Coilover Experts - Is This Normal?

Hi Everyone i heard a clunking sound the other day after autoXing coming from my right front wheel area. I jacked up the car today and found something that doesn�t seem right. First, there seems to be a gap at the bottom of the Coilover (see photo). Second, there is a gap up at the top of the Coilover. (See photo). I�ve also included a video to show you what�s going on. I went over and looked at the driver side and there is no gap at the bottom, but there is the same gap at the top. Any insight is appreciated. I don�t have any experience with coil overs. These are Ohlins Coilover with the Elephant racing mounts that came with them after a recall. You Tube

The top gap is just how the parts go together. The bottom gap is normal too. The bottom may be different based on spring preload and corner balancing. I would check torque on all the bolts up there and see if anything is loose and inspect sway bar and tie rod links.

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Will do. Thanks De Jeeper.

I don't think the 2 collar rings should be below the sway bar mount, that 2nd collar should be locking the spring perch ring to prevent its movement. I can't see a functional purpose for the 2 collars below the sway bar mount. ETA... Your locking ring setup is fubar'd per the �hlins instructions. https://world.ohlins.com/app/uploads...MI_POZMW00.pdf

Jengah - Where’s the second lock ring depicted below the spring perch in the diagram above? Same for all four or just that side?

@zbomb Thanks - you bring up a good point. It looks like they followed the instructions with two lock rings below the Anti roll bar bracket, but only used one above the bracket. @hatchetf15 The driver's side was set up the same way, but the two lock rings are not snug together, there is about 1/4" between them. Something doesn't seem right. I'm going to go check the instructions Ohlins sent with the recall update to see what's up.

SO here are the instructions for the set of shocks that came with my car. Looks like they got one side right and the other wrong... both have the correct placement of lock rings, but there is supposed to be a gap between the bottom ones.

Its kinda strange way for ohlin to do it. It may be a space constaint. Basically upper nut, sway bracket and middle nut all lock together to set the preload. The lower nut is used to space the shock up for corner balance and then u tighten the unpright nut to lock it in Still not sure this is the cause of your clunck but it should be fixed. Depending on how this all gets adjusted u may need adjustable sway links so there is ni preload at ride height.

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Thanks De Jeeper. I do have adjustable sway bar links. I'm going to check in w/ Ohlins.

The manual's figure 3 makes no sense... Sense makes: Spring perch can turn on the shock body and is locked by tightening locking colar nr. 1 up against it. Use it to keep the spring preloaded at full droop and thus seated. Drop link bracket isn't threaded and can be slid up and down to get rid of preload on the ARB. It is locked by tightening colar nr. 2 from above and nr 3 from below. Locking ring nr 4 is used as de jeeper wrote, I.e. to corner balance the car. That's how I understand it from the link further above

what @zbomb said - assembly order looks wrong. You Tube looks like you have a c4, so the rear strut assembly in the @FCPEuro video shows the proper order.

Is your car a C4? reason I’m asking is that I have the Ohlins coil over myself (on my C2) and the fronts do not look like that.

@SleepyCyclist & @meirschwartz I have a C4S which uses a different shock kit and settings than the C2 and C4. Note that the instructions that @zbomb provided show (2) locking rings above the roll-bar bracket, but mine has none. I've written to Ohlins to ask what's up because what Ohlins shows on their website for my car is what Zbomb attached, but my instructions are what came with the factory recall and provided Elephant racing hats.

I don't really think it matters... if the SB mount butts up against the spring perch and it gets locked by a collar... but having the spring perch floating is not right. Move the SB mount up with its locking collar and be done with it.

This is what i was trying to explain. My sway bar mounts r threaded so they would have to be spun up but i think yours r just clamps. Just loosen it and use that middle nut to tighten it up against the top nut. U will also have to lengthen the sway bar link. Its a simple fix.

I have the identical setup. Bought my ohlins second hand, barely used in immaculate condition. Had them installed by an shop and have clunking to the front right on my C4S. Unfortunately my car is away for the winter so will have to wait till the spring to diagnose. subscribed to see if you come up with any solutions I can try!

He's got to get the preload corrected (it cant be correct since the spring is loose), then slide the bracket up then tighten everything together. then make sure both sides have the same ride height (lower dimension looks like a 3 but I can't tell)

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Correct. It's a three (3). Thanks for the feedback. Still waiting for Ohlin's reply to my email.

So I got the answer from Ohlins. In short, the retrofit setup has different installation instructions than what you find online. Here are the correct instructions that refer to the same diagram I posted above on 11/14/22. Notice that there are no lock rings below the lower spring seat and above the anti-roll bar mount. You need to add 10mm of preload to the spring, you currently have negative preload on. The spring will measure 190mm long once preloaded. The car needs to be off the ground to do this. Below- Once you have the preload set you will then run the anti roll bracket up to that lock ring securing it in place so that the lock ring does not move. They need to be touching. Below- Once you have that the bracket secured you will then run the second lock ring up to the bottom on the bracket. Below- Then you will leave 3mm gap to the third lock ring that sets your ride height. Below- If you really wanted to go lower, you can remove this lock ring and have the upright set against the second lockring for reduced ride height. You can gain about 5mm of height adjustment if you did this.

How did your set-up get so mucked up in the first place?

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Do you mind sharing your contact method for Ohlins? I came across the recall notice and am under the impression the original owner did not apply for the recall. Now I have them install on my car and would love to find out what my options are for getting the front struts replaced as they are second hand.

Not at all (as long as you trade me your white C4S for my silver...). I started with emailing the US company at ([email removed]), and ended up getting a reply from [email removed] who proceeded to handle the claim for me. BTW - they didn't care that I was not the original purchaser, but they did want to know where they were purchased originally from. I was able to provide that.Be prepared, you will need the following information for them: 1. Full name 2. Shipping address 3. Phone number 4. Vehicle Identification Number 5. Image of part number at base of front struts and top nut above mount. (Just a quick photo down by the lower shock mount. Numbers should be easy to see) Good luck.

Haha took me a while to source this colour! thanks for the information! Did you ever get your clunking issue resolved?

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Yes - once properly setup, the assembly was snug against the top mount rather than floating.

Thanks for all the information! Sent them an email with all the required information and within a week the new parts were at my door. Did they assist at all with cost of re-installing them/alignment? Or did you have yours recalled prior to installation? I purchased mine 2nd hand and had them installed prior to realizing they were up for recall so come spring I�ll have to have the new ones reinstalled.

I got a certain amount toward the installation from them.