Installed some tein h techs few weeks ago but I started noticing a "popping" when the wheel is turned left or right at low speeds. Driving down the road and hitting bumps is fine,, but at low speeds left or right I hear a weird "pop" or click coming from the front shocks. What I know; Springs are installed correctly with the OEM rubber on the top and bottom of the new springs They are seated exaclty like the OEM ones The top nut holding strut together is tight The three nuts holding strut to shock tower are tight It baffles me because when I turn left or right and hear this sound, the shocks don't turn so I can figure out what it is. Should i spray some we-40 around the strut? Could the front cv axles be not seated? Any comments or suggestions would be much appreciated
Hmm, not sure what it meight be, but for deeper investigation I'd place the car on gravel and let one turn the steering wheel. Listen to the sound from the outside. And never spray WD40 to the struts, especially not where WD40 may reach the sealants of the struts as they may get damaged. Use grease instead. But first, find out where the noise is comming from.
I couldn't have given better advice. Thanks Robby. If your can find a shop willing to let your put the car on a lift long enough to just check where the sound is coming from that would be better than a gravel road and safer than running the car on jack stands.
Did you install it yourself or go to a shop? If it's the latter I'd go back to the shop and tell em what's up.
check to see if you are rubbing the under fender wheel covers. I have the htechs and no popping sound. I do scrape the bottom on large enough bumps though. If a shop installed it take it back right away. If it was a diy then I would work my way back and just make sure everything is in order. Good luck and let us know what happens.
Thanks for the reply. It was a DIY and I have done many spring installs and they turn out fine. Upon further examination I had the wife turn the wheel in the garage when I look up in the fender well. The "popping" or creaking seems to be coming from the upper part of the spring. It appears that when the wheel is turned(left or right) the spring rotates as well. When the spring turns with the wheel, the top rubber is "creaking" or squeaking pretty much. Is this normal? Or is the spring suppose to be stationary when he wheel turns?
Are you sure its seated properly? Or perhaps upside down. Also, is the popping noise caused by just turning the wheel but the car is stationary or when its moving? If the car is moving they it can possibly be the axles.
Question: You both have noise/sound on ver II and III cars. Is there a difference in the suspension between Version II/III and IV/V ? I ask because the RS*R Titanium springs I do have ready to install are only valid for the "Touring" model in Japan, what seems to be the V version in the US. So if there's a difference (i.e. in the damper top mounts, or other suspension related things) between the version you might have an issue too.
Check the nut on top of the cup that sits on the spring. Chances are that you over tightened it. I have seen this mistake several times. The nut should be set in the same position as it was from the factory. Typically I will mark the top of the threads before I remove the nut. If the right side is good, you can count the threads and match on the left side. This solution has worked for me on several lowering installs on Subaru's and Mitsu's. I assume that it is no different on the Prius. A strut is a strut you know? MK
did you catch the 1/2" thick collar/washer that sits under the lock nut? there should only be a few threads sticking out beyond the top of the locknut nut. If you assembled the spring without the collar or if it is inthe wrong position, it could be the issue with the popping sound.
Does anyone know how much thread should be left sticking out? A picture would really help a lot I think I have the same problem TIA
You didn't seat the pillow bushing properly is where my money is at. And just for shits and giggles make sure your lugnuts are tight. the top hat bolt has a disgustingly high tq spec on it. you should be hitting the Tq spec not 'setting it to how it was factory'.
I read somewhere that this type of clunking can occur when the lower insulator ("Coil Spring Insulator Lower" in the diagram below) is not installed correctly with the new springs. I would start with checking if the spring is sitting on bare metal or if maybe the insulator is bound up or damaged.
