Help! New Coil Springs Creaking - Botched Install?

9375 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by pepsi_coli, Jul 29, 2016

pepsi_coli

Discussion Starter · Jul 24, 2016

Hey all. I just installed my Tein S-Techs on my '15 hatchback yesterday, and driving around today I noticed a creaking/knocking noise coming mainly from the front struts. It gets worse whenever I go over a sharp speed bump, but with how low the springs go, any slight bump in the road I get the noise.

Things I've identified as possible issues:

Incorrect top hat orientation
Spring incorrectly seated (most probable)

To diagnose the problem I disconnected the sway bar end link and started jacking up the control arm with the strut attached. The spring itself is creaking whenever the strut moves up.

Also, the brown rubber that wraps around the spring on the bottom side is ripped. So it seems like the spring itself is not seated properly. But the end of the spring contacts the little notch at the bottom metal piece

tl;dr how should the spring sit on the bottom of the strut? should I take this to a mechanic to avoid the headache?

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minsanity

· #2 · Jul 24, 2016

Last time I checked, Tein never made STechs for the gen3 M3, only HTechs.
If you meant the brown rubber spring protectors? They should be on top, not the bottom. These are supposed to be in contact w/ your strut mounts.

Please go over your install. Hope it gets sorted.

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xskynetx

· #3 · Jul 24, 2016

I HAVE NEVER MET ANYONE talk good about TEIN springs. Maybe coil overs but even those I hear are too stiff.

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pepsi_coli

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 24, 2016 (Edited)

I might have reversed the front and the back springs. I put the fat ones on the rear and skinny on the front because I couldn't find anywhere on the LCA in the rear for the skinny spring to sit into

Edit:
I just checked the tein website. The springs I have SKM98-AUB00, are for 2010-2013. But the place I got it from said they're for 2010-2016. I may have just f**d myself here

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pepsi_coli

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 24, 2016

I just reinstalled my stock springs

gonna have to send back the Teins. That being said, what are the llowest springs for the '15 mazda 3? I've only seen Eibach prokit which is 1.2, and Corksport which is a 2 inch drop (a little bit too low). Wondering if there are any other options

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arathol

· #6 · Jul 24, 2016

H&R 28821-1 , 30/45 mm ( 1 1/4" / 1 3/4") drop.

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minsanity

· #7 · Jul 24, 2016

xskynetx said:
I HAVE NEVER MET ANYONE talk good about TEIN springs. Maybe coil overs but even those I hear are too stiff.

The HTechs for gen3 are actually very close to stock in ride & spring rates. Gen3s don't have the stiffer STechs.

pepsi_coli said:
I might have reversed the front and the back springs. I put the fat ones on the rear and skinny on the front because I couldn't find anywhere on the LCA in the rear for the skinny spring to sit into

Edit:
I just checked the tein website. The springs I have SKM98-AUB00, are for 2010-2013. But the place I got it from said they're for 2010-2016. I may have just f**d myself here

I figured you had the wrong Tein part number.

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pepsi_coli

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 25, 2016 (Edited)

arathol said:
H&R 28821-1 , 30/45 mm ( 1 1/4" / 1 3/4") drop.

It's a shame these are shipping only from germany

And a bigger problem has just came up. I reached highway speeds for the first time on the replaced stock springs and now there is a perpetual knocking sound (more than just the creaking of the springs) whenever I'm over 45mph.

Edit: I checked my sway bar end links and they're all tight. The sound seems to be coming from the front springs when I drive. Maybe they're not seated properly? The end of the spring on the bottom is not in contact with the bump on the rubber piece on the strut. The knocking is happening with every revolution of the wheel and there is a noticeable squeaking as well. Audible from outside the car too

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pepsi_coli

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 25, 2016

Idiot of the year award goes to...

me! I tightened my rear driver side lug nuts and everything's good. just waiting on the h&rs to show up so I can get low again. man the wheel gap is unsightly (especially in the rear) after i got used to the tein look.

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leela222

· #10 · Jul 28, 2016

@pepsi_coli

I had Corksports and didn't like the ride. I switched out to H&R. I ordered them on ebay from Germany and I received them in TWO DAYS. Cost me around $226 USD. Cheaper than what I paid for the Corksports with shipping.

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BadSeed

· #11 · Jul 29, 2016

I ordered my H&R from this site instead of eBay. Same seller. when I got them they were 214 shipped and arrived in under a week
http://www.tunershop.com/H_R__springs_Lexus_3_Typ_BL_BM_VA_30_HA_45mm_x200_230_233x_p924333.html

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

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pepsi_coli

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 29, 2016

I guess we all got the same springs! I'm liking these a lot better although mismatched teins are no comparison. At least the ride isn't ridiculously bouncy anymore.

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