Cooksport springs failing front shocks

[Cornes182Cup]

Had cooksport springs fitted in April along with new shocks all round, now on my 2nd set of front cup shocks and they are beginning to fail, squelching when going over bumps in the road is unbearable.

Anybody else experienced this with cooksport or sportline springs?

 

[Bluebeard]

What shocks are they, genuine?

 

[Cornes182Cup]

Yeah genuine cup shocks purchased from wests off here who were more than helpful compared to renault warranty!

 

[Adamm.]

Worrying that as I already know the spring moves about in the holder when its in the air.

 

[Feates172]

Yeah I've had issues with them moving about, were a lot worse when I had solid top mounts. Would crash and clang when going over humps or up my drive.

 

[Stu172cup]

Im sorry to state the obvious but shorter springs "should" be fitted with shorter stroke shock

I know lowering springs have been fitted since dot on normal shocks but its not tye right way to do it really

Plus the dampings not really matched to the springs anyway

 

[Coops Mk1]

had mine on for good while now on standard 30k odd original cup shocks, no issues at all, no clanging, jumping, movement or anything

 

[MartinR]

Seem the same as Apex springs.

 

[MJRacing]

I fitted my springs in Febuary with new cup shocks only to find the one shock was faulty and had it replaced under warranty. Since then i have done about 10k with them and have had none of the issues above.

 

[Harbinger]

Have you still got the rubber mounts the springs sit in fitted?

 

[M@tt_182]

I've been running Sportlines for a while now and had no issues on 90k shocks! I'm changing to Cooksports and new shocks soon and this sounds a little worrying?!

 

[peanuthead]

Well I had prolines on before, since changing to cooksports my front left shock has been squeaking over bumps. Shocks are only 6 months old done less than 5k, assumed it was a faulty shock. I will be fitting replacement shocks in a few day so will see how they get on.

I was thinking maybe standard shocks don't like that much of a drop

 

[Advikaz]

What is the drop on them? I wouldn't personally drop more than 30 on standard shocks but that's just me.

 

[Feates172]

Cooksports are around 30 iirc

 

[Lawro]

Strange, I have had mine fitted for over a year now with no issues at all..

 

[Coops Mk1]

35mm I think is the official spiel for cooksports?

not sure why they would cause an issue, I've used lower springs on standard shocks before in the mk1 with no issues at all, so I doubt its that.

and as said, mine is on standard top mounts, standard cup shockers and the cooksports and I have absolutely no ill effects at all, no noises, no nothing, it rides as on standard springs, just lower and a tad harsher

 

[plymcl172]

this sounds like your shock isn't right, just ring who you got them from see what they say, not every part off the shelf is 100%

 

[Chip-mk1]

Ours are still fine, probably done about 10K ish miles on the cooksport now, and did about the same on Eibachs before that.

TBH if they do fail now I'll be relatively happy considering how hard I smash it up kerbs at places like llandow anyway!

 

[Fred@BTM]

you do have the bumpstops/dust covers fitted don't you?

 

[Naith]

Forgive me for sounding rude but they are a shorter spring that most are fitting to an OEM damper. When not under compression (top of speed bump/over crest) they could rattle due to obviously being smaller springs not filling the gap that the OEM longer spring did no?

Just basic common sense that isn't it or am I totally wide of the mark?

 

[Laine_16v]

No issues to report here either, no unusual noises e.t.c

 

[Coops Mk1]

Forgive me for sounding rude but they are a shorter spring that most are fitting to an OEM damper. When not under compression (top of speed bump/over crest) they could rattle due to obviously being smaller springs not filling the gap that the OEM longer spring did no?

Just basic common sense that isn't it or am I totally wide of the mark?

not totally, the theory is right, at full extension with very short springs a standard shocker would allow for the spring to unseat and rattle etc. however not true for the cooks, I didn't have to use spring compressors to fit them, but at full extension once holding nut was wound up tight there was no rattle or looseness of the spring

 

[darkbluesheep]

i'v got a similar problem, fitted new cup shocks (with Eibach sportlines) and at the time had standard top mounts, few weeks later fitted PMS solid top mounts and brace and ever since my shocks have been squeaking like mad over the smallest bumps. Thought it might be because the solid mounts have less give than the standard ones but now im second guessing that.

