice a real subtle change somewhere in the spring's coil distances or perhaps the width of the spring itself.... but i really don't think that is the case. please prove me wrong if i am wrong, because like i said i don't want to be stupid.