Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

What's up guys...

So I installed a set of D-specs and H.techs this weekend, and everything went pretty well. Although, after all I read here about the installation process, I wasn't quite prepared for the difficulty of getting the new spring assemblies back in place.

Anyway, after the first test drive I noticed a knocking sound coming from the front right side only. This happens mostly when I turn right at slower speeds, but also if I accelerate or brake quickly. It's usually a single knock, and almost sounds like the spring assembly is moving around. It also sounds similar to a CV joint knock, but the boot looks fine. Basically, it seems like I get a knock every time there is weight transfer: front to back, or left to right.

I only removed the two control arm bolts, the shock bolt and of course the 3 strut hat bolts. I torqued all bolts during installation, and nothing seems to be moving around when the car is lifted. Could something still be loose that I just can't detect?

Overall I'm really happy with the Tokicos and Teins, and I do plan to post some impressions soon. In the mean time, here are some wheel gap comparisons between the stock suspension and new Tokico/Tein H.tech combo. There was definitely more than an inch drop in the front when paired with the D-specs.

Any suggestions about the knocking sound would be greatly appreciated!

Before and After

EricMeyer

The sound you hear is most likely your springs not seating with your upper perches. This is normal. If your car is lowered a fair amount, there is play between the top of your spring and the upper perch (which is what you adjust your ride height with). This upper perch under or in the rear shock tubes (those black tubes that mount from underneath your car and go up into your trunk).

Just a little bit of tension on both springs will keep the top of the spring and the perch together----reducing or eliminating the noise your hear.

One thing you could do is go with a LONGER spring if you choose to run a low ride height. Springs could be considered universal----kind of like tires sizes. There are 3 things: spring rates, length and width. Ask your provider what your have or measure yours and get the same thing only LONGER.

Email me if you need some help: meyermotorsports@mac.com

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Hey Eric, thanks for the reply. I'm only getting the sound on one corner -- all the other corners are nice and quiet, so something's gotta be slightly off with that front right spring and/or shock. The H-techs only lower the front about an inch, and on the D-specs the car sits just a little bit lower than that... so it's not really a big drop to begin with. I'm not really aware that Tein offers different length springs in their S-tech and H-tech lines.

If the spring wasn't seating with the upper perch, would it make a knocking sound when braking too?

costello

It could be the top of the coils hitting together and making the clunking noise. I had a strange clunking noise from my passenger rear side after I installed the Mazdaspeed springs/shocks. I purchased these rubber sleeves from Mazda and installed them and that stopped the noise. It was also only on one side of the rear and I did not bother doing this on the other side. Take a look at this technical service bulletin:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...3-04-1348a.pdf

The TSB is for fixing the clunking noise on the front of a Mazda 6, but it doesn't really matter. You can go to the parts department and ask them to get you the sleeves. They're only a few bucks and you can get several pieces so that the rubber sleeves will cover more of the spring.

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

That's a really good possibility, since nothing else seems to be wrong. I will definitely be ordering those sleeves from Mazda. My Tein springs came with insulators on the bottoms of the springs but nothing on the top coils. Thanks very much for suggesting that TSB.

Optical TDI

iTrader: (2)

I have a simlar noise--I think it's this: http://www.finishlineperformance.com...05-08-1948.pdf

I took it in and the dealer ordered new endlinks even with aftermarket bars and springs...no questioning the aftermarket parts.

Razz1

Check the end link too.

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Cool, I'll check both the control link and end link. Hopefully if the one is cracked, my dealer will replace it like yours did, with no questions asked!

DY8

is the spring seated correctly to the top mount? If you look at the top mount you'll see a kind of notch where the top of the spring should rest. Sometimes when tightening the top mount, this can slip over the spring so might be worth checking.

I did a suspension change on my FTO and had the same issues you have, it was down to the above so simply had to remove the strut again

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Actually, this was an issue when I initially got the shock and spring back on the car. Luckily I hadn't bolted everything in yet. But on the front assembly (if I'm remembering correctly), the top rubber seat has notches in it for the studs, and it's much easier to see if the spring is seated correctly that on the rear ones. So, I checked again, and it does appear to be seated properly on mine.

I'm tempted to take the whole thing out again, but for some reason I had a lot of trouble getting this particular shock bolted back onto the hub. And actually, it was pretty tough to get the rest of them back on as well... at least for me. Can someone provide an easy way to get the hub pushed down, while trying to get the shock bolt back on? I had the control arm unbolted for this, but it was still pretty difficult, and it would have been impossible if I hadn't had a friend to help out.

And one last thing, can the endlink be damaged, even if visually it looks okay? The sound I'm getting really seems like an endlink problem now, but mine looks fine. I believe Mazda redesigned our endlinks, but I don't think the plastic insert has necessarily broken on mine.

Thanks again for all the help.

DY8

end links - it's possible that the joint has "degreased" ie it's metal on metal, this could cause it possibly.

When refitting my struts, I used a spare jack to hold it in place and used a mallet to tap it into position be careful though if you do this!!!

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Well, I have yet to take it to the dealer to see if they will replace the endlink. I'll probably do it next week if I can't figure this out.

As for getting the shock back in, when I got the studs back up where they go through the sheet metal (under the hood), the bottom of the shock hangs down below where the hub bolts onto the shock. So, you have to push down on the hub to get it to meet the shock bolt hole. I just found I had to exert a ton of force on the hub to get this to happen. Am I missing something, or is there an easier way to get this to work? The way I'm describing it, the mallet trick probably won't work.

DY8

did you use spring compressors when refitting?

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

We actually did end up using a spring compressor to get this last shock back on the car. I never read about someone needing to use one to get the shock back in, so it seemed like I was doing it the hard way... or at least that I was not seeing an easier way to do it.

DY8

I'll be swapping them out again soon for some mono-flex coilovers, will let you know if there is an easier way, been almost a year since I did it now I just remember the rears been a pain why is there so little space ?

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

Hey, thanks a lot! And yes, the rears drove me nuts with the miniscule amount of room back there. I scraped my new shocks and springs all over trying to get them in there. At least you can't see them!

Btw, I love how if you peek inside the wheel well, you can just see the D-spec logo peeking out.

Optical TDI

iTrader: (2)

Front endlinks intstalled today per the TSB...no more clunking up front. Problem fixed by dealer.

Olorin2

iTrader: (6)

That's good to hear! Did you happen to inspect your endlinks prior to taking the car in? If so, did they appear to be damaged?