STi UK shocks - new thread

09 February 2002, 11:20

This is very easy to do. It might not fix everyone's problem, but is worth a try.
All you need is a 12mm socket.
Take out the bottom part of the seat by unscrewing the 2 bolts in the footwell.
Unscrew the 5 bolts holding the backrest.
Pull the ski hatch thingy open.
Pull the seatback forward.
See the bars?
Tighten the bolts (2 on each).
Refit the backrest (make sure all the clips go over the hooks at the top).
Refit the seat part.

That's it...

[Edited by BruceWarne - 9/2/2002 10:22:51 AM]

05 April 2002, 01:41

Phil.
My Dealer said they were gonna changer the shock on another one and if it cured the prob, they would do mine. though i dont notice it as much as i did...

and want more than a 75% improvement

[Edited by dizz - 5/4/2002 1:42:50 AM]

03 May 2002, 10:34

A previous thread showed that quite a number of people had had to have the (usually) NSR Shock Absorber replaced on their STi UK. I've just had mine done which has only provided a 75% cure: there's a residual rattle from higher up in the suspension, but rather intermittant. Anyone had the same continuation of the problem? Any ideas? [No, the jack and tools are elsewhere in the car for the time being!!]

Cheers

Phil Harrison

03 May 2002, 16:45

Phil

I have a noise from the left rear on my UK STI, like you I have the jack etc elsewhere in the car, its intermittent, and i'm unsure if it is actually the shock, when I go over some bumps I can nearly always hear the thump type noise, and also when I lok out the rear window, I can see the spoiler shaking like crazy.

Going to get the dealer to look at it when it goes in for the first service, if it doesn't drive me insane beforehand.

Shaun

04 May 2002, 18:11

Yeah, Dizz, and Your dealer is W-Way.... and my STi is the one they're trying!!!!

Or so I'd bet my bottom dollar, 'cos Clive said they had a customer waiting to see how my repair went: and I see you live in Kent!!! Actually, the secondary knock is getting worse and worse, and Clive's called for a complete NSR suspension.

Bit of a coincidence, what???

Phil

16 May 2002, 12:32

Does Clive accept this as a common problem.
Only I have an STI7 which also has a very slot clonk on the rear n/s only when hittng bumps etc.

16 May 2002, 13:11

Interestingly enough I also notice this on the ns rear when travelling over speed humps etc......

Has anyone got a 100% fix for this yet ?

Mine is going in for it's 1K service tomorrow so will get dealer to look at it....

Cheers,
Chris

20 May 2002, 14:18

Anyone got an update on this with a cure. Dealer not heard of it as such, but then says they have it on their demo as well !!!

Waiting for them to find out from Subaru this week if this is common and what the official 100% fix is.

20 May 2002, 16:25

Think maybe a thread in general section may be worth it as more people will see this to respond to. What do you think.

Chip.

20 May 2002, 16:48

yep.... sounds like a good idea to me....

20 May 2002, 17:18

Dunnit!

Phil

21 May 2002, 13:32

Mine does it too.
Left rear shock.
Knocking sound, especially at low speeds.
Over slightly bumpy roads.
Same thing.

The sound reminds me a lot the a similar sound I had on my old shape impreza after having the suspension dropped a bit.

It drove me mad! Had my wife sitting in the boot to find the cause...

Took it back to the guys who did the install. Turns out that on top of the shock there is a little plastic cap type thing used for mounting or something. Forgive my terminology. But there is something (strut?) inside the shock that can move up and down if the cap is not on tight. What happens is that this strut hit against the plastic cap and makes the damn noise.

As I said, the two sounds are exactly the same...

Maybe when they fitted new shocks they only tighned the cap 75%, so that the noise is still there?

The post about the spoiler going mad bothers me a bit though...Although, if the cap is not on tight, wouldn't that mean excess suspension travel?

Anyone know anything about fitting shocks? Cause I have no idea.

