Lowering Spring Nightmare

[inspire]

Hello everyone. I need help due to lack of knowledge. I have a 95 Tsi Talon that I attempted to install lowering springs on today. Nothing fancy just cheap dropzones to get me buy. A buddy of mine insisted he knew what he was doing, thus that's why we started at 9am this beautiful Sunday morning and didn't finish our incorrect install till 930pm tonight. The issue I'm having now is that the springs are on but the top of the strut that goes through the top hat now has a gap about two inches from bolt to rubber bushing. I have searched but have not found anything. I need help on what was done wrong and how I can fix it. It makes a clunking noise from all four struts when you hit a bump and has no suspension other than the spring all e. I know I sound like an idiot and this is embarrassing but all constrictive help is welcome. Please don't bash me I know I messed up and I usually don't do things like this. Thank you everyone. Sorry for any typos using a cell phone right now.

[bryanwheat]

You definitely didn't put the strut mount bushings back in properly. It's pretty easy, put them back together how they came apart.

[grothe3297venge]

Are you still using your stock struts?? Last time I knew, stock struts + lowering springs = no bueno!!

[inspire]

When we went to slide strut bushings out they were seized or wouldn't slide off. Spring would not. Slide over so they got cut out. I was against it from the start. Can I purchase new ones from local autoparts store? Thanks for immediate feedback.

Yes they are stock struts. I figured they'd hold up for a week or two till I order full kit. Thanks for reply.

[grothe3297venge]

Yes they are stock struts. I figured they'd hold up for a week or two till I order full kit. Thanks for reply.[/QUOTE]

I would of waited the week or two to install them 12 hours of work when you have to turn around and doing it again. As to the other question I hope Bryan replies because I have no clue lol

[RamenPride]

You need those metal sleeves to keep the rod in place. Yes, you can purchase them, they're called strut mounts and you'll need 4 of them. It includes that sleeve and the two rubber bushings. If your plan was to get new struts anyway you probably should have just waited and did it all ar once. Maybe the next time it will only take 6 hours, although if you know what you're doing it shouldn't even take that long...

[LandoAWD]

The next time you have it apart, to properly and safely mount the struts, make sure to toss that Dropzone trash out. I had these back in 99; too low, terribad spring rates, eats struts.

[bryanwheat]

So you installed the struts missing part of the strut mount bushings and you are wondering why it isn't working right. Do yourself a favor and take the car to a shop to work on it. You are going to end up killing yourself with this stuff.

[inspire]

I figured out the problem. The strut mount aka metal sleeve was seized he cut it off and didn't tell me. I have to replace whole kit now thanks to him. I should have watched over better. I trusted he knew what he was doing and I was wrong. I pulled assembly out and seen the hack job and I can't believe he would do me like that. Not my friend anymore. Can the replacement part be purchased through auto parts store or do I have to order through dealer? Thanks for replies.

I thought he replaced metal sleeve. He cut bushing and all. I'm so angry.

[jtmcinder]

I'm confused. The sleeve usually becomes stuck the shaft of the shock, so if you didn't change the shocks, why (or even: how) was this part omitted during re-assembly.

My guess is that we're not talking about the inner sleeve to the upper shock bushing, after all.

[Breezio69]

This is the type of "service" that makes you go buy a manual and start learning how to do things yourself... as a hobby I'm building both a Jeep and my eclipse. Didn't know shit 5 years ago, now my Jeep is caged, axle swapped 3linked.... all in my garage. You coulda saved yourself money if you would have just even pulled a wheel and looked at things for a good few minutes... while your buying more parts for your suspension that's over 13 years old... id just have em look up some new struts. You don't really have to go balls out with the struts (like the road racing ones mentioned earlier) a good OEM replacement would be a world of difference. Plus, if you were just riding on all shock and no real help from the springs, id assume you blew out the valves inside or wore them out. Just my thoughts, and I would hate to hear you back on here after you replace the bushings and say "my shocks ride like piss" its ### you just blew em up or close enough to it

[zjones]

get a shop's perspective. they might need to get a better look at it

[inspire]

