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kw v3 squeaking/rattling after every bump

S

skyline23

Contributing Member
Joined
12 August 2004
Messages
161
I've seen this posted in other forums, but couldn't find it here..anyway, I had Kw-V3s installed back in april, and have put maybe 800 miles on it since, and they have been squeaking the entire time..what I mean is that anytime I go over any bump, pot hole, or rough patch of road they creak and squeak, at any speed it seems..

had it installed by Shad at Driving Ambition so am confident they were installed correctly, however want to know if

1.is it something I should be concerned with?

2.Is there anything I can do to make it stop because its very annoying?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
Shaun
 
I have the same issue as well with my KW V3s as well. I have OEM top hats. I just assumed that is how they were.
 
Can you guys post a video? Anthony I didn't notice anything while beating on... I mean... driving your car.
 
Yes I have OEM top hats. I spoke to Coz who then spoke to a KW rep and they both think its either my OEM top hat bushings are worn out or that they are not torqued down enough...I will try re-torqueing them this weekend and seeing if that helps..if not I will order/replace the bushings and go from there...

thanks for the responses so far!
 
Please keep this thread updated I think this is very important information.
 
I am also getting that sound, my guess is that is the bottom bolt. It rotates when the shock absorber compresses and this is where the squeaking comes from. Again, this is just my guess.
 
Dave, My KW V3 squeak, they dont' rattle though. It only happens when I'm driving over rough roads with alot of small bumps, pot holes, etc. The road you tried my NSX on wasn't really that bad of shape so I don't think you would of heard it.
 
^ That's a lot of squeaking.... My car would probably squeak once or twice during that time.
 
My guess is that all of these squeaking ones are setup on the softer valving side for the street. I would increase the compression and rebounds dampening simultaneously to maximum or near maximum to see if the noise goes away.

If the noise goes away, then it is the typical valving for this type of performance dampener and you need to come up with your own balance of streetability yet not too much dampener noise. Turbo's is probably worse because the piston is much larger than the standard KWs and moving more oil.

If the noise doesn't go away, then good luck!

Dave
 
Skyline15: Your PM inbox is full :)

As it turns out, the noise I was hearing HERE was purely an issue of having installed delrin bushings at the front control arm attachment points. The lower ones seem to make all the noise. I believe they way they were installed put them ever-so-slightly out of line vs. the OEM rubber bushings and some noise resulted.

The good news: A liberal squirt of WD-40 where the camber bolt goes into the bushing will shut them up for a couple of weeks, or until my next autocross/track day. Apply between the LCA "fork" and the upright....not to the bolt/nut heads.

If you still have the OEM rubber bushings that noise is really not normal or par-for-the-course. If that's the case, I'd recommend looking (as others have suggested)at the lower strut mounting bolt, or if you also replaced a swaybar in there, those bushings as well (and make sure the 'bar itself it's bound up and the end links are not shot).
 
Quick update to this..this saturday I was able to isolate the noise to the front left suspension by placing the car on stackstands and slowly jacking up each tire up and down..however after doing this it seemed like the creaking noise wasn't coming from the coilover,but from the control arms or linkage joints...So my quick fix was to simply spray some of the joints with silicone grease. This actually worked really well, and even after my trackday at thunderhill yesterday no noise came back..I am expecting it to come back though and will dive deep into the problem next time it comes back.
 
Notice for KW owner/buyers:
In July 2012, I purchased a set of KW v3’s for my Acura NSX.
In October 2013, I finally got around to installing them on my car. During installation, the shop found a defective shock that was leaking. This leaking shock was JUST OUT OF THE BOX.
I called KW for warranty. They asked me for measurements of the shock on the car to be able to warranty the shock. The shock has not seen any movement or use, why would you need measurements! Phil Castro insisted on the measurements to warranty the shock. I said, it just came out of the box and is just the same as you packed it.
Then I talked to Adam Tormey. He was very helpful in sending me a shock. But he wanted me to buy it and said that he would credit me as soon as they received the defective shock. Well…I sent the defective shock. And now they are insisting that I drove on it and will not give me credit for the shock.
I have reached out to
Bob Vangliet ([email protected]) but he has not returned my call.

They just emailed me and told me that the coilover has 'serious' signs of wear. How can that be since I just took them out of the box???
 
