Lowered my C2 - rear very noisy over bumps
08-30-2002, 05:48 PM
#17
John,
I went down the same route as you, just lowering springs. They've been on about a year now and I've had no problems. I don't seem to get any bottoming out and the handling is vastly superior than before. Whether this is down the re-alignment I don't know, but the mech who fitted them commented on how good the felt compared to other 964s he works on. Not long after having them installed I started getting a loud knocking from the back over rough surfaces at low spends. On investigating I found that the locknuts on the top of the struts had come loose. I tightented them up and no problems ever since.
FYI
I fitted Eibachs
Std shocks (not known if they're original or not but assume so)
car had approx 90k now 95k
it's a C2 1990
Good luck
Richard.
I went down the same route as you, just lowering springs. They've been on about a year now and I've had no problems. I don't seem to get any bottoming out and the handling is vastly superior than before. Whether this is down the re-alignment I don't know, but the mech who fitted them commented on how good the felt compared to other 964s he works on. Not long after having them installed I started getting a loud knocking from the back over rough surfaces at low spends. On investigating I found that the locknuts on the top of the struts had come loose. I tightented them up and no problems ever since.
FYI
I fitted Eibachs
Std shocks (not known if they're original or not but assume so)
car had approx 90k now 95k
it's a C2 1990
Good luck
Richard.
08-30-2002, 09:54 PM
#18
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As with Richard H I had similar problems with my 944S2 when I had new dampers fitted - was simply the locking nut insuficiently tightened.
09-02-2002, 06:35 AM
#19
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Joey
Pictures are in the camera - just need to stop crying into my beer long enough to upload them. Its monday morning - about to ring garage to get new revised repair bill!!!
Pictures are in the camera - just need to stop crying into my beer long enough to upload them. Its monday morning - about to ring garage to get new revised repair bill!!!
09-02-2002, 10:15 AM
#20
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John,
I was just having you on. I figured photos were the last thing on your mind given the less than satisfactory direction this upgrade was taking.
No rush. Best of luck on the outcome.
I was just having you on. I figured photos were the last thing on your mind given the less than satisfactory direction this upgrade was taking.
No rush. Best of luck on the outcome.
09-05-2002, 08:30 AM
#21
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After mucho hassle, the bump sound is still there. They changed out a rear damper that was 'damaged', but no change to the bump. This hollow knocking sound is present on minor ripples at very low speeds, as low as 5 mph. I am absolutely sue it is not normal. Lowering springs cannot produce these sounds. If so, nobody would buy them and put up with the noise.
I'm going back AGAIN today to have them investigate. But if it keeps up, the old springs will go back in. If the noise goes, I will take up some legal shennanigans with the spring supplier.
I am officially pissed off, BTW!
I'm going back AGAIN today to have them investigate. But if it keeps up, the old springs will go back in. If the noise goes, I will take up some legal shennanigans with the spring supplier.
I am officially pissed off, BTW!
09-05-2002, 03:14 PM
#22
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John,
I have H&R springs installed over my original Goge shocks and struts. I did have a problem with noise from the front but that ended up being poor choice of mechanics not anything to do with the springs. I get no noise from the front or the rear now.
Doug
90 C4 Cab
Dublin, OH
I have H&R springs installed over my original Goge shocks and struts. I did have a problem with noise from the front but that ended up being poor choice of mechanics not anything to do with the springs. I get no noise from the front or the rear now.
Doug
90 C4 Cab
Dublin, OH
09-06-2002, 07:08 AM
#23
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Mine is definitely at the rear. At very low speeds (5-10 mph) it is very very prominent. Mainly over dips or depressions in the road surface, rather than humps. Sound is not that present at speeds over, say, 40 mph.
Car is going back again today.
Car is going back again today.
09-10-2002, 11:18 AM
#24
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The plot thickens......
found today that the garage didn't use H & R springs. I am now trying to find out which they fitted. They said they weren't SPAX springs - so I am now starting to mildly panic - if they didn't use Spax, H&R or Eibach, what could they have used???
May explain noises - I wonder if the springs & dampers are now so mismatched that the back is bouncing up & down all over the place???
Or is it the bump stops????
Becoming a rather tedious excercise!!
found today that the garage didn't use H & R springs. I am now trying to find out which they fitted. They said they weren't SPAX springs - so I am now starting to mildly panic - if they didn't use Spax, H&R or Eibach, what could they have used???
May explain noises - I wonder if the springs & dampers are now so mismatched that the back is bouncing up & down all over the place???
