H&R installed, now vibration at WOT

[v8stmpr]

i installed the H&R spring with my stock shock/struts this weekend. this is my first lowered car i have owned.
here is my impressions:
the good......easy to install, i love the look and handles better on the freeway sweepers.
not so good......i dont like the front bottoming out over square edged bumps and the vibration is about make me pull these off. The vibration is noticed under heavy throttle.

guess the question is did you guys notice a vibration after your spring install?

 

[boosted1]

i installed the H&R spring with my stock shock/struts this weekend. this is my first lowered car i have owned.
here is my impressions:
the good......easy to install, i love the look and handles better on the freeway sweepers.
not so good......i dont like the front bottoming out over square edged bumps and the vibration is about make me pull these off. The vibration is noticed under heavy throttle.

guess the question is did you guys notice a vibration after your spring install?

How many miles are on your MS3?

 

[spdjnke]

can you describe the vibration?? is it coming from the steering wheel or chassis under heavy throttle? I'm guessing maybe you may have worn out top strut bearings.?? but that's just a guess.

 

[ericrapp]

Yes describe please, something loose?
i have Cobb springs now, it is really same installation and should get same results. I had no more or less vibes at all, at idle or under load turning whatever. i would suggest checking nuts and bolts first. GL !

 

[akosiharold_510]

Alignment maybe?

 

[skallen]

+1 on the alignment....Any time you mess with the suspension of any car, you should really do an alignment. This is most likely your cause of grief!!!!

 

[the_bends]

i took my car to the dealer for a front end noise hoping i could get it under warranty. and according to them my H&R springs caused my axles to run at an unusual angle and destroyed the bearings. anyone heard of something like this happening? i have had a couple of lowered cars including a GTI on H&R springs and i never had an axle problem before. just lookin for some feedback

 

[ericrapp]

the h/r are lower than my Cobb. but the Cobb have about 35k on them and NP at all. In theory it can happen i suppose. I also had another car that was lowered with Teins and Np either. Sounds like could bull bull. Not that the bearing is bad but, the why it is. Both sides need replacing?

 

[the_bends]

according to the dealer both sides need replacing... i tried to get warranty work but of course my warranty was voided after that trip (oh well only 2k more miles till it was up anyhow). the H&R springs are an aggressive drop, 1.2 inches i believe, but i have not heard of anyone else having similar problems.

 

[spdjnke]

I wouldn't call 1.3 front and 1.2 rear aggressive I think it's more balanced this way so you don't get the canted look like the Eibach, Tanabe etc with the 1.0 front and 0.5 rear.

according to the dealer both sides need replacing... i tried to get warranty work but of course my warranty was voided after that trip (oh well only 2k more miles till it was up anyhow). the H&R springs are an aggressive drop, 1.2 inches i believe, but i have not heard of anyone else having similar problems.

 

[Chumpsteak]

I just installed H&R springs on my 2008 MS3 and had all kinds of vibration and whacky crap going on. Got under there today and found 1 of my rear swap bar endlinks loose and both of the tophats on my rear springs were on crooked because they apparently snagged the middle bolt when I was installing them. Anyway, I got everything straightened out today and the car is night and day better. I would suggest you check all bolts that were loosened during the install and verify everything is as it should be. I am still on stock struts and I feel that the vibrations are a little harsher than stock springs, but not too bad. The ride is stiffer, but the vibrations aren't too bad. Do you have a RMM? Maybe I'm just used to excess vibrations due to my stiffer RMM.

 

[Chumpsteak]

Oh, and my car dropped nearly 2 inches all the way around when i put the H&R springs on. And that business about trashing the axles is bulls***. That's the dealer trying to get your money.

 

[spdjnke]

WOW 2"? did you check all of the struts/shocks prior to putting them back in ? 2" might mean blown?

Oh, and my car dropped nearly 2 inches all the way around when i put the H&R springs on. And that business about trashing the axles is bulls***. That's the dealer trying to get your money.

 

[ericrapp]

In some cases going beyond 1" plus starts to change geometry without some adjustment to the axle centers create an inefficient angle. Usually horizontal is best. or someplace close including the swing of the wheel. But again depending on the steering and suspension design.
On this point of blown struts and shocks or Dampers. Dampers have an optimum range they are set to work within as you go into high compression or even using bumpstops.
The speed 3 has a record of leaking dampers when lowered and some at stock ride height. I have been a lucky one i suppose. But if i were to switch to coilovers that offer alot of drop the damper needs to be valved properly. Axles (joints) are more prone to wear and with enough negative camber or extreme toe wheel bearing could fail early.
In this case i think you might have bad bearings. Maybe they could show you them haha. But the lowering should not be your problem. something left loose when installing springs could eat a bearing maybe but both sides.. is unlikely. Sorry for your luck

 

[hugador]

H&R says you need an alignment after install. I had my springs installed by a professional and wheel alignment at 11k miles. Now at 17k car still runs fine with no vibes or problems. The H&R springs won't give you any problems if installed correctly with still good shocks(oem or aftermarket).

 

[ericrapp]

+1

 

[spdjnke]

Alignment after putting on lowering springs is a GIVEN! I hope you did that after you put them in. However it's always good to put a few hundred miles on them to allow everything to Index before you do an alignment so everything will be put back into spec....I also hope you considered getting new rear camber links to get things back in order..?

 

[the_bends]

when the springs were installed and the car was aligned, a year or so ago, on stock struts and shocks there were no unusual sounds or vibrations. now, according to the dealer, over time they have destroyed my AXLE bearings. i know there are alot more people running lower MS3's than me but in my area with downtown driving i dont wanna go any lower, i actually wanna be a little taller.

 

[spdjnke]

has the ride gotten more "bouncy?" if so my assumption is that your stockers are done and you should be looking into getting them replaced...I would take it to a alignment shop NOT the dealership, have the alignment checked cuz if stockers are dead it will change toe/camber etc etc causing your "bearing" issue.