Need help with rear HKS springs

[disco-ian]

Hi All,
Ok so now fitting the HKS lowering springs that I bought from a member on here unfortunately he was not sure what ones went from and back. So I asked the question on here. I have fitted the thicker shorter springs to the front shocks as advised on here

(none of these are fitted to the car yet as I have fitted them to some others shocks I have)

With the rear springs I have an issue. I presume they are handed left and right??

As you can see by the attached picture on of the rear springs has more coils towards the top of it than the other. This spring and shock I can compress slightly and then it pops straight back up. Were as the other shock and spring I can not compress at all. The shocks measure exactly the same and feel the same when they have no springs on them.

So do I have to fit these on the correct side of the car (is one side lighter than the other?) or do I not really have a full set here?

What are your thoughts.

Cheers guys,

Ian

64858

[Gly]

there is no left or right, only front and rear

[disco-ian]

Any idea what's going on in the above picture then. I definitely have the front springs right

Sent from my Galaxy sIII

Ian

[crazydriver81]

What worries me are the colored points on the left Hand spring. IIRC these colored points can be found on OEM springs, to help identifying the springs during production.

[disco-ian]

Hmm. Well according to neil who I got these from he said that these were two inch lower than standard and when he fitted tein springs which are -1 inch lower than standard the car was higher than when these springs were fitted.

I guess I will just have to fit them and see

Sent from my Galaxy sIII

Ian

[Gingerfish]

If you can see that there's something wrong before they're fitted to the car, chances are that the car will ride wrong.

I would personally hold off fitting it until you are sure that it's right.

[exevoowner]

I would say there different springs not a matched pair

[Davezj]

they are different springs, as said above not a matched pair you can clearly see the spring on the right has more coils that the one on the left.
right has 9 coils and left has 8 coils.
don't fit these to a car you will have diffent spring rate on each side of the car, Not Good.

the front shocks have just a stump on the bottom of it and has 3 studs on the top to fix them in position, the rears have a loop on the bottom of the shock to put a bolt through and it has 2 studs on the top to fix them into position.

a picture of the full shock would be useful to see what you have.

[disco-ian]

Hi dave. I have no issues with the shocks I have a full set and know the difference. It's just the springs that I bought as a full set of hks lowering springs however I'm now beginning to wonder what I have. Is there any way of finding out?

Sent from my Galaxy sIII

Ian

[Davezj]

does the other pair of springs look the same as the ones in the picture, lol.

e.g. you have fitted one front and one rear to whatever pair of shocks you have put them on.
this is assuming the picture is of 2 rear shock or 2 front shock. i don't know because you have cut the bottom of the picture off. i am presuming they are rear shocks.

how about putting a picture up of all the springs next to each other so we can see if you have 2 pairs of spings and you have just got them mixed or if you really have got a mismatched set of springs.

[disco-ian]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for your help on this. And to those of you in the above posts too. I knew something wasnt right as soon as I got the spring clamps on them and had to locate on of the clamps in a different place to compress the spring. Anyway here are the pictures. Front shocks and springs all look identicle.

Rear springs do not. Also I have now had a good look around the suspect spring with the red paint on it and it has no HKS sticker on it or any sign of where t might have been and fallen off. So Do you think the spring with no sticker, red paint on it and only 8 coils is a standard?

64868
64869

[Confused]

Standard front springs are marked with white/red or white/yellow green markings
Standard rear springs are marked with red or yellow/green markings


Sounds like you've got 1 standard spring mixed in with the rest.

[disco-ian]

Sorry. Also I can confirm that the two springs that I fitted to the front shocks where the thicker gauge metal and where shorter. The two springs I fitted to the rear shocks are thinner gauge metal and are the taller ones. However not exactly the same height :-( and now we know not the same coils etc as well :-(

[disco-ian]

Hi Garry yer thats how its looking. Not good. Paid good money for a complete set of HKS -2" springs and now can't fit them. I have PM'ed the seller and linked to this thread to see what he thinks.

[adaxo]

If your 'new' rear springs were taller and thinner than originals there is a big chance they come from Galant (saloon), regardless mismatching.

[Davezj]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for your help on this. And to those of you in the above posts too. I knew something wasnt right as soon as I got the spring clamps on them and had to locate on of the clamps in a different place to compress the spring. Anyway here are the pictures. Front shocks and springs all look identicle.

Rear springs do not. Also I have now had a good look around the suspect spring with the red paint on it and it has no HKS sticker on it or any sign of where t might have been and fallen off. So Do you think the spring with no sticker, red paint on it and only 8 coils is a standard?

64868
64869

from the pics your suspisions are correct a mismatch set of rear springs. i would contact the seller and attempt to get your money back. the rears in that config are no good to use. well i would not use them as a mismatched pair.
that is just my opinion.

[disco-ian]

Yer thats the line I'm taking Dave. Cheers Mate.

Adam - Stop trying to confuse things lol The rear springs were taller and thinner than the front springs. This has all bean cleared up already.

It seems obvious by all comments on here now that they are not a complete set and that the one odd springs with no HKS sticker is most likely a standard spring as well.

Have contacted the seller and waiting for his response.

[adaxo]

Yer thats the line I'm taking Dave. Cheers Mate.

Adam - Stop trying to confuse things lol The rear springs were taller and thinner than the front springs. This has all bean cleared up already.

It seems obvious by all comments on here now that they are not a complete set and that the one odd springs with no HKS sticker is most likely a standard spring as well.

Have contacted the seller and waiting for his response.

Hehe, sorry, IIRC saloon springs will physically fit but they are taller than estate one and, even lowered set designed for saloon will raise up estate



The two springs I fitted to the rear shocks are thinner gauge metal and are the taller ones. I through you compare them to original rear ones /pan

[crazydriver81]

Just go and fit the front ones Ian. Car will look miles better without lowering the rear too much. :D

[Neil1985]

Ben at eurospec took these off my car. I had no problems with the way it handled or stance. I didn't even know, or notice if the rear was different. Hense why I sold them as a set. Have made an offer to Ian and I hope we can resolve the issue. Don't want be be upsetting my fellow members. All I can do is apologise.

[disco-ian]

Hi Neil.
I have PM'ed you.

Cheers,
Ian

[disco-ian]

Hi All,
OK. Fitted the Tanabe shocks all round with my standard springs on the rear and the HKS lowering springs from Neil on the front. Here is a before and after picture.

Before
65099

After
65100

Also whilst doing the work I finally found what is causing the clunk on the front left (yes I have already replaced the lower straight lateral arm and yes I used genuine Mitsi ones :-)) It turned out to be the ball joint on the upper arm. New one from Camskill turned up today so should have it fitted in a few days time once I have taken advantage of this dry weather and finished welding the Land Rover for its MOT.

A big thank you to Neil. We were both a little surprised to find out that the springs removed as a set from his car were indeed not a full set, however he has been nothing but helpful and we came to an arrangement for a partial refund as I only used the fronts.

Cheers Neil.

And thanks to everyone on here for there help identifying what was going on.

I guess now I need to save for a couple of 3" straight through silencer boxes so I can make my exhaust, fit that front mount thats still in the shed and then get down to the rollers.

Ian