Tony Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Car: Calibra 4X4 Turbo Position: Rear Story: The car is lowered with progressively wound springs, whats odd is the top and bottom coils keep inverting into the main coil body.... The owner has been assured the coils are correct for the car and no other Calibra has experienced this before.. Then i happened again So after another replacement the owner wanted to conclude all his hard efforts and have the Geometry sorted... Rear camber/ toe adjusters fitted and more new coils in he came.... 50 miles...... and guess what.... Yep it done it again, in 50miles.... Seeking a reason i continued with the Geometry and nothing suspicious came to light.... like 3 degrees of camber. I wonder this, could the fact that the car is 4X4 and has the additional power from the turbo be causing this unusual effect......Any ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorps Posted June 29, 2006 Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 Maybe its a cut "n" shut and welded up with an extra 1/2 inch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 Maybe its a cut "n" shut and welded up with an extra 1/2 inch... According to the Geo the car is straight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorps Posted June 29, 2006 Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 Yes....but has it grown any longer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 Yes....but has it grown any longer? No, the Geo image is to close in 3D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_j Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 s*** springs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 s*** springs? Made for the car..... ok it has some modifications so why the collapse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Another Calibra 4X4 turbo, but this time a Koni Coil and Damper kit... 200 miles and guess what? and Images a bit pants sorry.... but once again the helix has collapsed into the main body....The intended suspension drop was only 30mm, so it's not like it's an aggressive modification, and these coils are not the same manufacturer as the last images displayed.... why do you think they are collapsing... note: i don't know why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discount tyres dan Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 note to self: never lower a calipbra 4x4 turbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger440 Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Interesting. We had this on a Porsche 944 S2 a few weeks ago. A customer supplied his own lowering springs he bought from a guy i know well. We fitted them, did all the usual, then looked up to find the top 5 coils virtually touching each other. Hadn't even left the workshop!! Anyway, much fooling around later, lots of phone calls etc, supplier sourced some more lowering springs from a different manufacturer. Duly fitted only to find exactly the same problem. It just so happened, that afternoon, a guy from a damper rebuild place who has been doing suspension for many years called round. Took one look, grunted, and said it was no surprise! Seems that a lot of the manufacturers just copy each others product without ever seeing the car. Neither set was from any of the real serious players in the spring market. Sadly they don't do them for this car. We too scratched our heads for some time trying to work out if we had missed something. My vote on the calibra is that the springs are simply not man enough, or have used incorrect materials, probably the latter as it took time to occur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Interesting. We had this on a Porsche 944 S2 a few weeks ago. A customer supplied his own lowering springs he bought from a guy i know well. We fitted them, did all the usual, then looked up to find the top 5 coils virtually touching each other. Hadn't even left the workshop!! Anyway, much fooling around later, lots of phone calls etc, supplier sourced some more lowering springs from a different manufacturer. Duly fitted only to find exactly the same problem. It just so happened, that afternoon, a guy from a damper rebuild place who has been doing suspension for many years called round. Took one look, grunted, and said it was no surprise! Seems that a lot of the manufacturers just copy each others product without ever seeing the car. Neither set was from any of the real serious players in the spring market. Sadly they don't do them for this car. We too scratched our heads for some time trying to work out if we had missed something. My vote on the calibra is that the springs are simply not man enough, or have used incorrect materials, probably the latter as it took time to occur. I have no option other than to agree with you..... despite the fact the coils are from different manufacturers and the fact i have insufficient volume of 4X4 Calibras to form research the only available answer is incorrect coil rates allowing the collapse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_j Posted July 16, 2006 Report Share Posted July 16, 2006 lesson is... buy bilstein not koni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2006 lesson is... buy bilstein not koni Indeed.... lessons are fine, answers are even better that way we learn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Posted July 16, 2006 Report Share Posted July 16, 2006 most springs are made by only a few spring manufacturers, there are good spring manufacturers....Eibach and there are bad spring manufacturers........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2006 most springs are made by only a few spring manufacturers, there are good spring manufacturers....Eibach and there are bad spring manufacturers........... Within both these examples the manufacturers are well known... i wonder this mat.. do you feel the coils are indeed designed for the Calibra but not for the implications of the 4X4..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Posted July 16, 2006 Report Share Posted July 16, 2006 most springs are made by only a few spring manufacturers, there are good spring manufacturers....Eibach and there are bad spring manufacturers........... Within both these examples the manufacturers are well known... i wonder this mat.. do you feel the coils are indeed designed for the Calibra but not for the implications of the 4X4..? exactly right tony, i dont think there designed for the 4x4, or more so possibly not for the Turbo version most springs are made by only a few spring manufacturers, there are good spring manufacturers....Eibach and there are bad spring manufacturers........... Within both these examples the manufacturers are well known... i wonder this mat.. do you feel the coils are indeed designed for the Calibra but not for the implications of the 4X4..? exactly right tony, i dont think there designed for the 4x4, or more so possibly not for the Turbo version manufacturers, or brands........ many brands use the same manufacturer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 most springs are made by only a few spring manufacturers, there are good spring manufacturers....Eibach and there are bad spring manufacturers........... Within both these examples the manufacturers are well known... i wonder this mat.. do you feel the coils are indeed designed for the Calibra but not for the implications of the 4X4..? exactly right tony, i dont think there designed for the 4x4, or more so possibly not for the Turbo version most springs are made by only a few spring manufacturers, there are good spring manufacturers....Eibach and there are bad spring manufacturers........... Within both these examples the manufacturers are well known... i wonder this mat.. do you feel the coils are indeed designed for the Calibra but not for the implications of the 4X4..? exactly right tony, i dont think there designed for the 4x4, or more so possibly not for the Turbo version manufacturers, or brands........ many brands use the same manufacturer I think our experience within suspension and chassis dynamics can conclude these springs are not intended for the 4X4 Turbo Calibra, despite what it says on the box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanF Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 When the springs are removed do they return to their correct shape? If they do then as far as the spring is concerned the collapse is the correct behaviour. Maybe not what the customer wants but the spring doesn't care about that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 When the springs are removed do they return to their correct shape? If they do then as far as the spring is concerned the collapse is the correct behaviour. Maybe not what the customer wants but the spring doesn't care about that Unfortunately i was not involved in the fitting or removal and neither customer has returned for the Geo follow up so i am assuming the problem still exists with the manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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