Admin please move post accordingly.


Due to overwhelming amount of good reviews I installed a set of Swift springs on my Q60 coupe. I'm happy with the springs ride but concerned about the fit. The inside diameter of the springs aren't close to the OEM set. They sit very loose on the shock perch. Swift tech said "this is normal", "the springs will shrink in ID when compressed" and "no need to worry about spring coming off perch". Here are some pictures of the springs mounted. Keep in mind, the backed off spring and brake mount has been fixed, I'm just looking for advise on the gap between the base of the shock and the spring itself. From what I have read about springs, the ID expands when compressed not shrinks. I'm concerned that the spring riding on the outer edge of the perch will weaken the perch or the end of the spring will come off. For those of you that have mounted springs, is this gap normal? Should I worry?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

Can't tell w/ pic 1, pic 3 & 5 the spring isn't properly turned so the end of the coil is to the end of that indent in the shock flange/seat. Pic 4 seems to look OK as far as I can see, but would be better if you had a picture looking up from the bottom to see how much of the seat is under the spring in pic 4.
I wouldn't drive it until you at least get that spring turned so it's seated correctly. As far as the spring ID "shrinking" when compressed, gotta call BS on that one. From most of the pics there does seem to be a sloppy fit at the seat so you may have gotten the wrong part #.

~have you confirmed that you have the proper part # for your application.

 

Thank you Blnewt for the rapid response

Spring has been corrected and is now correctly seated. I included these pics as they give a great look at the gap between spring and shock tower.

Pic 4 does have the spring seated correctly but you can see the different dirt mark shading from where the OEM spring sat. I'm unable to get a perfect picture (see pic 5) but the spring end sits right on the edge of the perch. Meaning the edge of the perch is right up the middle of the spring (1/2 of spring on perch and 1/2 off the perch). This didn't change when I turned the spring on the perch. On one strut the spring sits to one side of the perch where the other strut the spring sits centered. I compressed the spring on the off center one and centered it but it moves itself back after I decompress the spring.

The springs I installed were from 4N911. Maybe I got an out of spec set. I'm awaiting for the ID specs on these springs. Hopefully the tech I talked to sends them out promptly.

 

Hmmm, good luck then, sure seems like they've got way too much play then, my previous lowering springs (B&G S2s) were exactly as the factory springs.
Here's a pic to compare

 

I gotta agree. I've never remembered a set of springs that sat that far out on the perch.

Factory and after market, they either fit correctly or they don't.

I've even had cut springs on a 200SX (Sentra) when I was a young ricer. Even they fit better than this.




That can't be right. I would return them.

 

This does not look right. When I installed my Swift springs they fit perfectly on the perch. Did you try taking apart the spring/strut combo and rotating them as blnewt mentioned? I would not drive the car the way they are sitting now. They should fit like the OEM springs. In your second post you mentioned one sits okay and one sits at the edge of the perch now? More pics.

 

Yes they have been mounted correctly. I kept this picture in the rotation ONLY because it accurately show the gap between the spring and the inside edge of the strut perch. The one spring seems to stay centered but the passenger spring moves to one side and ends up with the end of the spring riding close to the edge of the strut perch. I'm currently down in AZ so pictures aren't possible. I centered the spring before the 800 miles to AZ and the passenger side is off to one side quite a bit. I know I need to make it right and Swift said they will take the springs back. I don't really want to go back to stock but I don't see any manufactures that sell a 1 to 1.5 inch drop? At this point, short of going to coilovers, rolling back to my OEM springs is my only option.


Eibachs = too low for my driving.
H&R's = discontinued for X
Others = I see a few others but not sure about quality or reliability.


Sorry for rambling but 24 hours of being awake has jumbled my brain. Thank you all again for your help/opinions. I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

 

Everyone makes Swift out to be so great and I've never been that impressed...

 

Before giving up on the Swifts maybe someone can post a pic of their Swifts on the OEM struts just to confirm the fit compared to yours.
Huge PITA having to uninstall, send back, reinstall, but if indeed they sent you the wrong set it's probably your best option at this point.

Might post a thread in the coupe folder titled "Help, my Swift springs don't fit, need pics of your Swift springs"
then post what you posted in your first post.
G/L
Sucks that you have to go through this.

 

I've had the exact opposite impression from my koni yellow /swift rwd sport spring setup. Compared to BC coils, or kw1's or eibach w bilsteins (on an old 400e w124) that I've had and maintained on past cars I daily drove (Midwest winter exposure, switching off to dedicated winter and summer wheel setups).. I prefer my current setup . Of course, KW's are amazing coils and build quality and perhaps I should have done a modest 1.5" drop with them for a more fair comparison, but I was living that 'low life' at the time-- so I can only go off of what I've experienced when in use.

I honestly would probably be just fine on eibach springs or even the more aggressive H&r's as the konis are superb. Personally at my age though (33) I prefer the modest drop 1.1 f /1.2 r this setup affords me along w the near zero maintenance or worry about seizing collars or endurance to weather elements.

Agreed, it's all very subjective. The fact that i have hotchkis sways probably plays a role as well. Many variables leading to that subjectivity.

 

I agree that overall, springs and OEM style struts/shocks require less maintenance and attention.

All aspects of determining the best is very subjective and dependent upon the criteria the assessor is using to define "best".