LGTspecB1657615261 Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I just installed Swift Springs on my Spec B, and I am getting some clunking when I get over bumps, sometimes even a bunch of small ones will even yeild a slight clunk. I feel it more than I hear it. Sometimes I can get it to clunk if I snap the wheel hard in one direction. Under normal turning its fine, just when I snap the wheel quickly. I am talking about the fronts. Is this normal? Anything I could have missed? I just installed them, but it does not seem to be working itself out. I torqued all lugs on the wheels, and torqued all the bolts (3 up top, 2 on bottom). I installed the springs so the start and the end of the spring are in the same location as the stock spring. I did not mark the 3 bolts on the top, so they might be in different holes than they originated... but the entire top assembly rotates so I felt this was unnecessary. Thanks in advance for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTspecB1657615261 Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 I jacked the car up and I can somewhat rotate the spring, not easily like there was slop... but you can definitely tell there is not much preload. I rotated the spring clockwise until it could not turn anymore... I was able to turn them CW just a little. I think that slightly helped preload but I cannot see that making much of a difference. Hopefully I don't have to wrap the spring like others have. I think it was copper wire people used? I think I am seated in the tophat correctly, I looked up there and it is still on my mark from where the stock spring was. I torqued the lower 2 bolts to about 90 ft-lb, but I see now the spec is 112 or somewhere around there. I doubt the difference would cause what I am experiencing. Also, I used an impact to put the top bolt on rather than a hex and crows foot. I have always done that in the past without any issues. I have lowered 3 LGT's that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubyShop.com Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 I don't think you should be able to spin the spring with the top hats assembled. I would recommend using a hex and crows foot to properly tighten the top bolt and see if your clunking issue persists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTspecB1657615261 Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 I have not heard clunking after rotating the spring CW while the car was jacked up. Could be coincedence and it might come back, but I just took some hard turns and did slalom down a back road with no clunking. I deliberately went down bumpy roads and nothing... so maybe I fixed it. Who knows. I don't think its too far fetched that I was able to rotate the spring. The top hat can rotate and has ball bearings... and the bottom only makes contact with a short section of the spring (while under no load). Like I said it was not easy to rotate by any means... but whatever I did helped. FYI here is the car after lowering. Stock suspension in rear.... http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz199/LGTSpecB/SNC12199.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 You only lowered the front? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTspecB1657615261 Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 You only lowered the front? From the factory my front rode a full 1" higher than the rear on flat ground. I measured from ground to top of fender opening and the tire pressure was the same. I confirmed this difference by measuring from the top of the rim to the fender opening. I was surprised by this, and I hated it. So I have a little rake, but not bad. With the rears in, the front would have been a little higher than the rear. I would rather have it the other way around. Plus I want to haul people around comfortably and not have the car looking like its doing a wheelie when I do! I got the idea while looking at these pics: http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2388834&postcount=111 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 The Cobb springs lower the front more than the rear to compensate for that. It doesn't feel unbalanced with different spring rates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTspecB1657615261 Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 No. Spring rates are different from the factory, there is just a greater difference between the front and rear now. I feel bumps more, just like you would with any lowering spring. I guess the people in the back will have a nicer ride since the rear is still on stock suspension. Up front, its all the same to me. Bumpier now that I am lowered. BTW if someone wants to do the same thing, I think one of the vendors has a set of front STI pinks for sale right now. Only $150 shipped I think. It would effectively give you the same result you see above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTspecB1657615261 Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 Crap the clunk is back. All the bolts are tight, and the spring seems to be seated right. I am not sure what to look for next. I don't think this affects the sway bars or associated components, but I could always check those out. It clunks when I go over bumps, mostly while turning. Could the springs just be too short with too little pre-load? They were used springs and I am not sure what car they were previously mounted on, or what style shocks / struts they were on. Would that matter? Maybe I will buy some new STI pinks to see what the results are. I checked everything, I am not sure what else I can do with these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIZARD Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 You only changed the fronts and you're able to "turn" the springs by hand? Take 'em off and start from scratch. You've done something wrong. Are you still on the factory KYB's? The people in the back seat are gonna feel like they're riding in a tractor. Stage2.5376, TDC ProTune,blah blah blahhhh and....Alky/H20 injection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTspecB1657615261 Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 I got everything fixed. No, the people in the back feel the same they always did. The car is almost level actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LISpecB07 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 I got everything fixed. No, the people in the back feel the same they always did. The car is almost level actually. What was the problem? I have the same issue with my set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lie495s14 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 i too had that problem, what did you do to fix it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 You only changed the fronts and you're able to "turn" the springs by hand? Take 'em off and start from scratch. You've done something wrong. Are you still on the factory KYB's? The people in the back seat are gonna feel like they're riding in a tractor. SpecB has Bilsteins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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