Technical Help needed with coil spring issue

[fjc999]

Hi, any help would be gratefully appreciated! Whilst changing the front discs/pads on my stepdaughters 2006 (55) mk2 punto 1.2 petrol I noticed a broken coil spring. Purchased (from eBay) a pair of new springs and fitted them. The springs are seated properly in the base of the strut, the plate which sits on top of the spring has the tab facing out in the same direction as the mounts on the bottom of the strut and the top rubber mounting has the little triangle bit facing the rear of the car (as per everything I could find online). Went to test drive after fitting and there's a horrible creaking noise on turning the steering wheel (I didn't dare leave the driveway with it). Jacked both front wheels off the ground and noise remains but reduced, on examination the offside spring is fouling the inner wheel arch when the steering is turned, causing the horrific noise. The nearside spring feels very close to the inner arch, possibly lightly rubbing but no noise (with the wheels off the ground). I have been messing with this for two days now and its driving me mad! If it was my car I'd have just set fire to it a day and a half ago. Could worn top rubber mounts cause this? They looked old but not perished which is why I re-used them, or is there likely to be another cause?

Thanks!

 

[s and b]

they are banana springs on these cars ie they bend in an arc
are you sure youve fitted the springs right and more importantly fitted the right springs

 

[fjc999]

The eBay listing assured me they were for a punto mk2 1.2 although I was concerned they were about half an inch shorter (not fitted) but hard to be sure as the old one was broken

 

[Ziggy122]

I repleaced my springs and originally they were not bent like a bannana and they did nothing but fowl on the shocks themselves (cheap springs) changed auto factors and brought more expensive lemofoder springs - still running to this day!

And iirc there is a notch in the top mount which must be inline with the hub mounting bolts
If this is wrong it throws the spring in an odd direction
And there is then also a plastic arrow this iirc points forward on the vehicle
There are 2 little holes in the top of the chassis and this is where they need to be

Iirc there is a company like kyb who do the spring change and highlights these markers on a youtube video

Ziggy

 

[fjc999]

yeah am starting to think it might be down to the cheap springs the tab on the top mount points towards the hub mounting point, the plastic triangle is pointing to the rear of the car (this is what all the guides I read online stated)

 

[Ziggy122]

yeah am starting to think it might be down to the cheap springs the tab on the top mount points towards the hub mounting point, the plastic triangle is pointing to the rear of the car (this is what all the guides I read online stated)

Cant rememeber but i have a feeling its forwards? Been a while now
Put it this way - u cant put it in baclwards as u wont be able to get top cup and bolt it up

Ziggy

 

[jimboy]

Apologies for jumping in here, but there are times when you just have to shell out for the proper consumables & in this instance decent recognised suspension springs are a must. El Cheapo Ebay stuff is basically more miss than hit I'm afraid.

 

[Ziggy122]

Apologies for jumping in here, but there are times when you just have to shell out for the proper consumables & in this instance decent recognised suspension springs are a must. El Cheapo Ebay stuff is basically more miss than hit I'm afraid.

A.k.a whitebox surprise

Support ur local autofactors

Ziggy

 

[s and b]

A.k.a whitebox surprise

Support ur local autofactors

Ziggy

ive supported my local pages for 30 years and they still went bust
i supported my local partco and they were shut
i supported my local brown brothers and they went busti just support my trousers these days
i buy more online these days but i buy wisely but to be fair i bought a set of discs the other week the quality was good and i saved £20
so wheres the future?
pages rang me friday with their special offers i ordered some still waiiting for the delivery and i was in work until 2 today
i ordered some parts on the new omnipart trade portal for eurocarparts thursaday and they still havent come
ordered some lights from china on the bay and they came in 10 days

 

[fjc999]

Hi everyone, thanks for all your input. Problem is now sorted! Somehow the top plates had moved when I installed the strut (probably wasn't a great idea using my windy gun to fasten the top bolts?) managed to get a spring compressor on with the strut fitted and compress the spring enough to allow me to rotate the top plate into it's correct position. No more rubbing on the inner wings so turns out nothing wrong with the cheapo eBay springs (which were from a motor factor who sell on eBay) Also, whilst I'm here...I managed to bu**#r one of the bolts on the bottom strut mount taking it out the bolt has no markings so I can only assume it's grade 2? I have replaced it with a bolt marked 8.8 (what I had knocking a out in the garage) and some googleing tells me this is stronger than grade 2. However if anyone knows more than me about bolt strengths (and I know very little) their input would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[jimboy]

Again apologies & not wanting to sound off, but in times like this we can only go with the information given. There are times when it's down to guess work because not all is obvious. Glad you got things sorted in the end.

 

[Ziggy122]

Eurocarcare.net sell the replacmemt bolts and nuts

Its not uncommon for them to be smashed when removed

They do love to rot into place badly....

Copperslip the whole lot up to make it easier in future
I know its been easy for me since i cleaned and copper slipped mine up

Ziggy

 

[fjc999]

no need to apologise, am grateful for all advice. Thanks Ziggy, have just ordered one, £9 for a nut and bolt seems steep but I guess you cant put a price on safety! I'm impressed I only destroyed one and the other 3 were still useable lol