funny settling of shocks and springs

[purto100]

i've had a strange going on in the past month or so, i'll pull up to the lights and be sitting still for a bit and the back of the car will suddenly settle a little. feels like you just rolled into a hole or something. but it's while i'm completely still. makes a funny noise. not a groaning but a quiet little settling noise?

any ideas?

[dubbedup]

some kind of special sir shocks?

[subieboy]

cut springs???

[dubbedup]

 subieboy said:

cut springs???

nah cutties will be "unsettled' all the time not just when he stops, kinda odd if ya ask me...im thinking of what it could be but am drawing blanks .....

[Swindog]

Have you checked to see if the springs are sitting in their rubber seats under the top mounts?

Just lay under the car and check with a torch for anything loose etc aswell. Thats where id start.

You havent changed them recently?

[Guest]

Quite a few shocks (Especially Bilsteins) have a tendency to get crap stuck on the rod and around the seals which can restrict the movement as well as wear out the top seals... It's something to have a look at anyway, my GTB did this for a while and it was caked up dirt/sand/other crap around the rod causing it.

[purto100]

umm first things first, yes i have changed them from standard, they are v7 STI shocks and springs in my sf5 forester. pretty standard stuff. i did notice that the rear springs were only borderline captive from the outset but never thought it would be a problem unless for some reason i was getting air somewhere along the way. (still waiting on that one).

so nothing really out of the ordinary set up wise. will have a poke around to see what i can see with a torch though cheers

[Joker]

Shocks...

[Guest boostin]

Yup, sticky shocks.

[Guest]

Shocks, raise car clean shock shafts, and grease shafts

Cause is binding in top bush off inverted strut set up

[Munkvy]

 Ichi Ban said:

Shocks, raise car clean shock shafts, and grease shafts

Cause is binding in top bush off inverted strut set up

Any particular grease needed or anything do? Ive had this problem on and off in mine for a while.

Is it mainly a Bilstein thing? As I find my GTB has a tendancy to eat Bilsteins (on its third set) yet the STi struts seem to have survived longer?

[Guest]

An EP grease available anywhere ( wheel bearing grease )

Make sure that when shocks at normal ride height that the dust boots are covering the top seal area to prevent excessive dust ingress

Sti rear shocks are prone for this (worse that Bilsteins)

Have found some cars require this treatment every couple of months

I have only every used EP grease, but that's not saying that another grease wouldn't be better or last longer

( fell free everyone to post your results with this proceedure and note which grease you have used )

[subieboy]

 Ichi Ban said:

An EP grease available anywhere ( wheel bearing grease )

Make sure that when shocks at normal ride height that the dust boots are covering the top seal area to prevent excessive dust ingress

Sti rear shocks are prone for this (worse that Bilsteins)

Have found some cars require this treatment every couple of months

I have only every used EP grease, but that's not saying that another grease wouldn't be better or last longer

( fell free everyone to post your results with this proceedure and note which grease you have used )

I used marine grease... but then havn't driven the car for more than a couple of thousand km's since

[Guest]

 subieboy']

[quote name='Ichi Ban said:

An EP grease available anywhere ( wheel bearing grease )

Make sure that when shocks at normal ride height that the dust boots are covering the top seal area to prevent excessive dust ingress

Sti rear shocks are prone for this (worse that Bilsteins)

Have found some cars require this treatment every couple of months

I have only every used EP grease, but that's not saying that another grease wouldn't be better or last longer

( fell free everyone to post your results with this proceedure and note which grease you have used )

/quote]

I used marine grease... but then havn't driven the car for more than a couple of thousand km's since

This fixed your fault so far then ?