FK Coilovers Fitting help...

[Bloooor]

Bought some coilovers last week and know a couple of people that can help me fit them but they have said I will need a strut top tool for the front struts and also a spring compressor for the back. Will I definatly need both of these tools or is there any tricks and tips that people have to get around it... I've heard you can use an air gun to get them off without needing an allen key for the fronts

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Mark One]

you need a deep off set ring spanner (21mm iirc) and an allen key for the strut tops. Only need spring compressors at the front.

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=287797&highlight=forgot+sportlines

or fubar has written one. Or there is another on strut removal in guides.

 

[bmh.01]

You want a 21mm cranked spanner and a 6mm allen key to undo the front top mounts. You'll need a spring compressor for the fronts to get the top mount off, the rear you won't need any special tools for.

Forget the airgun and use an allen key imo. Just as easy and you can see exactly whats happening. You know where I am if its that bad .

 

[Peperami]

You wont need a spring compressor to fit coilovers. The springs wont leave the front shocks.

 

[Sean.]

Hi mate, ive just lfitted mine.

1. you wont need spring compressors at all. rears will just pull out of the seats once the rear shocks are off. very easy. You will have to remove the lower rubber seat. thats is not used. keep the top one though.

2. the fronts, use a 21mm Spark plug socket with a spanner onto the hex section with an allen key through it. Soak the top nut in wd40 for a while first.

3. the front springs wont need compressing, undo the 17mm nut once the strut is out and it should just come off without any compressing what so ever. easy peasy

you will need to use all the bits off the front std suspension on the coilovers, bar the metal plate that the spring sits in on the original damper setup. so remember which way they come off.

Thats about all matey. easy peasy. should take about hour if you know what your doing, couple if you dont!

 

[Bloooor]

Well we fitted them and they seem fine.. The time something sounds wrong is if I go over a speed bump, when the back wheels ht the floor I get a knocking noise like 2 bits of metal hitting each other...

I only hear it in the back and it almost sounds like the back dampers arn't tight enough but we checked them and they are as tight as they will go.

From this pic:

Is this how they should go on? This is what they looked like straight out the box. But on my car that big brass cone is on the top for some reason and the otherone looks like it's underneath....

Could it be that these are the wrong way round?

 

[Bloooor]

anyone before it goes dark? lol

 

[-KarL-]

on mine the rear coil plate is bolted on, you done that?

ill go and take a pic now how mine are

 

[-KarL-]

 

[couzens]

2 bits of metal knocking, could that be you exhuast pipe? hitting the bit thta goes under the bend in the pipe, if you get me i cant remember what its called, having a mental block!

 

[*Danny*]

still having probs mate thought you had sorted it all out at jords

 

[Bloooor]

nah we couldn't find any big enough bumps/pot holes for it to show him what its like. I have had a look at my exhuast and it's nowhere near my car in terms of hitting anything... Also it started doing it the same day my coilovers where put on.

Karl - yeah we bolted that plate onto the bottom and tightened it as much as possible. Have you got any pics of what the back struts look like from inside the back of your car and also underneath the arch? Just for comparison.

Did you put them onto your car exactly how they came out of the box mate? as shown in the pic I posted above.

 

[Middo]

my car makes a funny metallic noise when coming off a ramp, but seeing as my old car did it with fk's on i never thought anything else of it.

p.s. got the stickers today, so owe you one

 

[Bloooor]

OK hope they are ok Mark

I don't know what my clunking could be then... Im sure coilovers shouldn't really make such a loud noise when turning sharply/going over holes in road/speed bumps

 

[f0xy]

they are fitted right tbf, i couldnt hear anything when he was at mine, only slightest sounds........to be fair the backs are maxxed out on his, i would never expect it to be silent, 10x more stress on components when its lowered, and especially when its stiffer on coilovers..............why are you stripping it out if you want there to be no noise(s)?

 

[Bloooor]

I want there to be loads of noise! but not my suspension banging as I don't think it's safe...

If I knew everything was safe and it was all banging and knocking I wouldn't care

 

[f0xy]

so i guess mines unsafe as f**k with the amount of creaking/nocking/banging it does

to be fair its fine IMO, everythings tight, fitted correctly, and as i said, you'l probably NEVER find what it is, itl end up disappearing, then another noise will start, its neverending, its french!

 

[Bloooor]

Just rather be safe than sorry. Will just deal with it lol

Closed?

 

[Limca]

tbh, i reckon jord has done all the hard work, and im sure he knows what he is doing, since he has got coilovers and taken them apart and refitted so many times on his own car...

if ya feel that their is some knocking noise, best going to a place that can check for you... then hopefully that will give you your peace of mind?? btw, did jord charge ya??

jay

 

[f0xy]

if you had seen my rear springs in person, off the car, you would be worried to set foot in my car to be fair, lol, i fitted them as edde fitted mine, as immis are, as cliochris1's are..........if 3 cars or more are wrong so be it, let somewhere else have a gander as jay said

 

[ChrisPearson]

how far are your wheels spaced out at the back becoz mine used to make a noise like you've described

 

[Bloooor]

20mm

 

[Limca]

do you think the noise could be happening due to the spacers chris? because i was thinking that could be the reason... take the spacers out and then drive it.

 

[ChrisPearson]

well how close are they to the arch?