Or is it the bump stops????
Becoming a rather tedious excercise!!
09-10-2002, 07:21 PM
#25
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John
I recently fitted Eibach progressive lowering springs (retained stock shocks) and took it to Strasse in Leeds (is this your Garage in question?) to have a full alignment. I'm very happy with the results although the alignment process always leaves me unconvinced of its accuracy and £144 did seem a bit steep as they don't have corner-weighing facilities and suggested it wasn't of any great benefit unless tracking the car.
I sourced my Eibachs from Powermaques as the springs Strasse were offering in their lowering 'package' did seem a bit nondescript. Are your springs red? If so they might be Ventura, sold by Euro car parts for 964's.
Malc 90 C2 Cab
I recently fitted Eibach progressive lowering springs (retained stock shocks) and took it to Strasse in Leeds (is this your Garage in question?) to have a full alignment. I'm very happy with the results although the alignment process always leaves me unconvinced of its accuracy and £144 did seem a bit steep as they don't have corner-weighing facilities and suggested it wasn't of any great benefit unless tracking the car.
I sourced my Eibachs from Powermaques as the springs Strasse were offering in their lowering 'package' did seem a bit nondescript. Are your springs red? If so they might be Ventura, sold by Euro car parts for 964's.
Malc 90 C2 Cab
09-11-2002, 03:55 AM
#26
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Dear John,
You should be very upset. There are very few sets of springs actually approved (which includes testing on the approved vehicle) for the 964s. In fact any 911. I have a huge number of catalogues at home and the vast majority of spring manufacturers do not have Porsche approvals from the TÜV.
If you ordered H&R and did not get them, demand they be removed and originals re-installed and go elsewhere. This is not what I call an honest company to deal with. If they could not get H&R springs then they should have told you. Looking at the colour of the spring is of little value nowadays. There are so many manufacturers out there than the colour ident is somewhat blurred.
I would rip a wheel off and have a look yourself. I feel you are not getting into this deep enough personally. Take a look at the springs and report back.
Obviously it is all up to you and I am sure many others may now be questioning what they have fitted. I would certainly make sure even if privately that somehow you let people know who this shop was and I wonder how many others did not get what they ordered.
One reason I make my own mod kits up and order from around the world is to make sure I get installed what I want.
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
You should be very upset. There are very few sets of springs actually approved (which includes testing on the approved vehicle) for the 964s. In fact any 911. I have a huge number of catalogues at home and the vast majority of spring manufacturers do not have Porsche approvals from the TÜV.
If you ordered H&R and did not get them, demand they be removed and originals re-installed and go elsewhere. This is not what I call an honest company to deal with. If they could not get H&R springs then they should have told you. Looking at the colour of the spring is of little value nowadays. There are so many manufacturers out there than the colour ident is somewhat blurred.
I would rip a wheel off and have a look yourself. I feel you are not getting into this deep enough personally. Take a look at the springs and report back.
Obviously it is all up to you and I am sure many others may now be questioning what they have fitted. I would certainly make sure even if privately that somehow you let people know who this shop was and I wonder how many others did not get what they ordered.
One reason I make my own mod kits up and order from around the world is to make sure I get installed what I want.
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
09-11-2002, 05:46 AM
#27
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Adrian et al
firstly, I don't think the shop is wholly to blame. I didn't specify H&R springs, though I expected the springs they use to be TUV & test approved for a 964. I am still in the process of determining this. I have used the shop in question for a year since buying the car and am extremely happy with their knowledge, service etc. It is just on this particular occaision that things have gone awry. I think their main fault was to advise that I could just do the springs - I specifically told them if I need new dampers I have to put the job off til after Xmas.
Yesterday I took the car to the OPC (JCT Brooklands in Leeds. OT- there was a black LHD C4 which was the lowest 964 I've ever seen!!).
They came for a drive & agreed the sound coming from the rear was not pukka. He seemed to think it was coming from rear left (as you look from the back) of the car. Up on the ramp, they checked the rear suspension visually and then gave the rear wheels some serious pushing & pulling. The rear left had some play & clunking - seems to be the proble. Now we need to determine the cause.
I'm going back to original garage this morning, where I hope to agree a 'free' rectifying of the problem - though I expect htey'll charge me a wad again!
Overall, the lesson here is two-fold: if it ain't broke don't fix it and exploit the experience of the guys on this forum - they've done it all & learnt all the lessons!
