Coilover advice

[s4mmie]

Okie dokie, as some may know I recently installed my KW coil-overs.
First things first; I do like them. The ride is surprisingly comfortable and they sit at a nice height.
But! at the moment is an annoying groan in the fronts, as seen here --
IMG 0616 - YouTube

After talking to Jimmy and reading on a few other forums, see here --
ST coilover "groaning noise" - VW GTI MKVI Forum / VW Golf R Forum / VW Golf MKVI Forum / VW GTI Forum - Golfmk6.com
-- it seems to be a common 'hit-or-miss' thing with coil-overs.

I know a few other members have differing noises in their coil-overs as well.
It generally only happens at slow speeds when first moving off; I don't hear it while driving.
I thought I could live with it, but now it's starting to piss me off on principal because it just shouldn't be doing it.

I emailed Damian at DPM performance and confirmed what I thought: KW will need to receive the faulty units to test before sending out replacement units under warranty. PITA. Postage alone is going to kill me. (Let me just say I realise that this is just what you have to deal with if you're prepared to buy overseas, no fault of DPM)

I'm taking this one on the chin as a lesson learnt. Like I mentioned, I fear that postage will be prohibitive to a warranty claim.

A few options I see are:
1. Sell the KW's at a nicely reduced price and get some new coil-overs. Although I'm worried I might purchase some faulty units again.
2. Find someone to repair the front coilovers. No idea on what kind of money I'm looking at here or who could do that..


It's obviously a common problem and now I wish I paid that little bit more and went with Chris at TPR. At least then I'd be getting replacements from KW Au. Sorry if it comes across like feeling sorry for myself, but It really pisses me off that people find themselves in this situation to begin with. It's almost naive to expect to buy a quality product these days.

/rant


Cheers,
Sam

[Blitzen]

Check your sway bar links... For ages I though the binding sound I had was the springs on the strut tops at low speed, and the whole time it was the sway bar links.

[noone]

Someone was selling a set cheap, with 1 damaged strut. Could make for a cheap spare kit?

Droplinks, swaybar bushes and top mount and bearings worth looking over as we'll, that's where my issues have been.

[Bflat]

As above, I'd be looking at your strut top mounts and bearings. I'm adamant I have the same noise you speak of, however I can live with it as I back down my driveway (the only ever time I hear it). I doubt it's the KW's.

[vwthunder]

I have had KW V1's V2's and V3's

Never had a problem before

[s4mmie]

Hmm strut top mounts, bearings and drop links were all replaced when the coils went in.
I've had a few mechanics under there and they've all reached the conclusion that it's something wrong with the strut internally.


No harm in having another look this weekend I guess..

[Jmac]

Think you will fin you will chase your tail here, pretty sure its the struts, i looked at a set of Teins doing same thing last week and its the struts, ive swaped out a few sets at owners request (KW) for the same thing and is the struts. Its pretty well known and only happens when cars been sitting or when taking off, goes away after 5 mins. The KWs got swapped out for second hand set and were quieter but it was still there though. Seen it too many times now for it to be anything else, still keen to hear if you guys find something else

Cheers
Jmac