Suspension Problems

S

Speedway

Sunday Drivers
Hey lads,

I've been searching through and reading piles of existing threads in the hope that one would give me a clear answer but no joy.
I had Apex lowering springs fitted to my 2006 RX last week. It is still on standard dampers, just the lowered springs fitted with 17" wheels.

I've noticed a lot of clunking coming from the front and rear over speed bumps and bumpy surfaces as well as a metallic rattle from the front which I can hear when the windows are down.
There's also a much more noticeable rattle coming from the rear wing/boot area.

- First the clunking, I'm assuming it's something to do with the shocks being run on lowered springs. What is the best course of action? I've been reading threads which have said take out the struts and regrease them. Other threads are saying that I should either replace either the bump stops/bushings or the shocks completely and put in new KYB ones (I really don't want to spend a lot on putting in new shocks,if that's the case I'd nearly prefer to go back to standard springs and the HUGE arch gap I had with the 17" wheels)

- The metallic rattle I think is coming from the front calipers. I've taken them apart and they really seem fine, there is a little bit of movement if i try to shake them hard by hand. I've ordered new brake pads to see if they tighten things up when they're fitted.

- Finally the wing/boot area rattle. I've taken everything out of the boot (jack, spare wheel etc) and the rattle is still there so I think it's the wing. The bolts attaching the wing all seem tight, anything else I could try?

Sorry for the long post and I know some of this stuff has been covered in other threads before but I'm just a bit lost as to what my next step should be.

Cheers really appreciate the help!
 
Who fitted them ? were they done correctly ? are they the correct part for your car ?

i had a 1.6 lowered on 40mm apex springs and never had a rattle clunk or a squeak out of them on 18's .
ran the last car a 2.0 rx on 60mm springs and 18's and nothing along the lines of what your getting , the biggest problem i found was the springs made the ride very harsh and over time it did cause the odd rattle , or at worst over severe speed bumps it sounded like the coils would make contact with each other when compressed .

after 4 years the 2 rear shocks were fooked all right and that did cause alot of rattles and bangs but got a set of Eric on here and car was 100% again , try regreasing the shocks with white lithium grease to see does it cure it first , its just a spray on job and takes 20 minutes .

if the shocks are past there sell by date just upgrade to wrx items , be nice little upgrade
 
Sounds like metal on metal man.

The springs should have a plastic cover on them where they st into the strut. Sounds like yours doesn't for some reason. Dirt and grit gets between them and them the metal on metal. Bring them back to who every you got them from.
 
I have the same problem and i put in new top mounts and kyb shocks and still no joy. So my next plan is change all bushings i'll let you know how that goes .
 
[quote author=Tommy 555 link=topic=30852.msg356391#msg356391 date=1307779941]
Who fitted them ? were they done correctly ? are they the correct part for your car ?

i had a 1.6 lowered on 40mm apex springs and never had a rattle clunk or a squeak out of them on 18's .
ran the last car a 2.0 rx on 60mm springs and 18's and nothing along the lines of what your getting , the biggest problem i found was the springs made the ride very harsh and over time it did cause the odd rattle , or at worst over severe speed bumps it sounded like the coils would make contact with each other when compressed .

after 4 years the 2 rear shocks were fooked all right and that did cause alot of rattles and bangs but got a set of Eric on here and car was 100% again , try regreasing the shocks with white lithium grease to see does it cure it first , its just a spray on job and takes 20 minutes .

if the shocks are past there sell by date just upgrade to wrx items , be nice little upgrade


[/quote]

Cheers lads, great advice as always!

These are the springs I put in http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?product=555670423.
I agree that it's definitely a much firmer ride, I've actually been considering just switching back to the standard springs because the rattles have been driving me mad.

I'll give it a grease today and see how it goes, cheers again!
 
They don't loo to have the plastic cover so your getting metal on metal.
 
exact same as the ones i had on the 1.6 , Your right about them not having a plastic cover eric , but neither my 1.6 or 2 litre cars had either and i didnt have the problems noted above ,

could the springs have been put in upside down ? surely if they are a progressivley wound spring this could cause some of the noise ?
 
#21 is a rubber seat , could have been left out , just looked at my car and it has a rubbery seat below the coil spring aswell
 
Right that sounds like it could be causing the metallic rattle at the front.
How could I be sure if they are in the correct way around, they're a linear spring as far as I know?
 
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