Hi folks got round to replacing my broken spring

 

Some time back i managed to break a drivers side main spring. The coilovers are well over 3 years old so KW Warranty was out but did manage to get 2 main springs and new dust covers and postage for the price of 1 spring,  thanks to KW300 for their service and getting parts to me. It does help to have part numbers of spares for these kit's.

 

Here was my broken spring

 

 

 

new spring and dust cover

 

 

All parts cleaned and prepped ready for re-install (new bearing to go back in too)

 

 

One thing i noticed on removal of strut is the coilover top hat has a slightly worn marking on top.

 

 

where paint as been removed. I first thought it was linked to the broken spring making something rub, but the other side strut was the same.

 

Then it dawned on me. The poly bush has been rubbing on the strut top hat. This is strange , anyone else had this?. I then temporary fitted the old OEM top mounts and they were close too. So when fitted to car with weight of car they would defo rub. Maybe this is what could have caused strain on the main spring in the first place as the rubbing would be stopping free travel in bearing and strut.  I thought about fitting a spacer to the strut (the VW golfs have one as std) that fit's underneath bearing to give better clearance but this would force me to wind down the coilovers at lest 10mm to compensate. Something I did not want  to do as coilovers would be at bottom travel have have a lot of rebound to deal with. So I decided on trimming down the top mount by around 3mm.

 

 

This did the trick

 

refitted

 

 

And still a bit of travel left to go

 

 

Car now back on road and back to it's former self. In fact with the new springs it feels a dam site better than it has done for a while.

 

God knows how long the spring had broke as i could not really hear or tell it was broken , I was  getting a low grinding when stationary and turning steering wheel which finally made me check in the first place.

 

A good time to have a check folks

I fitted some powerflex strut top bushs around 6 months ago and noticed a rubbing noise coming from OSF strut area, i have tried spraying some grease about but it still seems to be doing it,

 

Not had chance to strip down and have a look yet but i suspect mine might be doing same

Clean as always mark.

Top job

Glad you all sorted too.

Did u buy new main spring and helper each side mate ?

Did u get stung much :( as it crossed my mind to renew them in time

Id like new coilovers but just much wonga these days

Did u buy new main spring and helper each side mate ?

Did u get stung much :( as it crossed my mind to renew them in time

Id like new coilovers but just much wonga these days

 

I bought new main springs only this time around

 

They are meant to be £90 each

 

Then the dust cap is £10 each 

 

I paid £100 all in for both sides and the courier to get them to me so was happy about that(KW very helpful after i stated thought KW should not break blah blah story)

 

The helpers were ok.

 

I may get new ones next year if still got car....

 

That will mean over time I have then changed rear platforms(old ones seized when i purchased them 2nd hand), rear perches, front main springs, dust covers and bump stop's lol. 

 

A lot cheaper than a brand new set of V2's 

 

The main shock is very clean and these KW's don't rust 

Good to know

 

Once that yellow plasticoat cracks its just a matter of time with KW's

Mines had a new spring

A new insert and a new platform

Yay kw

Got in 2006 and did like 10 miles lol

Do i spy the 2 yellow things that it says u can remove if want to go more than 40mm then take both out yo go more than 50 or such

Do i spy the 2 yellow things that it says u can remove if want to go more than 40mm then take both out yo go more than 50 or such

 

lol...you are kidding dude right

 

Those are helper springs and they take up the extra travel that lowering to the thread stops will cause.....

 

You will end up with the main spring traveling up and down over uneven road without those in place. Best bet is to actually get shorter main springs. But as you can wind down the spring to the bottom thread anyways no point removing the helper spring.

 

I was told that Eibach actually make the springs for KW lol. The code on the spring is poundage rate and the 170mm is the length of spring. 

Na mate in the instruction book u got 2 bush things that are on the tube

Says 1 comes of for 40mm

1 comes off for 50 or 60

I'll try find my instructions mate

Or maybe they are black things

The things that sit on the bump stop

lol

And what i see is the top of the bump stop

I thought u were rite down

Na mate in the instruction book u got 2 bush things that are on the tube

Says 1 comes of for 40mm

1 comes off for 50 or 60

I'll try find my instructions mate

 

ah i think you mean bump stop spacers.

 

These things

 

 

that fit above this thing which is the dust cover plus pump stop 

 

 

 

Yeah you have a few in the kit, that depending on how low you go you need to remove some else you will hit the stops before the full travel of shock.. 

 

with my height I just have the  the one extra stop fitted.

 

These are not really a way of lowering as such though(unless you insert loads when car is off the ground) , but just a way of stopping the strut bottoming out. They won't effect the height of the car but will effect the way the car travels over road surfaces as if you have too many fitted the strut will not be allowed to travel correctly and compress and you will have a bouncy car ride.

 

I was right down originally but car was catching too much....  

 

So i the fitted the poly top mounts which allowed me to raise strut up 10mm(or thereabouts) given me more shock travel. So I got around 25mm of thread length. I dropped car a bit  more on Saturday as the new main springs have lifted car a bit so took it down 3 threads. As the front cambor wishbones bushes allow the wheel to poke in a bit at top there is more clearance. so car is now at perfect height for me with still good suspension travel and handling and these KW's are now back to former glory  

 

The KW's  are well worth the money spent .........nuf said

Thats the ones

Hehe mine must be broke again lol

Although im guessing this has the new insides as this one is here and the other got about 5mm of thread

Pesky things

All level so just left it now

Level and correct toe so keeping my mits off lol

I did look into inox fronts but its like £500 lol