The Peril of Coilover Decadence.... (be wary of yours)

[Tony Harrison]

Hello,

Well after trying to wind down my TEIN coilovers a good while back, say Jan, they would not budge an inch. I was rocking the car back and forth but to no avail.

Upon closer inspection, the spring seat and locking washers on *all four* struts were well and truly fucked.

Over the years weather has got thru the thread and set out to destroy the rings. Luckily they are of aluminium build so the thread was ok on the strut.

After a quick shakedown of the struts (removing old items with a hickory hammer, clean up threads with a hacksaw blade, and copiuous amounts of grease to refit and preserve new items), they are as good as new. Bar the flaking paint.

Basically, check you coilovers so you dont have split cups/seats without knowing!!

And they cost £60 delivered for 4 from camskill (£120 for full set obv.)

And on that note DONT BOTHER DEALING WITH SCOOBYCLINIC as they pretty much said "fine, go to camskill with your order then if they can do them". So i did. Clearly a little starlet order for £60 was too below them to deal with.

Anyway pics.....

 

[gv1.3]

good advice, thanks for the info and pics.

 

[SupaStu]

Interesting thread, i've Tein Super Streets from new, and they are looking very tired, i'm sure one has burst already, but still functioning. My paint etc looks old and flaking off.

I didn't know camskill could order spares for these? What other tein spares can they get out of interest?

 

[gv1.3]

The TRD's on my Glanza look fine but there are Tein on my MR2 and this thread has made me think... I am going to give them an eyeball.

Pretty rotten by the looks of things, how long have you had them Tony?

I wonder if Tein have a suggested update period for those parts?

 

[Jay]

Good thread.

Definitely finding a lot of goosed coilovers in exactly the same condition as yours (and worse!). They really do not like the elements!

Jay

 

[starletburkie]

you think yours are bad? my old tein had half of one cup left on one lol also people tend to tightin them 2 tight and does not help

 

[Rev]

I get rust near the beach in oz I guess you have salt on the roads to melt snow etc. these coilovers may be exposed to that. Not sure what prevention for the threads..... Just thinking out loud.... panel beaters here use a spray on wax to prevent rust may be worth a try we have bees wax paintings here that are still good and 30,000 years old.

 

[Rory]

How did you manage to let them get in that kind of state in the first place?? Have you never greased them up or even cleaned them?

I rip my coilovers to bits at least once a year and give them a good scrub and grease up! Personally if i spend alot of money on something id rather make sure they are kept in fine condition!

 

[Tony Harrison]

Well they were bought second hand a few years back, prolly like 3 years, (and yes i know some will say "never buy second hand suspension" for what ever reason or another that i care not to remember) and they may have been like that when i got them but who's to know?

What I do know is that irrespective of when I got them, how long I had them, how I kept them (hows 3,000 a year mainly dry driving suit?), weather was always gonna get thru any thread that is exposed and manifest it self into decay.

And I thought I would give people the heads up as I saw a RMeister thread not long ago with a lad having the same seized issue, and for £120 its not gonna break your wallet as much as a car being pulled into the hedge.....

@gv1.3 I don't think they have afaik, it was just out out the need to wind down more I did notice the state they were in.

 

[Tony Harrison]

Interesting thread, i've Tein Super Streets from new, and they are looking very tired, i'm sure one has burst already, but still functioning. My paint etc looks old and flaking off.

I didn't know camskill could order spares for these? What other tein spares can they get out of interest?

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m14b647s4351p0/Performance_Suspension_Kits_TEIN_TOOLS_GOODS_and_OTHER_PRODUCTS_-_TEIN_-_Repair_Parts

Just for you ^ ^
___

 

[corofin12345]

one reason why i dont go coilovers.. some have a great ride but all rust to pieces after a year driving or so.. most annoying part is you cant adjust them once they are rusted solid.. alot of money to be spending for something that doesnt last.. im still on my shock/lowering spring setup and near 4 years on they are still going strong

 

[WallaceGlanza]

one reason why i dont go coilovers.. some have a great ride but all rust to pieces after a year driving or so.. most annoying part is you cant adjust them once they are rusted solid.. alot of money to be spending for something that doesnt last.. im still on my shock/lowering spring setup and near 4 years on they are still going strong

As Rory said if you maintain them properly, it's not a problem. It seems to be the teins that commonly snap the actual adjuster rings others normally just seize rather than corrode through.

 

[Murray]

How did you manage to let them get in that kind of state in the first place?? Have you never greased them up or even cleaned them?

I rip my coilovers to bits at least once a year and give them a good scrub and grease up! Personally if i spend alot of money on something id rather make sure they are kept in fine condition!

Well they were bought second hand a few years back, prolly like 3 years, (and yes i know some will say "never buy second hand suspension" for what ever reason or another that i care not to remember) and they may have been like that when i got them but who's to know?

What I do know is that irrespective of when I got them, how long I had them, how I kept them (hows 3,000 a year mainly dry driving suit?), weather was always gonna get thru any thread that is exposed and manifest it self into decay.