 

[Bloooor]

They are about an inch away. Will give it a try tomorrow, thanks for the help

 

[ChrisPearson]

Should be fine then mine were prety much touching and on bumps the metal hit the wheel metal.I'd check if everythings tight too

 

[Sir_Dave]

Perhaps if it is very low and the springs are compressed too much they will bind? And make a metallic noise? Also arent you supposed to use the rubber mounts on the rear suspension at the bottom of the spring ...

 

[CHRISK172+]

Stock set up uses a rubber pad top and bottom of the spring. With the FK's the bottom pad will be removed. The coils do bind on these, this will be visible once the paint has worn off. IMO the FK springs are too hard for road use, i found my back end bouncing off the road on bumpy roads at speed. Having spoken to FK by email, they do a softer set which have comparible spring rate to that of the GDi coilovers.

 

[Bloooor]

Should be fine then mine were prety much touching and on bumps the metal hit the wheel metal.I'd check if everythings tight too

We checked and double checked that everything is tight....

Perhaps if it is very low and the springs are compressed too much they will bind? And make a metallic noise? Also arent you supposed to use the rubber mounts on the rear suspension at the bottom of the spring ...

I don't get what you mean mate... I don't think there was any rubber mounts for the spring... Do you mean the shock?

Stock set up uses a rubber pad top and bottom of the spring. With the FK's the bottom pad will be removed. The coils do bind on these, this will be visible once the paint has worn off. IMO the FK springs are too hard for road use, i found my back end bouncing off the road on bumpy roads at speed. Having spoken to FK by email, they do a softer set which have comparible spring rate to that of the GDi coilovers.

I'm starting to think this tbh, we have maxed out the height at the back and when going over bumps/round bends fast they are bound to move.

I'm going to go try it without the 20mm spacers at the back now and see if it's them. I still can't see why FK would package the rear shocks differently to how your supposed to fit them....

 

[Christopher]

My car's reallllllly low and lovely and silent!

Hi!

 

[Bloooor]

Die Cwissy

Die.

 

[f0xy]

My car's reallllllly low and lovely and silent!

Hi!

"gazzzzzzzzzzzzz" have never been silent, lol

 

[f0xy]

We checked and double checked that everything is tight....

Perhaps if it is very low and the springs are compressed too much they will bind? And make a metallic noise? Also arent you supposed to use the rubber mounts on the rear suspension at the bottom of the spring ...

I don't get what you mean mate... I don't think there was any rubber mounts for the spring... Do you mean the shock?

Stock set up uses a rubber pad top and bottom of the spring. With the FK's the bottom pad will be removed. The coils do bind on these, this will be visible once the paint has worn off. IMO the FK springs are too hard for road use, i found my back end bouncing off the road on bumpy roads at speed. Having spoken to FK by email, they do a softer set which have comparible spring rate to that of the GDi coilovers.

I'm starting to think this tbh, we have maxed out the height at the back and when going over bumps/round bends fast they are bound to move.

I'm going to go try it without the 20mm spacers at the back now and see if it's them. I still can't see why FK would package the rear shocks differently to how your supposed to fit them....

bound to move where? they are perfect fit around the seating platform as they are designed to be, and they arent going to come off that as the whole weight of the car (1 tonne+) is ontop of them..........if your'es are coming off them platforms what are mine going to be doing? my springs are half the size of the FK ones on the back....

with regards to the order, take them apart and try them the other way then! they wont even fit together

 

[clio__chris]

mine has this metalic rattle too and mine arent very low at all really
havent been able to work out what it is either......

 

[Bloooor]

mine has this metalic rattle too and mine arent very low at all really
havent been able to work out what it is either......

What have you done about yours? Just deal with it?

I'm thinking of just buying some ear muffs ffs!

 

[Christopher]

My car's reallllllly low and lovely and silent!

Hi!

"gazzzzzzzzzzzzz" have never been silent, lol

LOL... knowsit

KLUNKALUNKALUNKALUNKALUNKA LUNKK

 

[Sean.]

the picture you posted on the struts is correct mate, by that i mean all the rubber parts and brass colars are on the right way

here's a pic to help you along:



The way you have the parts is correct. slot them into the hole and bolt them to the bottom, tighten up the top bolt n your away

mine were fine! although i first drove mine and id forgot to do up tht top 16mm nuts!!! lol, was knokcing like a bastardd!

 

[mini-valver]

Exhaust on the axle? Spring coils hitting each other under full compression?

I'll have a look when I next see you lad. I think you're being a vagina though TBH.

 

[Bloooor]

the picture you posted on the struts is correct mate, by that i mean all the rubber parts and brass colars are on the right way

here's a pic to help you along:



The way you have the parts is correct. slot them into the hole and bolt them to the bottom, tighten up the top bolt n your away

mine were fine! although i first drove mine and id forgot to do up tht top 16mm nuts!!! lol, was knokcing like a b*****dd!

Do you mean this pic mate?

This isn't how we put them on btw, the brass cone/washer are on the other way round.

Exhaust on the axle? Spring coils hitting each other under full compression?

I'll have a look when I next see you lad. I think you're being a vagina though TBH.

Die Dave. When you hear the noises for yourself (not from what Jordan has told you) you will agree tbh.

 

[mini-valver]

Lol, I'll have a drive and see!