Clicking noise after lowering Caldina...

[GT-T mod]

I did the usual searches but looks like exhaust banging or CV joints was their issue.
I just this week had super low Kings fitted to my 99 Caldina GT-T. Now I have this crazy clicking noise going on by the back left wheel.
It had the standard exhaust on it at the time and I have just had a 2.5" system put through on Friday, still the same noise is there so guessing I can rule out exhaust banging noise?
Could it be the spring not sitting right or is there something in that back left area that bounces around when you lower ST215 Caldina's? Ideas?
The guy who fitted the springs is going to have another look this coming week when I get the wheel alignment done, but I thought I'd ask now just to give him ideas on anything out of the ordinary.
Cheers

[stalker]

Does the baning noise happen when you go over a bump?
Might be the "bushes"...could be wrong, but always worth a look...

[GT-T mod]

Yip it's only when I go over a bump, it was fine with the standard springs but that probably would need a big pothole to hear the click if it was there.
They did have to replace both the rear sway bar links as they were ceased, probably from sitting at the docks in that lovely salt air.
I'll get him to check all the bushes around that area, I get staff price at REPCO so all good if needing replacement

[GT-T mod]

Anyone got any other things I should suggest to the guy to look for?

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

my suggestion would be scrap metalling the king springs for one

i had 'low' kingsprings in mine and it was fcuking horrible to drive as it was too low and too bouncy - super lows wouldnt be helping at all, and im assuming that they would be below 100mm clearance anyway

check the driveshaft and see if its hitting the exhaust - mine was knocking near the flange - look for any scuff marks or smooth spots

[GT-T mod]

When I went to get the springs I did mention getting low Teins fitted all round. The spring fitter said I'm mainly paying for the name and Kings were the better spring from his experience.

What is wrong with Kings? I had a set of low Kings in my old school 85 Tredia years ago, only issue I had was over 3 years later there was sag in the springs which spacers fixed for the WOF.

200mm clearance on the front bumper and on the underside the lowest point is around 125mm roughly. I like it being low and doesn't seem too bad for being a bouncy ride.

The clicky noise is pretty much constant with every little bump in the road. I'll get him to check the driveshaft. Getting the wheel alignment and noise checked/fixed tomorrow

[99gtt]

The problem with the kings are they never had a spring made for the caldina , they just sent out corolla springs as they fit. problem is the caldina weighs alot more than your average rolla.

[GT-T mod]

Dam, well at least they have a limited lifetime warranty:

Coil Springs
All King Heavy Duty Coil Springs listed in our catalogue have a limited lifetime warranty as follows:

Warranty against faulty manufacture.
Warranty against sagging (being loss of original free height by more than 10mm).
Warranty against breakage.

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

if you fit a corolla spring to a caldina they could potentially decline your claim as its not used as designed.

the low kingspring in my car made it scrape on all sorts of things - humps, carparks, gravel etc, but oh well go for it

FYI most of the Teins i have seen for sale are cheaper than Kings
I biffed the kings i had in mine and installed Teins

the height is measured from the lowest structural point - probably the sils, the bumper could be 10mm off the ground and make no difference


as mentioned, check your bushes, also possibly the swaybar links and maybe even that the suspension geometry hasnt been put out too far

[GT-T mod]

Would the supplier (George Stocks) have advised them they were only for a Corolla? Guess then the owness would fall back on the guys that fitted it if they were told they are meant for a Corolla, not a Caldina.

I've been pretty lucky so far, haven't bumped or scraped yet.

Do you recommend Teins because they have a specific Caldina spring or are they a better quality over the Kings?

That is true on the height, so I'm 125mm roughly which is good as

New sway bar links were fitted when I got it lowered. Would the wheel alignment bring the suspension geometry right? I'll get those bushes checked, suppose they've done good for 9 years on the car.

[Santa'sBoostinSleigh]

some places just decide if its the same size (or similar) then its good enuff

when the kings were in mine, every carpark building i scraped on the way up/down the ramps, and also it just made any non-flat level driving stupid - theres no way id get many of the places i need to go without dragging the belly on the ground

my personal experience - tein is a much more suitable/comfortable ride compared to kings - kings gave me worse handling and and a rougher ride

alignment does nothing for suspension geometry - but if it sits at the height you state then it might not be a problem
altered suspension geometry can make handling much worse - search here or google for why

if the links were done when you got it lowered, it may pay to check that they got done up right as one could have easily have come off and be knocking around

[GTCRSHR]

where did you get them fitted ?

[barryogen]

from the few I've driven with after market springs, the Teins were much more like a firm stock feel, whereas the Low Kings were like a hard but squishy feel, hard to explain... the bumps felt horrible, but it still seemed soft in corners etc.

[GT-T mod]

I've been in a couple of carparks now and so far no scrapes

For suspension geometry I've still got some body roll so that's good to gauge cornering. Not sure about the camber remaining unchanged when braking, accelerating, etc. Seems to be a firm ride but not too uncomfortable for me at least.

It "was" a constant noise consistant to bumps in the road, even small ones. The guy I took it to today wasn't sure what he did but the noise is gone, I didn't really ask but yes the noise is gone. I said I'll see if the noise returns, so far it's sweet as.

I got my suspension work done at Midway Motors in Dunedin.

With the superlows Barry it's pretty firm/hard all the time and cornering is a huge improvement. Guess I'll have to find someone with a Caldina in Dunners with Teins and see how it rides?

[AJz]

that would be me

[flygt4]

form riding in santas car , the tein feel much like a firmer standard item, no funny business, bounciness or excessive body roll etc.