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Coilover problems.. need some help

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Old Mar 9, 2003 | 09:22 PM
  #1  
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Default Coilover problems.. need some help

Hi guys.. I currently have the Bilistein PSS9 coilover kit on my TT and the rear springs are starting to collapse.. When I installed the rear springs they were not coil bound like this and after a month or two I started having some creaking problems.. Well, I kinda figured it was my sway bar mount going and ignored it.. When it finally got warm out I removed the wheel and check out the sway bar mounts but to my surprise I saw that the paint on one of the rear springs was chipping.. I was pretty surprised because I only have about 7,ooo miles on the coilovers and they've been on the car for about 6 months.. Well, after I put some silicone on the sway bar mounts I still had the squeaks, and I started telling friends about my problems.. They asked for some pictures of the springs compressed and this is what they look like.. Now I know my springs have collapsed because I started to scrape on my driveway.. Whenever I look at the pictures I can't help but think there is a design flaw.. Ive heard someone say that they are designed to bind up like this but why the hell would they design coils to sit on each other? I know the KW, ABT, and stock springs don't do this, so why would bilistein springs be designed like this? Does anyone know the reason you would not want to design springs like this? My only guess is that you are limiting your spring travel and taking away the whole reason for having a progressive rate spring.. With the coils bound like this you lost the whole range that the spring would go through before compressing.. With the way they are bound now, they are confined to one spring rate.. Any technical help/advice would be appreciated.. I need to have answers when they start telling me that they are suppose to sit like this.. Oh, my car is not slammed.. Im about midway in the threads so I only lowered the car to half the full distance allowed.. I called up awe about 1.5 weeks ago, sent them pictures and they are trying to contact bilstein but still no work back.. They said their guy was on vacation so hopefully I will have an answer this week.. Im just sick of hearing my suspension make noises when I go over bumps or when I hear a THUNK as I hit a dip in the road.. thanks..


Passenger side, and the car is on the ground..
<img src="http://images2.fotki.com/v19/photos/3/30429/195016/Springs004-vi.jpg">

This is a shot of the drivers side rear spring.. the car is in the air..
<img src="http://images2.fotki.com/v17/photos/3/30429/195016/Springs001-vi.jpg">
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Old Mar 10, 2003 | 07:51 AM
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Default I don't believe that Bilstein, KW, H&R, ABT etc

.
make their own springs, but instead, purchase them from Hyperco, Eibach, or whoever. It looks like you have some VERY poor quality springs from whoever.

Sorry to see that this has happened to you, and I hope that Awe makes it right.
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Old Mar 10, 2003 | 08:11 AM
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Default Re: I don't believe that Bilstein, KW, H&R, ABT etc

H&amp;R make their own springs, but otherwise you are correct.

Awe will have to end up dealing with Bilstein on this very odd problem. Can't drive very well at all...
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Old Mar 10, 2003 | 08:39 AM
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Default One or two coils together should be OK....

but not all of them, especially since you don't have that many to start with.

If they're collapsed, then they are totally shot, and the car may not be safe to drive, the handling may go to crap and be unpredictable.

And next time, can we have some paragraph breaks please
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Old Mar 10, 2003 | 11:21 AM
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Default Re: H&R springs .... ooops

.
Yes, they do make their own springs.
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Old Mar 10, 2003 | 11:40 AM
  #6  
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Default You need new springs. My Koni CO kit does not look like that.

As John mentioned, you'll get a couple of coils close togetether but nothing like your pics. Looks like defective springs to me.
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Old Mar 10, 2003 | 11:42 AM
  #7  
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Default Since I started posting about my problems, a few people have

said that H&amp;R makes the springs for bilstein to their specs.. BTW.. H&amp;R springs are known to do the same thing...

Personally, I don't even want new springs, I just want my money back.. I don't have time to deal with swapping out springs and replacing them and hoping I don't experience the same problem.. shruggs shoulders, well, at least I know who I will never buy coilovers from..

A set fo KW rear springs.. Looks like KW got the design right the first time..

<img src="http://www.rastta.com/rear.jpg">
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Old Mar 10, 2003 | 11:43 AM
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From: Manhattan, NY
Default Thanks guys.. A friend told me

that he talked with bilstein and they said they designed them to get close.. I just hope they don't say that my springs are suppose to look like this..
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