Ksport Coilover and Cold Winter Weather

[Ninharu]

Well winter is upon us and the mercury has dipped quite a bit... YAY only 3 more months of this BS. Well on to my question. I have a set of Ksport coilovers and now that the weather has gone south, literally, it seems that my suspension has become quite a bit louder. I live in Canada and right now the average temps are -20 celcius. Every time i go over a bump that would recruit the shock and not just the spring it seems to make a rather loud 'clunk' noise from each shock tower (so a sharp bump). I jacked my car up and i dont see any leaks coming from the shock it self. I googled it and one nissan guy had similar problems as me and he found that the shock couldnt hold up to the cold weather and just died. I have had these in for around 6 months and less than 3000 miles so its pretty hard to believe that this would be the case. Any one have any experience with this or perhaps a similar set of symptoms? Are there any ways to tell if it is shot with out actually taking the coilover off the car?
Any help would be appeciated.

 

[Strm Trpr]

I have a full compliment of Prothane Bushings all around including motor mounts and Tein Flex Coilovers.
The cold weather is causing contraction of all materials on your car.
My suspension does the same exact thing.
When I drive her to work in the morning the suspension is a lot louder and the Prothane Suspension Bushings even squeak.
Then in the afternoon when I leave work and it's around 60*F, it's nice and quite and doesn't squeak.
Go figure.....

 

[FonZ454]

My ksports (or something suspension related) make a nice clunk from the rear on larger bumps. I don't rememeber when it started happening, but theres nothing loose in the back nor the struts. Who knows.

 

[Elvenhome21]

I am pretty sure that Ksports are just oil filled shocks and not gas charged. So between stiff valving and oil as cold and thick as syrup its going to happen until the shock oil heats up.

 

[jtmcinder]

I am pretty sure that Ksports are just oil filled shocks and not gas charged.

So where does the displaced oil go during bounce?

My recollection is that they are a low-pressure monotube.

And it would not surprise me one bit if the seals on these things can't take cold. You get what you pay for ... often less.

- Jtoby

 

[Turbo Monk3y]

So where does the displaced oil go during bounce?

My recollection is that they are a low-pressure monotube.

And it would not surprise me one bit if the seals on these things can't take cold. You get what you pay for ... often less.

- Jtoby

This is a very good observation and statement. I have had my K-sports for a little over a year and come last march it got down to 20-25 or so and I noticed my car made the same noises and almost as if I was riding just on the springs. Come to find out as soon as the weather cleared up I checked my Passenger Rear strut to find all sorts of oil coming out of the shock. So 1st generation K-sports Suck in the cold. I know they even REdesigned their newer models because of problems like this. I have to send this corner back to them to get repaired for 85$ and this is most likely going to happen to the other 3 ... ... If I could do it again I would get the JICs but Since my car was not built for the roadcourse I will just be riding these out....

 

[Ninharu]

Well from what i can tell you pretty much have it right. the sound is that of just riding on a spring. its almost a knocking noise. the fact that it had started in the fronts first where there would be more load makes sense too. it has since then migrated to the rears as well. I contacted Ksport USA and they said that since the redesign they have solved this problem. They said that they sell to canada all the time and its the first they have heard of it. I figure that i have put less than 3000 miles on them since the install. And the noise basically began as soon as the temp dropped. Ksport said they would look at them, but since i live in canada, coupled with heavy shipping charges and loss of my suspension for 3 weeks i think i will just buy a new set and get these replaced and then sell them.
My one question is, what coilover design would solve this problem? would going to a JIC gas shock or a tein flex fix this? I have yet to find something that survives winters here. I have ruined new sets of KYBs, Tokicos and now Ksports. Im basically tired of replacing my shocks every season. I was looking at the FLTA1s or FLTA2s, but the 2s are way more expensive. whats the difference? anyone living in this kind of weather have a suspension that survies?

 

[Ninharu]

just incase anyone is in the same boat as me. winters kill ksports. the 2 rears were shot and im pretty sure the fronts were on their way as well, keep in mind it was done in 4000miles of total driving and i take it very easy on my car. i have replaced them with a set of MRs. ill let you know how they hold up.

 

[Ninharu]

Just as an update...

My Megan coilovers got me through this winter. I drove the car a couple of times at -40 C and no leaking. Also I sent back my Ksports and they replaced them free of charge. But i still had to pay for the round trip shipping which really sucks.

But for anyone that wants a suspension that will survive extreme cold the megans are the way to go.