Swift spring noise
 

I am getting a creaking \ spring winding\unwinding noise from the front after installing swift springs. Mostly heard backing out of the driveway over the rolled curb, but also notice noise at slow speed on rough spots. I have double checked everything I know and not seeing any problems.

I searched the forum and found several comments about the same thing and it seems to be related to the spring isolator that wraps around the spring.

I found an older post that show Swift included the isolators with the springs near the top of the spring where the coils start to progress. Is this picture correct?

My springs didn't come with any isolators. I put the stock ones at the very end of the spring at the bottom. What is the correct place for the isolators? Should there be one at the bottom and one as pictured above? None for the rear?

They should be placed just as you see them in the picture.....

Mine didn't come with them either! I never installed my factory ones...knock on wood I haven't had an issue yet :confused:

you can get cable organizer wraps at radioshack or amazon. works just as good.

looks like this. you can install these without taking your suspension apart if there is room between the coils.

They don't come with the springs, you reuse your old ones!

doh! <= many users. lol :rofl2:

I moved the stock ones over to the Swift spring at the bottom like this. The isolator is between the spring and the strut.

I gave up and took the car to get looked at. The tech pulled the front springs and rotated them about 1/4-3/8" back from the lower stop in the strut so that the end of the spring wasn't against the strut. The sound is gone and all it good. The isolators are still at the bottom of the springs similar to the stock postion.

When I got it back from the tech, I pulled in and out of the driveway a dozen times, went through the neighborhood real slow and didn't hear anything. I've put about 150 miles on the car since the tech adjusted the springs and the noise is back worse than ever. This past weekend, I went out of town and put about 125 highway miles on it and now it makes the creaking noise in turns, stops and starts. Not sure what else to look at or do. Zero issues before the springs. I've had the struts apart 3 times myself and had a shop take them apart and look over everything. Seems to constantly come from the front left. Maybe, I'll swap the front springs around and see what happens. I can't see that making a difference, but if I can't get the sound issue fixed, the Swifts have to go.

does it sound like something is about the snap (popping sound) when you just turn the steering wheel?

Mine does exactly the same thing after I had my Swifts installed. Creaking noise coming from the front driver's side when I back down the driveway and take off going forward from stop signs. I'm sub'ed on this thread to find out if there's a solution to be had. I've had my Swifts on for 1.5 weeks and I'm going back to the install shop on Monday to have my alignment rechecked (they recheck for free). I'm going to have him look over the front left to see if they can isolate any issues. I don't want to take my Swifts off because they make the car feel so much more planted and handle so much better. I love the improved performance. I think I'd put up with the creaking sound before taking them off but hopefully we can find a solution. It is irritating. And my springs came with the isolators already installed like the first pic. And no snapping or popping sound when just turning the steering wheel.

There isn't a popping or snap sound. I can't feel anything in the car or the steering wheel. There isn't any sound when I turn the steering wheel back and forth. The sound is a metallic spring sound.

I think the spring is rotating. The last time I took the spring off, I could see where it was grinding on the base plate.

ohh i see

Tired of fighting with this issue. Never did figure out the problem, but the solution is on the way. I have a set of Powertrix coilovers with swift springs ordered. Anyone looking for swift springs with only a couple hundred miles on them?

Wanted to wrap up this issue. I ended up installing Powertrix coilovers with Swift springs. I figured with everything replaced, the noise would be cleared up. Well, not so. I still had a noise from the front left when I backed out of the driveway, as I rolled off the curb. It only happened when I backed out towards the left, not the right. I had no noise from the right side.

My progress to this point was - I installed the Swift springs. When I did, I nicked the shaft of the left shock by using a vice grip (bad idea, don't do it). So I put about 300 miles on the car and blew the seal on the shock. I replaced the shock with a new oem shock. This is when the noise started. I now think that during those 300 miles that I put on the bad shock, I damaged the end link. After still having noise with coilovers, I replaced the end link with new oem and the noise is gone. I can't see or feel any issue with the bad end link I took off the car.

In the end, I now have my first set of coilovers and I am thoroughly enjoying them. I set the ride height similar to where the Swifts were, but having the improved shocks with dampening adjustment is better than expected. I wish I had gone to coilovers from the start.