Suspension Troubles

[hit25cal]

Ok here is the deal...

I just bought some zx2 racing struts from ford and Eibach springs, spring seats and thrust bearings.

After installing this stuff I got a VERY loud rattle every time I hit a bump

I rechecked every nut and bolt... everything is torqued properly...

I think it could be one of three things... 1. I need to take the springs back out and put rubber tubing on the top and bottom coils... 2. I need new LCA bushings... 3. I need new hub bearings

What do you guys think??

[almighty4wd]

it could be the springs rattling when unsprung. that's my first thought. you've got the right thrust bearings, so probably not that....LCA's, um, my are the '90 originals, and don't rattle, so I wouldn't think that (I could be wrong, that's just my experience). hub bearings are more like a grinding sound, if they clunk I don't think you'd driving at all.

[hit25cal]

is there a "break-in" time for struts... i.e. do they make any noise that will go away after say 50mi???

[almighty4wd]

shouldn't be any break-in at all.

[hit25cal]

do you think if I put some rubber of silicone tubing on the springs that the noise MIGHT go away?

[therieldeal]

mine dont have any rubber and they are nice and quiet

[hit25cal]

WTF? why are mine noisy then??? ok let go at this another way... what do bad LCA bushings sound like???

[therieldeal]

i had a horrible drivers side front rattle in my beater that i couldnt figure out for the longest time. turned out to be the top nut on the drivers side strut somehow loosened up (original struts, i had never touched that nut so i never checked it) and the shaft was banging up and down over bumps

[FE3-323]

hahah ^ i remember that

[hit25cal]

if in fact it is the spring rattling on the strut... would putting rubber on the top and bottom coils really help out that much?

[hit25cal]

did i need to get the zx2 suspension support??? the part that actually bolts to the fender well? or could i have stayed with the mazda support

[FE3-323]

if it did not come with zx2 bearings & had the upper perches bored out a little or zx2 perches, then this could be your problem

[hit25cal]

ok i have
the zx2 struts,
zx2 spring seats or perches whatever they are called,
eibach pro-kit for the zx2,
this is all of the stuff i have for the suspension, I reused the mazda suspension support

[FE3-323]

the upper mazda support?

[hit25cal]

yeah... there are two parts above the spring the bottom one is the spring seat... its out of a zx2... the top is the suspension support... the part that actually bolts to the car... that original mazda