Ok let me explain better than yesterday. The stock strut assembly was removed with coil attached. The spring was compressed, top hat taken off and then apparently he cut the spring off. He told me he knew what he was doing and like an idiot I believed him. I was not there because I was rennovating a house. Apparently he said that the strut mount bushing kit was seized onto the strut so he cut it off. I understand what that part does and he had me super confused when he was trying to make excuses on why it was messed up when installed back onto the vehicle. There is no support or restraint for the strut because he hacked it away. What I want to know is can I buy the bushing kit and put it back onto the oem strut or if I do go out and buy new struts for the car, will the new struts come with the bushing kit that I need or will I now have to go out and buy the bushing kit as well. I understand it was done wrong, that things go on as they were taken off. I know it was a idiotic mistake and he doesn't know what he is doing. I paint cars, I painted his car for free minus materialsbecause he was my friend and I guess he was trying to help me out, but obviously didn't. I just want to fix the problem so I can drive the vehicle. Please stop insulting me, I messed up by letting someone else touch my car now I have twice as much work because I made a bad mistake. Thanks for responses guys.

[jtmcinder]

I know 2G suspensions pretty well [/false-modesty] and still don't understand. Pictures?

[Breezio69]

I agree with jtm, now I am confused.... basically a bushing is gone and the spring is just flopping around in there right? And your strut/ shock is now bottomed out and ruined? This is what I picked up on your first posts. Now I'm just confused as well with that last post.

[LandoAWD]

Anyone want to venture a guess why I'm a stickler for clear, well written posts?

Post pics; find the carriage return.

[jtmcinder]

Carriage return? Are you kidding me?

Let me guess, you think music comes on large, black disks and that Beta is going to be the format of the future.

tee hee

[inspire]

The strut mont bushing was seized, he cut it out. He did not reinstall it because there is nothing left of the strut mount washer that holds strut in its proper place now struts are sticking out two inches above the top hat. Don't think I can be any clearer than that. I have to replace strut mount assembly I ordered tein suspension and I'm installing it myself I figured it out.

[bryanwheat]

There was no need to cut anything if the struts weren't replaced. The only thing holding the strut mount to the strut is a nut a washer and a rubber bushing. That doesn't get seized. Sounds like he just left the rubber bushings out.

[GSTurbo1]

Take a picture

[JKJ454]

One Picture!!!!!!!!!!

[RamenPride]

The dust cover will not come off if the sleeve/metal bushing is seized to the top part of the rod, and without taking off the dust cover you can't remove the spring (or put one on). So you're saying he cut the stock spring to get it off? Then, to put the dropzone springs on, he cut the top of the dust cover and then the sleeve/bushing also?

Anyway, as mentioned in my previous post, you need to buy a strut mount kit (x4). It will include the rubber bushings that go on the top and bottom of the strut mount, the metal sleeve/bushing, and then large washer that goes on top.

[AUTOMODSGST]

pictures

[inspire]

Ramenpride you gave the best info. Thank you fixing it as I type.

[bryanwheat]

Originally Posted by RamenPride

The dust cover will not come off if the sleeve/metal bushing is seized to the top part of the rod, and without taking off the dust cover you can't remove the spring (or put one on). So you're saying he cut the stock spring to get it off? Then, to put the dropzone springs on, he cut the top of the dust cover and then the sleeve/bushing also?

Anyway, as mentioned in my previous post, you need to buy a strut mount kit (x4). It will include the rubber bushings that go on the top and bottom of the strut mount, the metal sleeve/bushing, and then large washer that goes on top.

The dust boot and sleeve DO NOT have to come off to change the spring. All that holds the spring on the top of the strut is the strut mount, a rubber bushing, a washer and a nut. If you are putting on a new strut than yeah that sleeve will have to be removed to be able to swap the dust boot assembly over, but not for the spring.

[RamenPride]

Originally Posted by bryanwheat

The dust boot and sleeve DO NOT have to come off to change the spring.

The inside diameter of the bottom part of the spring is smaller than that of the dust boot and cup. I ran into this problem a few months back taking my suspension apart.

[inspire]

Appologies to everyone that left a post and I did not respond to or give details to. I figured out the problem and no longer need the assistance, but maybe this could be used as some future reference to somebody else with the same description.