Does this look normal? (springs)

[Cheeseiznice]

Hey guys,
Have owned my RB Clio 182 for a few weeks now.
It came with KTEC coilovers fitted. I have noticed this slight knocking, which isn't really loud, but noticeable, coming from the rear.
I had my coilovers adjusted the other day by a local garage, the knocking didn't change at all as it was there before anyway.
But I have had a good look under the car today to see if I could find anything obvious, the exhaust is very secure and does not move much so I don't think its that.
Then this spring caught my eye, this is the passenger side rear spring, it doesn't look like it is sitting right:

Compared to the drivers side spring which sits flush:

Am I right in thinking that the passenger spring is not sitting right?
Not sure if it was like this before going to the garage, I suspect so as they only adjusted them and the noise hasn't changed.
Any suggestions on how to re-align it if so? Don't want to take a hammer to it and end up damaging it if there is a better way!
Thanks,
Lewis.

 

[car.crash]

The top Spring seat is missing.
It's dangerous

 

[fairm010]

That's not sat right at all.

 

[Cheeseiznice]

The top Spring seat is missing.
It's dangerous

Uh oh.
This is the driver side:

This is the passenger side:

I assume its the moulded thing that is missing then.
Do you think it will be as simple as fitting a new rubber spring seat?
Thanks!

 

[car.crash]

Very simple fix, get the new seat and remove the spring to fit.
Plenty of guides on rear suspension removal, should only need the lower damper bolt to be removed though once jacked up.

 

[LeeRS]

I would be asking why the garage didn't spot that. Lol

 

[fairm010]

I would be asking why the garage didn't spot that. Lol

Exactly that. Hard to miss to a competent eye.

 

[Cheeseiznice]

Very simple fix, get the new seat and remove the spring to fit.
Plenty of guides on rear suspension removal, should only need the lower damper bolt to be removed though once jacked up.

Ooo ok great thanks, will see if I can find a seat and get it sorted then!

I would be asking why the garage didn't spot that. Lol

Haha I know, it is very obvious that it is not sitting right. They are closed till the 4th Jan now though so can't ring them and ask any time soon!

I assume it is not safe to drive until I get it sorted?
Thanks.

 

[fairm010]

I assume it is not safe to drive until I get it sorted?
Thanks.

I wouldn't. Not worth the risk of that slipping out of position.

 

[Cheeseiznice]

I wouldn't. Not worth the risk of that slipping out of position.

Okay cool, thanks for your help guys

 

[LeeRS]

Yeah, I wouldn't to be fair unless I REALLY had to.
How long you been driving it like that lol?

 

[Jekyll]

It is simple. Jack up car on rear beam till you can get 2 axle stands under the jacking points on the sills, but keep the jack under the beam, undo lower shock bolts (18mm) and once they are free, lower the jack slowly and the beam will come down, releasing the springs. Put new rubber hat in and reverse what you just did :smile:

 

[Jekyll]

Put up a thread on here, someone will have one for pennies/free. Oddly enough I've just thrown 3 away a few days ago otherwise you could of had them 😧

 

[Cheeseiznice]

Yeah, I wouldn't to be fair unless I REALLY had to.
How long you been driving it like that lol?

Well I picked the car up last Saturday and the noise was there on the first day. Got the garage to fit the cat back onto the car as it was decatted and oddly enough asked them to check for a knocking at the rear, which they couldn't see anything obvious (they even test drove it).
Then went back a few days later to get the coilovers adjusted. So either they didn't even look at the spring, or it happened when they were adjusting the coilovers.
So its only been a week but no idea how long it will have been driving like that before I bought it!

It is simple. Jack up car on rear beam till you can get 2 axle stands under the jacking points on the sills, but keep the jack under the beam, undo lower shock bolts (18mm) and once they are free, lower the jack slowly and the beam will come down, releasing the springs. Put new rubber hat in and reverse what you just did :smile:

Put up a thread on here, someone will have one for pennies/free. Oddly enough I've just thrown 3 away a few days ago otherwise you could of had them 😧

Ooooh that does not sound too difficult at all! Thank-you. Hopefully will be able to find some rubber mounts local

 

[Jekyll]

Where are you based? I'd imagine they didn't test drive it at all, because they would of noticed that straight away.

Saying that, you paid them to adjust it? Surely they need to adjust the rear adjusters and would have seen that. Pretty poor for a garage I say. Could you not have adjusted them yourself?

 

[Cheeseiznice]

Where are you based? I'd imagine they didn't test drive it at all, because they would of noticed that straight away.

Saying that, you paid them to adjust it? Surely they need to adjust the rear adjusters and would have seen that. Pretty poor for a garage I say. Could you not have adjusted them yourself?

Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Well I went with them on the test drive so I know they did haha. Yeah I have never adjusted coilovers before so I just wanted to chuck £20 at someone to get it done and make sure they are all level and sitting right. Think next time I will give it a shot myself instead, they don't look too difficult to adjust

 

[Typhoon]

'En oh' spells NO.

 

[Jekyll]

Did you not point out the knocking noise when on the test drive then?

 

[Cheeseiznice]

Did you not point out the knocking noise when on the test drive then?

I did let him know I could hear it, but the noise isn't too loud. He took it over some speed bumps/rumble strips and there wasn't any major knock. I could still hear it though. They just said to leave it and see if it gets louder. To be honest, I don't know if the spring was like that when I got the car, I only checked it today to see if I could see what was causing the noise. If the spring was sitting straight (albeit without a rubber mount) they could have missed it. Is it possible that the spring could have been knocked into that position while they were been adjusted?

 

[Jekyll]

Well there is no rubber mount to stop it slipping and I'd imagine the car was up in the air when it was adjusted, so yes. Once on the ground, you'll have the weight compressing it down.

 

[Cheeseiznice]

Well there is no rubber mount to stop it slipping and I'd imagine the car was up in the air when it was adjusted, so yes. Once on the ground, you'll have the weight compressing it down.

That might explain why they didn't notice anything wrong then, as they did have it up on a four post. Thanks for your advice

 

[Jekyll]

No worries. Yeah, get one of those rubbers in and you'll be fine again

I'll have a double look tomorrow in the shed but I'm pretty sure all my spares are gone. IF I have one/some then I'll send them out to you for free.

 

[Cheeseiznice]

No worries. Yeah, get one of those rubbers in and you'll be fine again :smile:

I'll have a double look tomorrow in the shed but I'm pretty sure all my spares are gone. IF I have one/some then I'll send them out to you for free.

Awesome, thank-you

 

[Cheeseiznice]

Got this sorted today.
Springs look like they are sitting right now!
Passenger side:

Driver side:

There is still a slight knocking sound, think it is actually coming from the front though.. going to get it up on axle stands tomorrow and poke around at the front to see if I can spot anything there.
But happy that the back is sorted
Thanks for all your help/advice guys :smiley:

 

[Jekyll]

Glad it's better now mate, sits as it should.

I had a look and didn't have any, but forgot to reply on here, however you've sourced and sorted it now

Knocking could be an array of things. When does it do it?