Aftermarket suspension issues

[MP5stephen]

Alright. I have installed H&R Springs with Tokico Blues shock/struts months ago. I'm running 205/40/17, wheels. It now has had an opposite rake (high in front, low in back), and the rear shocks/struts make loud cabin noises as if the piston bottoms out in the tube of the shock. They've been doing this since original install. I think if I were to post pics, it wouldn't help anyone out much.

At first I thought something was loose, but I pulled it apart, and checked every bolt/screw, it was all fine and tight.

Does anyone else run this setup, and if so, did you have a similar problem, and the solution.

Much help appreciated,

 

[RenesisKing]

Are you sure the springs aren't switched front to back? Also, the Tokico shocks, if they're adjustable you should play around with those and stiffen or losen them to see if it changes the ride up. I have coilovers and I've had my rear's slam but once they were stiffened it occurred less frequently. Also, it kind of is just one of those things you have to live with when you go with aftermarket parts.

 

[canadian357]

Blue's aren't adjustable. Make check your springs/endlinks/etc. Did you cut the bump stop when you put the new struts in, and did you use new mounts/tophats or whatever?

 

[MP5stephen]

Blue's aren't adjustable. Make check your springs/endlinks/etc. Did you cut the bump stop when you put the new struts in, and did you use new mounts/tophats or whatever?

Correct. Springs are matched properly. Yeah, everything is there. I didn't cut the stock bumpstop. It didn't seem like it needed to be cut. Used the original tophats/mouts.

Also when I got this (2003)Protege in 2009, it only had about 28k miles.

Should I just find a buyer for this setup and run a set of coilovers?

 

[tweety2300]

springs could be sagging like mine and have gotten weak over time. the rear of my car sits about 1.5" lower than the front but its got the original knock off racing beat springs that are 10 years old

 

[MP5stephen]

Yeah, I would expect that to happen over time, expecially since yours are 10 years old. Mine are literally 5 months old. I also need to find a buyer for the blues and H&R's.

 

[tweety2300]

Could have been a manufacturing issue aswell. How stiff is it? With that you shouldn't be able to even push it down much if any at all

 

[MP5stephen]

True, H&R originally sent me the wrong springs. They sent me ones made for the 96-99 lx,dx,ex protege's, not for the wagons. I looked at the product numbers. They offered to send the correct ones free of charge, as long as I sent the old ones back. Well, the correct springs seemed to be much softer and bouncier than stock(i didn't use a spring compressor to install H&R springs), but I would expect that from a linear spring because they're more predictable.

 

[MP5stephen]

I need new bumpstops. The foam ones that came with my stock struts have crumbled apart. That is most likely my issue.

My question is. What size/shape bumpstop's do I need?

http://www.energysuspension.com/universal-products/bump-stops-shock-strut.html

 

[kamesama980]

after working in shops, working on my own stuff, and selling parts....always ALWAYS replace the mounts when doing the struts. especially when they're 7 years old. it'll fix the rattling, probably won't fix the sag.

 

[njaremka]

if you bought the tokico blue's used, its possible you were sold a set of MSP stocker's. those have a lower spring perch in the back, which would cause the back to sag when paired with non-msp springs. bump stops will have no impact on static ride height.