22 May 2002, 11:58

Hi all,

Dealer is going to replace topmount on 30 May. I'll advise the outcome!

See also other "STi UK shocks" threads here and under 'suspension'

Cheers

Phil

22 May 2002, 22:03

Had mine looked at(JDM STi7 Oct 2000).Both sides rattling away.Both rear struts had play where they slide into the body of the shock absorber.Two possible causes;either the shock itself is buggered or its the top mount(loose or buggered).Looking at the top mount would have taken over an hour and since I'm having the shocks changed for Ledas(who check the top mounts at the same time) it did'nt make sense paying for the same job twice.

27 May 2002, 19:38

Its so bad that the passenger side rear wheel is about two inches out! Thank god I have'nt booted it in the rain yet.Shocks all come off tommorrow when I have Ledas fitted(c'ant wait!) and I'll have a closer look then and post findings

27 May 2002, 22:14

Dealer Has said IM have had three cases including mine reported by dealers. The first changed the whole N/S Strut which did not solve the problem, the second changed the strut top bearing/ housing and have not reported wether this has solved the problem so mu dealer have ordered a strut top to see what happens.

10 June 2002, 12:25

I have posted this on the 'one post per person STi7 clunking thread' but thought it may be of interest generally.

May 2002 STi UK Prodrive.
No definate clunk but a rattle, nearside rear.

The rattle was being caused by the parcel shelf retaining clip (there are 4 beige coloured panel clips that hold it to the car), not being correctly located in the car bodywork.
I pushed down on the parcel shelf to locate it, and now, no rattle.

If you look inside the boot at the underside of the parcel shelf area, you will see the 4 clips I mention. They are a simmilar type as those used to hold door cards onto the doors.
On my car the nearside one was not located and rattled loudly against the hole in the bodywork, on slightly bumpy surfaces.

The other thing that struck me as odd, on my car at least, after reading all the posts on the BBS implying the suspension was to blame, was that when I hit good sized bumps, potholes etc with fair force such that your elbow banged on the centre arm rest and hurt, there was NO UNUSUAL NOISE AT ALL from the suspension.

This isn't to say people are not suffering from suspension /strut problems, but I don't think I was.

Another point you may or may not have noticed, is that the spoiler rattles when it vibrates.
Try banging it with your fist in the middle of the top blade.
Mine makes a fair racket.
I attempted to tighten the upper half to the lower half by removing the access panels at each side, (you lever the most forward end out with a screwdriver first, then pull towards you and unclip the middle and aft ends), but it hasn't made any difference.
I suspect the only proper cure would be to seperate the two halves and reassemble them with rubberised/silicone jointing compound to effectively glue the halves together.

But a word of warning, if you attempt to do this and during the loosening or tightening of the nuts, any of the studs revolve in the spoiler. You will have a very fiddly repair to carry out refixing the studs in place, and may wreck the spoiler.
You really need specialist equipment to hold the screw slot still, whilst turning the nut, which at these positions you cannot access with a spanner, but need a box spanner (this would work in conjunction with a screwdriver although it would be fiddly) or a socket.

Deep Singh,
I hope for your sake that this is not the problem you have, otherwise you have just spent £1500? fitting Leda suspension to cure a rattling parcel shelf, which can be fixed by hand pressure.!!!

Cheers MTR

10 June 2002, 12:55

Hi MTR,

The rattle was being caused by the parcel shelf retaining clip (there are 4 beige coloured panel clips that hold it to the car), not being correctly located in the car bodywork.
I pushed down on the parcel shelf to locate it, and now, no rattle.

^ Can you please explain in more detail where and what the "parcel shelf retaining clip" is. I have no idea where to find it and what it looks like.....you don't have a digital camera by anychance to you ???

Cheers,
Ray

10 June 2002, 16:38

MTR I was going to have Ledas fitted anyway(and got them second hand for £650!).There is still a slight rattle there and I'll check the clips you're talking about.Thanks for the info.