Illumina problem, hissing/squeaking?

[PieEyedPiper]

I just finsihed installing Illumina and Prokits on my car. So far so good, until I started to play with the adjustements. But I should give a little history on my car and it's situation. The car squeaks. Every time I shut the door or go over a bump the car will squeak. It does it also when I pushed down on either the front or rear end -this was PRE install.

I installed the shock and srpings and immediately set them to 4 in the front and 3 in the rear. I liked the ride it was comfortable yet stiff when I needed it to be.

The problem was noticed today when I set all shocks to 1. I was curious about the ride at those settings and I correctly set all 4 to the first position. As soon as I started to back out of my driveway I immediately noticed a hissing type sound whenver there was any suspension movement.

I got out of the car and pushed on the rear end and sure enough every little movement made a hiss. Upon returning the settings back to 4front and 3rear the hiss was gone and back was the squeak I had before the suspension job.

The squeak is odd because I excessively lubed up EVERYTHING I could get my hands on during the install, in an attempt to rid myself of any noises or squeaking with the new parts.

Summary:
For whatever reason the squeaking remains with the new install and when I set the shocks to 1 they hiss or almost whistle.
Also somehting to note on cause it might be the cause, is that I was shipped one of my rear shocks without the black rubber cap that protects the tops of the shock but al without the adjustment knob you put the screw driver into or the numbered gauged that fits on the top of the shock. I use parts form the other shocks (PITA!) to adjust that particular shock.

But what really tops it off is that I just noticed that the top of the rod sticking out of the shock the shape is squashed. The fronts are like this:
OO
But the rears are like this:
O0
It appears to be superficial damage from the factory or shipping but do you think it may be causing this noise?

 

[jtmcinder]

When you "excessively lubed up EVERYTHING I could get my hands on" did you lube the swaybar bushings by removing the bracket and getting the lube where it needs to be? As your searching revealed (since you did, of course, search before starting a new squeaking suspension thread), swaybar bushings are a frequent source.

I have no idea about the hissing. It could be the normal operation of the low-speed bleeder, for all I know. I suggestion this because the adjuster on an Illumina alters the low-speed (bi-directional) bleed.

- Jtoby

 

[PieEyedPiper]

I have previously greased up the swaybar bushings, however, I will double check that cause it was some time ago ( 9 months ).
Yeah, the hissing boggles me. It's only in the rear and I'm sure it's not normal because inside the cabin it is very very loud. No music can over come this.
Do you know if the slightly warped/squashed rod at the top of the shock (where the adjustmenets are made) would impact performance or functionality?

 

[jtmcinder]

Anything above the collar won't after the function, but if the shaft is bent above the collar it could very easily be bent below it, and that would cause problems.

If the shock is hissing because it is sucking air under compression, then it's dead.

- Jtoby

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Oh, how I love the idea of a dead shock right out of the box.

Interesting though how stiffer settings appear to allieviate the problem. Perhaps the shock is damaged in some fashion, as you say, and the stiffer settings allow it to function normally.

 

[fallenauthority]

I have a similar problem, when you start off in 1st or shift power on and off quickly does it squeak? Look under the front of the car, the crossmember that the front motor mount is attached to, it has 2 bolts on the front, tighten those up real well. I bet that will solve your squeaking problem, it may happen a few months down the road again, just re-tighten them, it happens on mine occasionally. Took me forever to track it down.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Not motor mounts.
Just dealt with those 2 months ago.
Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[fallenauthority]

No, not the motor mount, its the front of the crossmember that that motor mount is bolted to. Go look under your car, in the very front, there are 2 bolts, not on the motor mount, on the crossmember.

 

[pickens]

The hissing isn't a problem. My rears do it when I set them to low settings over speed bumps all the time. Its just the valving. Annoying nonetheless, but nothing to worry about.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Well that makes me feel better.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that has this. But it is odd that its THAT loud inside the cabin. But I'll just won't use setting 1 if thats the case. Thanks for the input.
I'm going to call Tokico about it on Monday though and see what tech support has to say.

Sorry fallenauthority, I thought you meant the 2 bolts that hold the front motor mount down. I'll have to check the bolts you're referring too along with my swaybar bushings the next time I'm under the car.