Just wondering here, but I've had my ground control (they are real ground control coilovers) with Koni reds. Now they pop and cluck in when turning the wheel. I've got the bearings in there, what else can I do to stop this from happening. I followed all the directions to the letter and everything is installed exactly as it should be. I've got an 04 Cavalier LS Sport coupe. Just not sure what else to do here, I've cleaned and greased and everything and it still does it.
Thanks.
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
I have the same setup and no issues so far.
Make sure you grease the top hat to prevent any binding. I grease the top hats at least once a month . Might be overkill but i like to make sure things are smooth
top hat is quite the amusing name, but i just wanna make sure we're all on the same page here as far as technical terms go
1 is the top hat and i'm assuming you grease where the top hat (1) makes contact with the spring (2)
does anyone know how often you should grease the bearings??? and how to go about that??
thanks
No!! There should be no motion between the tophat and the spring.
The issue at hand is that the tophat is somehow binding with your strut mounts. It has to be able to spin freely on the bearings it comes with and in order to do that, it has to make solid contact with the flat surface of the mount without binding with anything else.
If you went and got the 95-99 mounts as recommended, did you follow the instructions to modify the setup to sit properly?
If you've got the 2k+ mounts, you have to grind them out a bit to allow the top hat to move freely. Then there's a second issue that I'm currently working on a solution for.
Here's my instructions so far but they're missing the final step. I haven't had the time to make the part I need yet.
http://www.wildweasel.ca/j-body/HowTo/2kStrutMountMod.asp
The last step will be to ensure that the nut doesn't move too far from center since doing so can still cause the tophat to bind. The strut rod is mounted in some rubber which leaves too big a range of movement. It has to be able to move, but not as much as it does. I'm going to mount something over the nut to essentially keep it from moving as far as it does.
The part you want to grease is the bearing assembly and I suggest using an oil rather than a grease since grease will attract and hold dirt. WD40 works well.
No problem. Once I get that final issue licked, I'll be adding that page to my HowTo site.
Thanks weas! I'm going to have to do that... I was going to get underthere and just put in a bunch of washers..but I think grinding it out might be a better solution. now if it weren't for the damned snow outside..I'd be getting this done today.
Thanks again!
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
Thank you so much Weasel, I just bought the G/C and konie set up and im having the same exact problems. You my man is the best
But i just wanna clear up some things. When u say i need to purchase the 96-99 mounts and then i ground off the lips and everything should be fine. I just read your write up quickly but i will read it properly when i get home. Thanks
Nevermind dude hehe, i need to ground off the lips on the 00+ mounts but if i get the 95-99 mounts then everything should be fine with no modification of the mounts ?? thanks
~*Gilles*~
2o3cavi wrote:Nevermind dude hehe, i need to ground off the lips on the 00+ mounts but if i get the 95-99 mounts then everything should be fine with no modification of the mounts ?? thanks
~*Gilles*~
That's right. The 95-99 mounts don't need to be modified with a grinder or anything. They just need the parts re-arranged. There are no parts with the 2k+ mounts.
Lifesaver weas! I ground down my mounts yesterday, nothing majorly drastic just enough to prevent the top hat from catching..what a major difference!
Thanks!
Code
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
I mainly get coil bind when its cold out....weird.
thanks weasel for the info.
Portage, MI
Definetly a prob with strut mounts and the top hats
I have the same problem from time to time although I haven't noticed it recently I'm sure it's still existing Only difference is that I have Ground Controls with Yellows. But that's what it is for sure just like Kevin*Wild Weasel* said and one of these days I'll actually get down to Maryland to get Event to fix them.
mine binds up after 2 to 3 months into the winter because of all the salt and sand and snow that gets up there. I never get around to it until april or so, so i just live with the creaking through thewitner. kinda annoying and its not too bad
Vice President - NEJBody
2007 Cobalt SS
2001 Sunfire (retired)
In the summer, mine barely got bound at all since whenever they did, it was temporary until the nut moved back to center. In the winter, it tends to last longer when it binds because the rubber in the mount is frozen so it can't move back as easily.
Wild Weasel wrote:2o3cavi wrote:Nevermind dude hehe, i need to ground off the lips on the 00+ mounts but if i get the 95-99 mounts then everything should be fine with no modification of the mounts ?? thanks
~*Gilles*~
That's right. The 95-99 mounts don't need to be modified with a grinder or anything. They just need the parts re-arranged. There are no parts with the 2k+ mounts.
lol when i went to install my coil-overs i thought all i needed was 99 mounts so i got some. well when i was re-arranging the parts i noticed that i did not have the top part so i took the 99 mount part that you separate and you are not going to use and cut most of the tube part off except for about 3/8" so that lip would lock into the 04 mounts where you ground down.(it fit's right together) so i had a flat bearing surface for the bearing to rotate on. I did not say anything about it because i didn't know if it was going to work. but so far so good. even with all the salt and snow
see ya!
i did the 99 mounts and now i have that poppin noise a lil after almost a yr.
<img src="http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/jiggaman/personal_pic.jpg">
If it wasnt for the chicken, i wouldnt get layed.
PROCOLD wrote:i did the 99 mounts and now i have that poppin noise a lil after almost a yr.
Have you maintained the bearings? Even when everything is set up properly, the bearing still needs some maintenance now and then. At the very least, whenever you're doing an oil change you should clean them up (brake cleaner works well) and lube them with some bike chain lube. If you do it more often, WD40 seems to do a good job. Don't use grease though since it will just attract and hold dirt and probably ruin the bearings in time.
Hey weasel
I was wondering how you adjust the konie reds. Do you hold the top part (silver shaft ) and rotate the bottom part of the shock. Cause i tried doing that and it kept turning for ever. Is that bad ?
To adjust the reds, you have to remove them from the car. You then press the shaft all the way down into the strut body and then turn it. The shaft will engage the adjuster at the bottom and you can feel it. You generally want to turn it all the way in one direction (I can't remember which way is stiff) and then back off from there in half-turn increments. Remember where you set it (write it down) and then adjust from there in the future.
Thanks alot Weasel, i appreciate you taking the time and responding
I just bought these used so im just learning. Thanks
** If your going to the jco bash then i will make sure to meet you there and bring yea a Timmies hehe - large double double good enough
**
~*Gilles*~
I made the mistake of thinking the 03 mounts 'would work fine' on the rk coilovers. Wrong. They were on there for about 2 months when the sounds started, I took it apart and it had actually demolished the bearing. and bent the strut mount in wards. bought the 95-99 mounts had heard a thing in a while
Sweeet!! I just scored myself a Timmies!!
Yep... double-double suits me just fine!
Might be cold by the time it gets to me... but what the hell... it's still caffeine.
Eric: Did you read through my instructions above? Can you describe what happened to your bearing and mounts? Generally it would be hard to wreck the bearing due to binding since once it binds, there is no longer pressure on the bearing. Trashed bearings would mostly be caused by a lack of maintenance and having them grinding in a pile of dirt.
WILD WEASEL thanks for the helpful info!!!!
Gosh that #$@ing popping noise was killing me. Love the write up!
"Remember do what you like because you have to drive it."--Me