03 raw nsx said:
Notice for KW owner/buyers:
In July 2012, I purchased a set of KW v3’s for my Acura NSX.
In October 2013, I finally got around to installing them on my car. During installation, the shop found a defective shock that was leaking. This leaking shock was JUST OUT OF THE BOX.
I called KW for warranty. They asked me for measurements of the shock on the car to be able to warranty the shock. The shock has not seen any movement or use, why would you need measurements! Phil Castro insisted on the measurements to warranty the shock. I said, it just came out of the box and is just the same as you packed it.
Then I talked to Adam Tormey. He was very helpful in sending me a shock. But he wanted me to buy it and said that he would credit me as soon as they received the defective shock. Well…I sent the defective shock. And now they are insisting that I drove on it and will not give me credit for the shock.
I have reached out to
Bob Vangliet ([email protected]) but he has not returned my call.

They just emailed me and told me that the coilover has 'serious' signs of wear. How can that be since I just took them out of the box???
Click to expand...

Question: From which vendor/site did you buy the KWs? Also, do you know if they were stocked by said vendor, or if they were drop-shipped straight from KW? If Kept in-stock by a vendor, you might have some recourse there.
 
I am trying the avenue of help with someone @ circuit motorsports.com.
 
I would be furious. I hope you get a resolution to your satisfaction.

03 raw nsx said:
Notice for KW owner/buyers:
In July 2012, I purchased a set of KW v3’s for my Acura NSX.
In October 2013, I finally got around to installing them on my car. During installation, the shop found a defective shock that was leaking. This leaking shock was JUST OUT OF THE BOX.
I called KW for warranty. They asked me for measurements of the shock on the car to be able to warranty the shock. The shock has not seen any movement or use, why would you need measurements! Phil Castro insisted on the measurements to warranty the shock. I said, it just came out of the box and is just the same as you packed it.
Then I talked to Adam Tormey. He was very helpful in sending me a shock. But he wanted me to buy it and said that he would credit me as soon as they received the defective shock. Well…I sent the defective shock. And now they are insisting that I drove on it and will not give me credit for the shock.
I have reached out to
Bob Vangliet ([email protected]) but he has not returned my call.

They just emailed me and told me that the coilover has 'serious' signs of wear. How can that be since I just took them out of the box???
Click to expand...
 
Was there any resolution for this issue? I just had my kwv3's installed and am also experiencing a significant squeak over small to large bumps. My tech suggested that I spray wd40 in one joint at a time until the sound goes away, and then we can find a permanent solution with the offending area. Is this really what I'm up against or did anyone else have better luck. Thanks!
 
Tai said:
Was there any resolution for this issue? I just had my kwv3's installed and am also experiencing a significant squeak over small to large bumps. My tech suggested that I spray wd40 in one joint at a time until the sound goes away, and then we can find a permanent solution with the offending area. Is this really what I'm up against or did anyone else have better luck. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Tai, did you ever get your squeaking issue resolved?
 
Tai said:
Sadly I have not, but others in this thread have suggested iLift top hats which may reduce the squeaking: http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/193917-KWV3-Installation-Woes?p=1884893#post1884893
Click to expand...
That stinks. But don't feel bad, the BC coils make noise when cold. I really wanted these coil overs but after hearing about noises are other bs I am gonna go back to oem with a mild lowering spring. If I ever really get into tracking the car, I will fork over the 3 grand for them. But for street, there's no replacement for oem.
 
Sduff@Composites said:
Never had noises with my bilsteins that were on for 6 years with oem top hats and never had noises with my kw clubsports that come with the anodized top hats.
Click to expand...
But you live in a warmer and humid climate. Maybe that is a factor? Or maybe Tai just got a set that was made on Friday afternoon.:biggrin:
If the K-dubs were more in reach for me now price wise I'd grab em. But I'd rather save for my next home in Florida. All I know is, I cannot wait to unbolt these god damn bouncy BC's...
 
Jinks said:
But you live in a warmer and humid climate. Maybe that is a factor? Or maybe Tai just got a set that was made on Friday afternoon.:biggrin:
If the K-dubs were more in reach for me now price wise I'd grab em. But I'd rather save for my next home in Florida. All I know is, I cannot wait to unbolt these god damn bouncy BC's...
Click to expand...

I do now live in a hot and humid environment with the worst roads in America but when I had my bilsteins I was up north. I've always had a loud car with either test pipes or a turbo so maybe I just can't hear it but it's never been a factor for me.

You can get kw's for not to much. You can sell your bc's so factor that in. Somebody will want them.
 
Sduff@Composites said:
I do now live in a hot and humid environment with the worst roads in America but when I had my bilsteins I was up north. I've always had a loud car with either test pipes or a turbo so maybe I just can't hear it but it's never been a factor for me.

You can get kw's for not to much. You can sell your bc's so factor that in. Somebody will want them.
Click to expand...
True. Sometimes I see them new on eBay for as low as 2400. But my problem is, I sold my oem units. So I have to factor in all new oem top hats.:mad:
 

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