Tein HA Coilover Knock/Pillow Ball Issue

[MikeR34GTT]

Tein HA Coilover Knock/Pillow Ball Issue

Hello experts,

This is a very much 'get what you pay for' type scenario, but I'm hoping some of you can help me salvage the situation as I've already learned from the mistake.

I was at a crossroads when looking to upgrade the suspension of my GTT (springs+shocks or coilovers). Eventually, I went for coilovers although my budget was thin. I managed to track down a set of Tein HA's for the GTT for $700 supposedly in mint condition, which I viewed before purchase, looking for knocks, thread wear, oil leaks etc. All looked well but I'm no pro.

I'd recently had them professionally checked & installed at my local shop and towards the end of the install, advised me that 'the pillowball mounts are f&%^$' and 'there was some play so I'll get alot of knocking' - and he was correct, although all 4 coilovers make the knock noise during travel. They'd also lowered quite a bit, but not over the top crazy.

These guys are now 'researching' what they can do about the knock, as am I, and i'm starting to doubt if they actually know what the issue is, or even if all four knocks are related to a bad install or they are putting this issue in the too-hard-basket.

Summarising, as the car is a daily, is there a way to convert the pillowball upper mount to rubber to rectify the knock (and maybe make the ride smoother, it's my daily)? I'd suggested this today when I went back to the shop and the dude said 'I dont see why not' with no further response. My options look a little like this:

• Buy new pillowball upper mounts @ $150 per stick
• Look into rubber upper mounts (can these be purchased as a universal thing, or even pulled from my OEM ones?)
• Take the car elsewhere for a second opinion
• Refit OEM and sell the Tein HA's (worst case - I'm happy with these apart from the knocks - If rubber mounts, I think ride quality may improve also)

Any advice at this point is a plus as I'm foreign to suspension and am taking the word of my local shop in good faith..... because I'm paying them.

[GTSBoy]

Wow.  I feel like quoting myself from your other thread!  Bad luck man.

Contact someone like MCA and see what they say about modding the tops to have rubbers.  I would definitely be looking for a 2nd opinion on both that aspect and the question on whether the noise is originating at the tops or in the damper itself.

[hardsteppa]

it may also be worth seeing if someone like CBC bearings stock a bearing that can be fitted to the tops, rather than having to buy a whole new item.

[Smittyr333]

Yeah the pillow balls will be shagged. I had the same noise when i got my car. I got my front ones rebuilt by Fulcrum (Tein dealer) but i haven't done the back ones and still have the knock. Ill be looking around for a set of pillow ball mounts but would like to go rubber too

[MikeR34GTT]

13 hours ago, GTSBoy said:

Wow.  I feel like quoting myself from your other thread!  Bad luck man.

Contact someone like MCA and see what they say about modding the tops to have rubbers.  I would definitely be looking for a 2nd opinion on both that aspect and the question on whether the noise is originating at the tops or in the damper itself.

Sorry who's MCA? Basically what I'm looking to do, just don't know enough about it ):

3 hours ago, Smittyr333 said:

Yeah the pillow balls will be shagged. I had the same noise when i got my car. I got my front ones rebuilt by Fulcrum (Tein dealer) but i haven't done the back ones and still have the knock. Ill be looking around for a set of pillow ball mounts but would like to go rubber too

Sounds like we're in the same boat my friend. How much did your rebuilds cost for the fronts? Not cheap I'm guessing. If I have a win with a rubber top mount conversion I'll let you know!

[GTSBoy]

The M stands for Murray.  The C stands for Coote.  Famous name.  5s google for MCA and suspension would have found you their website and about 10000 recent threads on here bigging them up.  In fact you wouldn't even have to finish typing it into google!

[djr81]

I have some strut tops from isc performance.  They are rubber where others are bearings.  They don't knock and will last you.  You will probably need to ask as they don't show therm on their site.  But check your shock shaft diameter and Spring inside diameter to make sure they fit.

 

I am on a shit iPad so can't figure out to paste a link. This may work.

Or not.  Search for that thread and have a read.

[Hank Scorpio]

The pillowballs themselves are pretty much the same across the TEIN range, you should even be able to buy genuine replacement TEIN pillowballs from Fulcrum and swap them out, have done a number of times. So as long as it's just that part, you should be fine