Help on coilover installation - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

KwlAznKid · 12-14-2012, 02:43 AM

Hi everyone,

Hoping to see if anyone has some advice for me, i just installed st coilovers on my car and for some reason ONLY the passenger rear is making a loud clunking sound over every small dip or crack on the road. Driver's side is fine, i checked EVERYTHING, everything is tight so I'm really lost, i even took it into a shop today and they told me the only thing they can see is that there is some wiggle room on the spring (when the car is on the lift) so he thinks that because of that wiggle it's making the clunking sound when i'm driving.

I installed it with the adjusting perch on top, then the spring, then i took the oem rubber cover that was on top and flipped it around and put it on the bottom (as I read online/forums) and did the exact same thing for the driver's side which is perfect. (some wiggle room if i shake the spring hard but definitely not even CLOSE to how much play i can get on the passenger side). I'll attach some pics but did I do anything wrong?! help plz the sound is killing me!!

thanks

KwlAznKid · 12-14-2012, 02:48 AM

I should add the wiggling is at the top of the spring, the bottom seems pretty solid and not mobile, there is definitely room for play at the top where the adjuster/spring/car's frame meets

bobse · 12-14-2012, 02:55 PM

try drving around with a passenger to find out if the sound is still there. If it is, try corner weighting/balancing. You can also try to put a piece of rubber insert between the spring and the perch if you dont want to spend money. I think thats where the sound is coming.
make sure you do both sides though. For an alignment I always go to westend.

KwlAznKid · 12-14-2012, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobse

try drving around with a passenger to find out if the sound is still there. If it is, try corner weighting/balancing. You can also try to put a piece of rubber insert between the spring and the perch if you dont want to spend money. I think thats where the sound is coming.
make sure you do both sides though. For an alignment I always go to westend.

i did drive around with a passenger, same sound

. i thought about adding a rubber piece as well, any idea where i could get something like that though? it'd have to be pretty durable i'm assuming

bobse · 12-14-2012, 04:43 PM

on my evo, i used a rubber insert from a honda suspension. You just wrap it around the spring. It is readily available at any honda dealership.
as long as there is no big movements on the spring against the perch, they will last for a while.

BRGmatthew · 12-18-2012, 02:03 AM

might be your bumpstops on your shocks, not the springs

Hybrid For Life · 12-18-2012, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boneout

might be your bumpstops on your shocks, not the springs

+1

When I did my KW's on my car I didn't get the right order/combination of bushings and spacers on the top of the shock(inside the trunk) causing a clunking sound in the rear.

Mahhvinn · 12-18-2012, 07:00 AM

Get new bumpstops and add a rubber "washer" on the perch that might help.

Good luck!

Wei718 · 12-18-2012, 09:54 AM

You need to pre load the springs by adjusting the spring collar.

eric@helix · 12-18-2012, 10:12 AM

Check that the nut holding the strut top to the shock is tight: basically do a nut-and-bolt check on all connectors on that side.

12-14-2012, 02:43 AM	#1
KwlAznKid Major Drives: BMW/MERCEDES/PORSCHE Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Irvine/Fremont, CA/ University of California San Diego Alum Posts: 1,397 iTrader: (2)	Help on coilover installation Hi everyone, Hoping to see if anyone has some advice for me, i just installed st coilovers on my car and for some reason ONLY the passenger rear is making a loud clunking sound over every small dip or crack on the road. Driver's side is fine, i checked EVERYTHING, everything is tight so I'm really lost, i even took it into a shop today and they told me the only thing they can see is that there is some wiggle room on the spring (when the car is on the lift) so he thinks that because of that wiggle it's making the clunking sound when i'm driving. I installed it with the adjusting perch on top, then the spring, then i took the oem rubber cover that was on top and flipped it around and put it on the bottom (as I read online/forums) and did the exact same thing for the driver's side which is perfect. (some wiggle room if i shake the spring hard but definitely not even CLOSE to how much play i can get on the passenger side). I'll attach some pics but did I do anything wrong?! help plz the sound is killing me!! thanks __________________ BMW E92 328I / BMW E46 M3 / Mercedes Benz W209 CLK500 BMW E92 335I (sold) Porsche 996 911 C2 (sold) BMW E46 325CI (totaled)
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12-14-2012, 02:48 AM	#2
KwlAznKid Major Drives: BMW/MERCEDES/PORSCHE Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Irvine/Fremont, CA/ University of California San Diego Alum Posts: 1,397 iTrader: (2)	I should add the wiggling is at the top of the spring, the bottom seems pretty solid and not mobile, there is definitely room for play at the top where the adjuster/spring/car's frame meets __________________ BMW E92 328I / BMW E46 M3 / Mercedes Benz W209 CLK500 BMW E92 335I (sold) Porsche 996 911 C2 (sold) BMW E46 325CI (totaled)

12-18-2012, 07:00 AM	#8
Mahhvinn EUROPROJEKTZ Drives: backwards Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Jose, CA (Bay Area) Posts: 7,601 iTrader: (15) Garage List 2008 E90 335i [2.00]	Get new bumpstops and add a rubber "washer" on the perch that might help. Good luck! __________________ LTMW\|SPEEDELEMENT\|EUROPROJEKTZ #TeamStretchNPoke

12-18-2012, 10:12 AM	#10
eric@helix BimmerPost Supporting Vendor Drives: 01 M Coupe, 08 135i, '12 328i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 719 iTrader: (0)	Check that the nut holding the strut top to the shock is tight: basically do a nut-and-bolt check on all connectors on that side. __________________

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12-14-2012, 02:55 PM	#3
bobse New Member Drives: 2009 bmw 335 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Chino Hills Posts: 27 iTrader: (1)	try drving around with a passenger to find out if the sound is still there. If it is, try corner weighting/balancing. You can also try to put a piece of rubber insert between the spring and the perch if you dont want to spend money. I think thats where the sound is coming. make sure you do both sides though. For an alignment I always go to westend.

12-14-2012, 04:43 PM	#5
bobse New Member Drives: 2009 bmw 335 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Chino Hills Posts: 27 iTrader: (1)	on my evo, i used a rubber insert from a honda suspension. You just wrap it around the spring. It is readily available at any honda dealership. as long as there is no big movements on the spring against the perch, they will last for a while.

12-18-2012, 02:03 AM	#6
BRGmatthew Bausman Drives: around the block Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: SoCal 626/NorCal 650 Posts: 1,186 iTrader: (11)	might be your bumpstops on your shocks, not the springs

12-18-2012, 09:54 AM	#9
Wei718 Private First Class Drives: E90 335I Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Bay Area SF Posts: 147 iTrader: (3)	You need to pre load the springs by adjusting the spring collar.