(Hey, does that mean I'm now 'experienced!!)
firstly, I don't think the shop is wholly to blame. I didn't specify H&R springs, though I expected the springs they use to be TUV & test approved for a 964. I am still in the process of determining this. I have used the shop in question for a year since buying the car and am extremely happy with their knowledge, service etc. It is just on this particular occaision that things have gone awry. I think their main fault was to advise that I could just do the springs - I specifically told them if I need new dampers I have to put the job off til after Xmas.
Yesterday I took the car to the OPC (JCT Brooklands in Leeds. OT- there was a black LHD C4 which was the lowest 964 I've ever seen!!).
They came for a drive & agreed the sound coming from the rear was not pukka. He seemed to think it was coming from rear left (as you look from the back) of the car. Up on the ramp, they checked the rear suspension visually and then gave the rear wheels some serious pushing & pulling. The rear left had some play & clunking - seems to be the proble. Now we need to determine the cause.
I'm going back to original garage this morning, where I hope to agree a 'free' rectifying of the problem - though I expect htey'll charge me a wad again!
Overall, the lesson here is two-fold: if it ain't broke don't fix it and exploit the experience of the guys on this forum - they've done it all & learnt all the lessons!
(Hey, does that mean I'm now 'experienced!!)
09-11-2002, 05:58 AM
#28
John
Many owners have done just the lowering springs without any problems like you have experienced. As I mentioned to you offline, I spoke to JZ Machtech about your case when I was up there a couple of weeks ago and they said that it must be an incorrect installation or something has coincidentally failed at the time of install. They have personally done these with H&R lowering springs and they have never had any problems.
I guess you need to find out what the hell has happened as others have suggested, but don't even talk about charges. I mean, the garage that did the first job should give you your money back, not ask for more to get the bloody job right. I would dump them and the springs and ask for your money back (apart from the shock they replaced I guess). Then go to a reputable company with matched shocks and springs when you are ready and get the job done correctly.
All IMHO and no offence intended.
Many owners have done just the lowering springs without any problems like you have experienced. As I mentioned to you offline, I spoke to JZ Machtech about your case when I was up there a couple of weeks ago and they said that it must be an incorrect installation or something has coincidentally failed at the time of install. They have personally done these with H&R lowering springs and they have never had any problems.
I guess you need to find out what the hell has happened as others have suggested, but don't even talk about charges. I mean, the garage that did the first job should give you your money back, not ask for more to get the bloody job right. I would dump them and the springs and ask for your money back (apart from the shock they replaced I guess). Then go to a reputable company with matched shocks and springs when you are ready and get the job done correctly.
All IMHO and no offence intended.
09-11-2002, 06:12 AM
#29
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NO offence taken!
I will be gently suggesting that I probably have a right to have the original springs put back, a refund on the 'dodgy' springs etc. However, I don't want to recourse to what I describe as 'legal silliness' - this would involve engineers reports, small claims court or county court etc etc. Though I'm Australian, I always prefer to communicate to sort out problems. I would like to have a long & happy relationship with this garage.
Anyway, I'l llet you know the result of todays visit.
I will be gently suggesting that I probably have a right to have the original springs put back, a refund on the 'dodgy' springs etc. However, I don't want to recourse to what I describe as 'legal silliness' - this would involve engineers reports, small claims court or county court etc etc. Though I'm Australian, I always prefer to communicate to sort out problems. I would like to have a long & happy relationship with this garage.
Anyway, I'l llet you know the result of todays visit.
09-18-2002, 12:54 PM
#30
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Bugger!!
Still no resolution to this problem.
Garage have reverted back to original springs - still clunking.
Replace engine mounts - still clunking.
They are now going to investigate the rear sway bar - this is where I think th eproblem is.
Just to recap:
clunking from left rear when going very slow (5-10 mph) over ripples or bumps.
Also, if I grab the rear wheel and give it a really hard push & pull (while stationary of course Christer, before you bother with a witty reply!!) there is some pronounced play and accompanying clunk clunk.
Help. Now officially stumped!!
Still no resolution to this problem.
Garage have reverted back to original springs - still clunking.
Replace engine mounts - still clunking.
They are now going to investigate the rear sway bar - this is where I think th eproblem is.
Just to recap:
clunking from left rear when going very slow (5-10 mph) over ripples or bumps.
Also, if I grab the rear wheel and give it a really hard push & pull (while stationary of course Christer, before you bother with a witty reply!!) there is some pronounced play and accompanying clunk clunk.
Help. Now officially stumped!!