Suspension spring placement incorrect?
 

http://images.cardomain.com/installs...80_39_full.jpg

Does this picture showing my rear passenger side spring/shock setup look right? That is, it looks like there is a gap between the end of the spring and the ridge on the shock perch. The reason I ask is that there is a funny 'eeerrrkk' metallic sound coming from the rear of the car when it's in motion these days and I'm wondering if this is the cause. It's not the lug nuts (re-torqued them last night) and the shock tower nuts/center piston nut seem tight enough (I don't have a torque wrench handy right now so I can't be sure). I was thinking maybe the brake caliper bolts were loose, but my brake feel is normal and the car drives straight and true.

I took it to a tire shop yesterday but when I brought the guy out, the #$&%'n thing wouldn't make a sound rolling around in the parking lot. It's pretty consistent on the road though. It seems like as the car gets warmer the sounds subsides a bit. It doesn't completely go away though.

Any ideas?

Re: Suspension spring placement incorrect?
 

Yes, it's not perched correctly. That would cause soome noise, and I really don't think that's terribly safe, but I'm not 100% sure. When weight is taken off the spring it has the potential to move more. Myabe I'm wrong. Someone who's smarter in the way of Physics will have to answer! Hah I never took physics! I do know that the edge of the spring has to be up against the perch.

The spring should be seated against the stop on the strut base. The shop should have known this. it is very possible that this is the cause of you problems. You should also have the upper 2-3 coils wrapped in some kind of material (I use cut clear vinyl tubing) to reduce coil "clank" over bumps. I can't tell from the pics, but did they put on the stock lower coil isolator? If they didn't, that will definately cause noise too.


Dave

Actually BrianV and a friend of his put them on while I helped some and watched. The coils are wrapped in OEM tubing that was bought new when I had the swap done. The springs were seated correctly at first, but I just noticed yesterday that the one in the pic is off a bit. The rear drivers side coil butts right up against the ridge so that one is good. I'm curious how one spring moved while the other stayed put. Weird.

It's funny though...the noise is more of a 'tinny' sound...not something deeper that I would anticipate coming from shocks/springs.

Anyway, thanks for the replies. :) I'll take down and reposition the spring and hopefully that will cure the noise.