Installing Coilovers

[hoganalley]

So I finally got my streetsports last week when I got back from FL. I'm going to install them this weekend as it's a long weekend for us Canadian guys. I know it's a little too late now, but, I also bought new bump stops, hardware, upper shock bushings --- all that stuff for front and rear. I bought it all at Downtown Audi and it came to $400!!!

Has anyone actually replaced all that stuff when they put in new shocks? I've got rattles and everything just feels a little loose so I wanted to replace it all. It won't hurt, and I'm glad to do it, just curious if anyone else has done it......

[onemoremile]

The bump stops should have come with the new suspension. The upper strut bearing (rubber donut) should be replaced but they only cost $16 each. The only hardware involved is the lower strut mounts and the pinch bolts. I'm having a hard time figuring out where the $400 was spent.

Rattles are usually a control arm with a bad bushing at one end. Sometimes they are also a bad tie rod end. They are very rarely the upper strut bearing.

[hoganalley]

yeah, figured that as well....but I did the control arms last spring, so everything's fine there. I received bump stops for the rears, but not the fronts.

I bought the rubber donuts ($100), bump stops for the fronts ($80), the damping ring on the rears ($90) and then all the nuts, bolts, ect. that I'm taking off are being replaced. It's about $140 in hardware. I know our prices are more up here, but still......

[onemoremile]

ECS has pricing on this page. The upper strut bearings are 14.95 each, bump stops 11.95 each, etc..

Considering the strength of your dollar I'd say you got hosed. If you've got time you could return the parts and order them at a savings of about $300.

I don't even know what the damping ring is on the rears. I've swapped them a dozen times and never encountered such a thing. Everything is reused except the strut and spring.

[hoganalley]

Boooo! Damn Audi. I should get my parts tomorrow, so I'll compare. As far as the damping ring......there isn't a ring inside the rear shock mount? I assume it would be like a spring seat of some sort.......

[iin10ded]

re the 'damping ring': isn't there a little rubber gaskety thing that lives between the top of the spring and the upper spring mount ? that the spring actually seats onto? iirc that might be it, but i can't imagine it ever wears out.

wiat.. yep here: http://picasaweb.google.com/thejimro...07698810437650

that little bit between the spring and the mount is rubber. i think.. =)

[hoganalley]

I'm talking about #10....which I think iin10ded has referenced.

10, 13, 16, 15, 18, 20 are the parts I ordered. #10 is $27 CDN

Damn pictures! I need to figure this out!

[hoganalley]

Again....sorry for the pics.....

but #33 ($50.05 each) and #38 ($48.17 each). I'm going to try and take onemoremile's advice and return those parts. I bought #6, #10, #25, #28, #33, #38, #43

[iin10ded]

pix are little.. but i don't recall anything in the arse end that you'd need to replace doing the shock / spring.

[hoganalley]

I know!!! I'm an idiot with pix!! LOL!!! You don't think the rubber ring should be replaced?

I've included the url so you can click on the pics. I need to figure this out!

[iin10ded]

heh no worries..

no there's nothing in the rear that needs be replaced. i forget if the hardware is supposed to be replaced vs reused, but i'm a risk taker and reused mine [bentley knows].

[onemoremile]

That is the upper spring seat. I've never seen a reason to bother with it. I would replace it if it was all chewed up but they have always been fine. It doesn't seem like it would wear unless the spring wasn't seated correctly.

[ILoveT]

^ The Man

[the_pirate]

i've got a weird clunk sound coming from my passenger side rear coilover....what do you guys think?? i jacked the car on that side and i can turn the spring by hand....it just started making this sound after i got my coils raised up a little.

sorry if i thread jacked. i was having a similar problem and i didnt want to start a whole new thread with pretty much the same title...

[hoganalley]

Ok...what the hell....onemoremile, how the hell did you do that....

I freakin' suck at pics!

That is the upper spring seat. I've never seen a reason to bother with it. I would replace it if it was all chewed up but they have always been fine. It doesn't seem like it would wear unless the spring wasn't seated correctly.

Yeah? I figured if it's made of rubber, or even a hard plastic, it wouldn't be a bad idea to change it. I'm in there, may as well. I'm going to call ECS today and see if they can get me the parts by Friday. I really want to do this this weekend, so I may just bite the bullet.

[onemoremile]

It is a "while you're in there" scenario. If you've got the parts and the prices weren't crazy then you might as well replace it.

As for the pic, I clicked on your pic to open your gallery. Then clicked on the pic for the larger version. Then right clicked the pic, chose "Copy Image Location", and then went back to the thread. Clicked the picture icon (mountain in a yellow box) and pasted.

[hoganalley]

Ah ha!! Now I know! Sweet. Thanks.

I checked with ECS and they can't ship the parts until Friday. What I'm thinking of doing is ordering the parts from ECS, installing everything this weekend, and then returning ECS' parts to the Audi dealer. Get my money back that way!

Edit: Weird. I can't get that pic thinkg to work. I end up with the "red x" symbol!!

[onemoremile]

Good plan.

[hoganalley]

Thanks onemoremile....I FINALLY figured out the pics!!

[onemoremile]

Thanks onemoremile....I FINALLY figured out the pics!!

Congrats. I knew you'd come around eventually.

[hoganalley]

Another question.....what grease/protectant do you guys use on your threads so they don't rust in place?

And a stupid question......the rears coils came with a clear vinyl tube over the top portion of the spring....I assume this is to help squeaking/rubbing when it's installed in the rear shock mount?

[iin10ded]

a regular shot of wd40 or boeshield ought to do it..

i wondered the same about the spring cover. it must be to quell noise. although on mine the tube is nearly sawed all the way in 1/2 from the coils rubbing.

[onemoremile]

If you are running the coilovers all year round then you can cover the threads and perch openings with a rubber coating that will peel off later. I haven't tried it yet but Plasti-Dip might work. Try it on something else first in case it bonds too tightly and won't come off. I've also heard of people waxing their threads but dampers get hot enough to liquefy the wax.

[iin10ded]

hmm.. i wonder if there's something made for the offroad / desert racing world in the way of a plastic or rubber shock / damper cover of some sort? a 'shock condom'.. might be nice for the salty road people.

[onemoremile]

Lookie what I found. Click the pic for the link.

FK Coilover Protection spray avoids corrosion by salt, dust and water. The spray is easily applied to the thread after adjusting the height of the kit. This spray is included with each FK coilover kit, but sold separately here if more needed.

[iin10ded]

one other addition here is that i would advise to use antisieze on the 4 bolts that hold the upper strut mount to the car [part #!3 in the pic above]. when i pulled mine off 1 had been overtightened or fused which caused the captive nut to break off behind the panel, and there's no way to get at the backside from inside the car [that i could find] - i think it leads to middle earth? anyway it really SUCKS of one of those breaks off / fuses.

[hoganalley]

I'm going to look for that lube....thanks!

What about heatshrink? Cheap, easy to remove....should hold......

Yeah, I just had 2 of my fender liner screw speed nuts break of the body of the car. I had to cut from the screw head to the end of the liner and I have to slide it on now. I hope that doesn't happen when I'm taking this stuff off!