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Rear springs- alignment

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bigwinn
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by bigwinn » Sun Sep 25, 2022 4:35 pm

Hi all

Over the years Ive changed and updated several rear suspensions.

I'd say 2 times out of 10 I've been left with a very annoying clunk- most times I've been and checked tightness of ARB bushings, top mounts and the like

However I have a gut feel that its the actual positioning of the spring that causes the noise- and it its not seated or positioned/turned correctly then the noise will happen when the car is traversing uneven ground

Has anyone seen or experience of how the springs should be orientated?

Cheers

Stuart
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by 1536Z4 » Sun Sep 25, 2022 4:59 pm

bigwinn wrote: Sun Sep 25, 2022 4:35 pm Has anyone seen or experience of how the springs should be orientated?
Can`t help with orientation but I have had the same issue since fitting coilovers and have checked everything but still get a clonk so it would be interesting if it is a spring position issue .
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by bigwinn » Sun Sep 25, 2022 5:02 pm

Steve and I talked it over and he thinks he has seen a post saying there is deffo a right and wrong way to position

I'll keep you posted
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by 1536Z4 » Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:05 pm

bigwinn wrote: Sun Sep 25, 2022 5:02 pm I'll keep you posted
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by Bob123 » Mon Sep 26, 2022 8:40 am

bigwinn wrote: Sun Sep 25, 2022 5:02 pm Steve and I talked it over and he thinks he has seen a post saying there is deffo a right and wrong way to position

I'll keep you posted
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by 1536Z4 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 8:10 am

bigwinn wrote: Sun Sep 25, 2022 4:35 pm positioning of the spring that causes the noise-
Just throwing this out there as I have heard of stranger things but could it be something to do with the rear drop links . When I changed to coilovers I lowered the car and replaced the rear drop links with new bmw ones but could the fact that the car is now lower be putting extra strain on the rear drop links causing the knock ?
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by bigwinn » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:01 am

Drop links are ok and free of the metal arms

It’s deffo a spring noise as I managed to recreate it once when manipulating the arm up and down with a jack
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by plenty » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:20 am

Not experienced this, but could it be when using lowering springs that become loose when suspension is on full droop?

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Rear springs- alignment

Post by Brouse » Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:56 pm

bigwinn wrote: Sun Sep 25, 2022 5:02 pm Steve and I talked it over and he thinks he has seen a post saying there is deffo a right and wrong way to position

I'll keep you posted
Following with interest as I have this noise also.
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by enuff_zed » Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:00 pm

First time I changed the rear drop links on one I ended up with a clunk, even though nothing was touching.
Rightly or wrongly I had changed them with the suspension drooping (on axle stands, wheels off)
Eventually I ran the rear of the car up on a pair of ramps, loosened everything off and re-did it all with 'weight on wheels'.
Noise went away.
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by bigwinn » Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:17 pm

I think we fixed it- almost (still a slight adjustment needed)

The anti roll bar was positioned wrong- too far to the offside. As the car was traversing adverse cambers the bar was fouling on the metal of the ARB bush holder

5mm to the nearside made all the difference
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by enuff_zed » Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:43 pm

bigwinn wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:17 pm I think we fixed it- almost (still a slight adjustment needed)

The anti roll bar was positioned wrong- too far to the offside. As the car was traversing adverse cambers the bar was fouling on the metal of the ARB bush holder

5mm to the nearside made all the difference
How odd?
You'd think looking at the way it is mounted that it would centralise itself?
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by bigwinn » Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:56 pm

enuff_zed wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:43 pm
bigwinn wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:17 pm I think we fixed it- almost (still a slight adjustment needed)

The anti roll bar was positioned wrong- too far to the offside. As the car was traversing adverse cambers the bar was fouling on the metal of the ARB bush holder

5mm to the nearside made all the difference
How odd?
You'd think looking at the way it is mounted that it would centralise itself?
We only saw it by putting tension across the back axle when raised up
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Rear springs- alignment

Post by 1536Z4 » Thu Oct 27, 2022 4:12 pm

bigwinn wrote: Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:17 pm As the car was traversing adverse cambers the bar was fouling on the metal of the ARB bush holder
Will have to check this and if all ok I think I will loosen everything off and try again . :thumbsup:
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