And I thought I would give people the heads up as I saw a RMeister thread not long ago with a lad having the same seized issue, and for £120 its not gonna break your wallet as much as a car being pulled into the hedge.....

@gv1.3 I don't think they have afaik, it was just out out the need to wind down more I did notice the state they were in.

Rorys Teins have been on his car longer than you have owned yours and have done alot more miles. Preventative maintenace
Also most people that fit coilovers probably dont grease them before fitting, thinking there alloy itl be ok:homer:

one reason why i dont go coilovers.. some have a great ride but all rust to pieces after a year driving or so.. most annoying part is you cant adjust them once they are rusted solid.. alot of money to be spending for something that doesnt last.. im still on my shock/lowering spring setup and near 4 years on they are still going strong

See above

Coilovers are not a fit and forget item, they are exposed to the elements just like brake calipers etc, do you just leave them until they are seized solid?

On the otherhand, what you have found will help people check there coilovers for the dangers that could be there

 

[pilgrim_fgau]

How did you manage to let them get in that kind of state in the first place?? Have you never greased them up or even cleaned them?

I rip my coilovers to bits at least once a year and give them a good scrub and grease up! Personally if i spend alot of money on something id rather make sure they are kept in fine condition!

to be fair, you shouldnt need to...

i needed new topmounts on a brand new set of of 2nd generation D2's within 13 months of purchase and all the dealer could say was, did you not service them? absolutely rediculous, so if I dont service the top mounts every couple of months, they seize and tear the pillowball rubbers completely of the mount so when I jack the car up the two front wheels hit the ground with the struts attached... coilovers are more hassle than they're woth

 

[AdamB]

Not trying to throw a spanner in the works here, but just food for thought.

Maybe coilovers get in this state because they are not designed for our UK roads? The likes of Tein, Zep, Buddyclub etc are all JDM models of coilovers.
I've never seen a set of BC's/meisters/spax and the like in this kind of state.

Could it be due to the material they use? Obviously our weather plays a big part also.

But just like a lot of people, I myself wouldn't want to be purchasing a product that I have to service every 18 months or so. I don't expect them to last forever as nothing ever does, but I would atleast expect some life expectancy out of them.

 

[mark1991]

i have meister's i put mine on in jan this year and when i can do put the down i thot mine where going to be fooked with all the salt and grit... but i used a hard brush and they where fine... but only coverd 5k

 

[corofin12345]

Rorys Teins have been on his car longer than you have owned yours and have done alot more miles. Preventative maintenace
Also most people that fit coilovers probably dont grease them before fitting, thinking there alloy itl be ok:homer:



See above

Coilovers are not a fit and forget item, they are exposed to the elements just like brake calipers etc, do you just leave them until they are seized solid?

On the otherhand, what you have found will help people check there coilovers for the dangers that could be there

nope, never left them cause i never had them.. i work on alot of these cars weekly and its just what ive come across and then trying to source replacement parts is a headache when you only have the car for a few days if that.... im sure if i had a set on mine the outcome would be different but then again with the roads over here i could never convince my self to buy a set... im just saying for the money you'd spend on coilovers these days you could have 3 or 4 very good sets of shocks and springs that wont give you hassle what so ever nor will you have to service them.. i have come across a siliocone sealent you can get for coilovers tho and it seems to be good shit, for all the world its like a lacquer that you spray onto the adjusters and it protects them and just flakes of them as you adjust.. cant seem to find it now tho..... coilovers are great for tracks and good roads, motorways etc etc but a total headache on the narrow bumpy stuff

 

[SupaStu]

Was going to say, what type of grease do you use on these, as I live in the country and they would just collect a whole pile or crap on them and carry it about.

The part I hate about coilovers is that they don't (or rarely, or at a stupid price) sell individually, that's a total load of balls. So if your shock goes after a year out of warranty (if this exists) then you should be able to buy another.

I would be tempted to go for springs and shocks next, but depends on price, they may be barely cheaper than coilovers?

 

[Murray]

Corofin, the question wasnt aimed at you, it was aimed at everyone who has coilovers

Ive just thought though, when Rory says he takes his apart to clean them, do people think he strips them down to nut and bolt state??
Why shouldnt you have to strip the platforms off to make sure the threads are nice and clean every so often?
Some peoples replys are confusing me

Murray

 

[Jay]

Was going to say, what type of grease do you use on these, as I live in the country and they would just collect a whole pile or crap on them and carry it about.

The part I hate about coilovers is that they don't (or rarely, or at a stupid price) sell individually, that's a total load of balls. So if your shock goes after a year out of warranty (if this exists) then you should be able to buy another.

I would be tempted to go for springs and shocks next, but depends on price, they may be barely cheaper than coilovers?

I've started coating mine in marine grease. The snizzle local lads use to protect outboard motors from saltwater with. As a test I'll report how good a job they do on the D2's I'm fitting to the RX8 this weekend.

Jay