Suspension Noise post-Spring Install

[BrodoFratgins]

Apologies in advance, I know there are a number of threads on this but as far as I've seen nothing has really covered exactly what I'm dealing with.

I'm getting a slight rattle(?)/hard tapping noise in the front on the occasional bump. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for when the taps can occur as they happen on both small bumps and large bumps and often not at all. The noise is occurring on both the driver and passenger side front, nothing in the rear.

I should also note that the noise does NOT occur when turning, so I don't believe it has anything to do with the bearings in the top hat(?).

I've verified that everything is torqued properly. I have not had the chance to get the car back up in the air to verify that everything is seated properly, but I triple checked when I did the install I can't image it somehow came unseated.

I've found one video on the FB pages that shows the sound that I'm receiving, but the OP of this post got the noise much louder and much more frequently. His issue ended up being an improperly torqued strut bolt (which I have checked).

I'm starting to wonder if the noise is coming from the coils making contact with themselves in the front and need wraps. Most people with this issue seem to see it in the rear though.

Any suggestions? These are Swift springs.

Picture 1: Coil under load
Video 1: Example of sound (again, more extreme than what I'm experiencing, but it's the same noise)

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[BrodoFratgins]

Slight update, I installed Tein coil silencers on the fronts where I noticed some places where the coil was making contact with itself.

I'm still getting the same noise, but it seems to be far less frequent than before.

 

[noogie]

Check top hat nut torque again.

are these swift lowering springs?

 

[BrodoFratgins]

Check top hat nut torque again.

are these swift lowering springs?

I checked again this weekend while installing the silencers. Still torqued to spec.

I should mention (if I haven't already), that I re-used the originals and they're technically a one time use nut.

 

[noogie]

is it possible the nut was torqued with the spring preload? in other words, the spring was pushing against the nut and preventing the nut from bottoming out when torqued?

this is what i have for the top hat nut torque: 21 ft lbs + 90 degrees

 

[BrodoFratgins]

is it possible the nut was torqued with the spring preload? in other words, the spring was pushing against the nut and preventing the nut from bottoming out when torqued?

this is what i have for the top hat nut torque: 21 ft lbs + 90 degrees

The nut was hand tightened, then lowered and torqued to 56nm. For reference, I'm referring to part #9 in this diagram

 

[Timmy_Jones]

The nut was hand tightened, then lowered and torqued to 56nm. For reference, I'm referring to part #9 in this diagram

I understand you need some pressure on the strut so it doesn’t just spin. Seems like you did that part correctly? Those coils seem damn close under load. Were they installed in the same / similar orientation to the stock springs? Away bar end link tight?

 

[BrodoFratgins]

I understand you need some pressure on the strut so it doesn’t just spin. Seems like you did that part correctly? Those coils seem damn close under load. Were they installed in the same / similar orientation to the stock springs? Away bar end link tight?

As far as I'm aware, they're installed properly. They're certainly sitting in the upper and lower boots properly.

Yes end links are tight and torqued to spec as well.

 

[Timmy_Jones]

As far as I'm aware, they're installed properly. They're certainly sitting in the upper and lower boots properly.

Yes end links are tight and torqued to spec as well.

Must be that the coils are touching or rubbing somehow? Especially if the noise decreased with the silencers.

 

[BrodoFratgins]

Must be that the coils are touching or rubbing somehow? Especially if the noise decreased with the silencers.

Yeah I'm starting to wonder if something is still making contact. I did not disassemble the fronts when I installed the new spring silencers so I couldn't see everything.

I've ordered some replacement nuts from Toyota and will likely disassemble the entire front again and see what I can find.

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