 

[debussetti]

Strange, I have had mine fitted for over a year now with no issues at all..

Same here, 10k miles with no issue. Also put new shocks on at the same time.

Mine seemed to make more noise before I put the Cooksports on.

 

[Cup_Phil]

you do have the bumpstops/dust covers fitted don't you?

Probably this - dirt getting into the shock dust seal and wearing

 

[Feates172]

i'v got a similar problem, fitted new cup shocks (with Eibach sportlines) and at the time had standard top mounts, few weeks later fitted PMS solid top mounts and brace and ever since my shocks have been squeaking like mad over the smallest bumps. Thought it might be because the solid mounts have less give than the standard ones but now im second guessing that.

There is nothing wrong, it's just the combination of standard shocks, shorter springs and solid top mounts. Remove solid mounts to fix the squeaking.

 

[peanuthead]

i'v got a similar problem, fitted new cup shocks (with Eibach sportlines) and at the time had standard top mounts, few weeks later fitted PMS solid top mounts and brace and ever since my shocks have been squeaking like mad over the smallest bumps. Thought it might be because the solid mounts have less give than the standard ones but now im second guessing that.

Just to point out I also fitted pms top mount+ brace kit at the same time.

Guess I will have to get it apart before I know the cause

 

[Fred@BTM]

its not the dirt that's so much of an issue, its the bumpstop, that's an important part of the suspension, we must've fitted 20 pairs in the past few weeks

 

[Cup_Phil]

its not the dirt that's so much of an issue, its the bumpstop, that's an important part of the suspension, we must've fitted 20 pairs in the past few weeks

People leave the bumpstops off?? :|

 

[Fred@BTM]

yeah because they're damaged or the simply forget to refit

 

[Cornes182Cup]

Whole front suspension and steering is brand new, pure top mounts with brace and poweflex bushes all over the front. As for bump stops I'll have to check and report back

 

[peanuthead]

I am 99% sure the bumpstops are there and fine as I refitted everything. Although the shock is noisy even with a small amount of compression

 

[darkbluesheep]

peanuthead can you make your shocks squeak when compressing your suspension by hand (putting pressure on the front end by using your body weight)? Mine dont squeak when doing that but do squeak loads when driving. I think it must be the combination of solid mounts, stiffer springs, and standard shocks.

 

[peanuthead]

If I sit on the headlight and bounce the car it does squeak a bit but nowhere near as bad as when I'm driving.

 

[Coops Mk1]

is it just me or do fingers seem to be pointing in the wrong direction here?? most with issues have solid top mounts it seems??

 

[darkbluesheep]

is it just me or do fingers seem to be pointing in the wrong direction here?? most with issues have solid top mounts it seems??

I think you might be right, eibach springs and cup shocks were fine, then i fitted the solid mounts and brace kit and started getting really bad squeaking issues. Think i might have to revert back to standard mounts

 

[Coops Mk1]

it'd be my first port of call, I had issues with my Leda coilovers on the mk1 with AST solid top mounts, standard rubbers they were fine, with the ASTs they rattled and squeaked all over

FK's were fine on the AST

weird! lol!

 

[Feates172]

Solid mounts, cooksports and standard shocks just don't work. I had the combo fitted, took it to dan@519 to look at, took him all of 2 minutes to say it's just the combination of the 3 things. Ever since I've gone back to standard top mounts. It's been spot on.

Cooksports aren't the issue.

 

[Cornes182Cup]

Im not talking about squeaking or knocking, the shocks are squelching when going over speedbumps and other bumps in the road. Also just checked and the garage didn't refit the bump stops back in April when I first had new shocks.

So could the fact that there is no bump stops be causing the squelching sound from the shocks?

 

[Coops Mk1]

could be, if you've hit the stops of the shockers rather than the bumpstop as its not there it would probably of damaged the shockers, thus leading to them wearing quickly