Kw Installed On 1.4 Auris

[brainii]

Well I just came back from the mechanic. There are 2 issues:

1) The back has lowered a lot more than the front (back lowered approximately 8.5cm! while front 3.5cm, measurements taken from the ground to the wheel arch). The back is not allowed to be this low, but we did everything that the KW instructions said and still..

The reason why the back is so low is that the back springs are too short and the provided expandable spacer (u turn it and it shortens/lengthens) even at the tallest setting is too low. The springs move around freely (but don't fall off) when the car is up in the air on the jack. For this reason, we will order some custom bushes for the back and will equalize the lowering both to front and back.

2) The ride is too stiff and the front tyres bounce around, I can hear the wheels spinning while turning which means they are not touching the road as they should.

Now, the front shocks have one adjustment that u can turn clockwise/anticlockwise, I don't know what this is for, but factory setting seems to be slightly above the middle of the height of the shock, maybe if I adjust this and also after I install the custom rear bushes, and after alignment also, the ride will become a bit softer and level out competely????

I'm very worried about the bouncing effect, anyone care to comment?

[brainii]

so, updating my own post here, maybe others will find it useful and avoid KW as a company in the future.

After numerous emails from myself to KW Europe and KW USA and even KW Canada, only KW Europe replied and said I should contact KW Europe!

Anyhow, at the same time I contacted the local KW representative/dealer in Cyprus, who has forwarded my emails.

We've sent them photos proving with no doubt how ridiculously low is the rear of the car compared to the front. I've also sent them the warranty card which includes all part numbers and measurements.

The local dealer said that they told him that they made a mistake and they've sent the wrong rear springs and will ship the right ones today.

German (IN)efficiency at it's best..

I just hope that when the new springs come here they will be the right size/fit and that the front bouncy bounce will go away.

[Uncle Buck]

From what you've mentioned so far, it sounds like they've really messed up the spring size & ratings. Hence why the rear is too low & the front is rock hard. I hope KW will help you out quickly with this, because at that price they shouldn't be making simple mistakes like this !

[Speed_Chaser]

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully they will get this sorted asap. Could we see some pics of the car?

[brainii]

pics sure? ehhh, how do u add them? I see no attach button, only a link button..

[Speed_Chaser]

It's on the right side of the link button. Not the next one but the next one :D

[brainii]

[brainii]

Yes I know the image button is there, but it then asks for a url, not a file from the hard disk..

[Speed_Chaser]

Ah ok I see. Well, you could use some upload service like ImageShack in order to get URL. But if you want to upload your file directly to TOC just select "more reply options" and then there will appear "attach files" field beneath the message field.

[northernlite]

i have already a coilover suspension of kw (version 1) installed.nearly since two years.

if you follow the instructions of kw 100 percent, the back is too low. they say remove the bumpstoppers/spring limiters but this isnt possible, so put them in and everything ist fine.

nobody can really control if you have this in. here in germany you will get no stress with our car checkers.

i have lowered the car in the front more than 50mm and the back 60mm.

with 225/40 tires on 18'' rims with 8'' width you have no problems with rubbing tires.

the back you can lower more if you want, but then you will have problems when you transport more than 2 persons.

you can look for pictures at my thread: http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/139210-black-toyota-auris-d-cat-from-germany/#entry1230626

[brainii]

northernlite, this is interesting. However, on my exact car, the original rubber for the springs doesn't fit the KW springs. Also, I asked the mechanic about the bump stop and he said it has nothing to do with the height of the car, that's just to stop the strut from bottoming out (and we did use the existing bump stops, as per the KW instructions).

I have since dropped the front height to 4cm lower than what it was before the KW install. The back still sits almost 9cm!!! lower than before so there is a huge difference. We also have to remember that originally, the front of the car was 1.5cm lower than the back, so after all this is finished, I want to keep the front a tiny bit lower than the back, as it was intented.

In either case, KW admitted they f*cked up, and they sent me new springs yesterday for free, they should be here by Wednesday/Thursday.I just hope these ones are correct!!!

I'm attaching the photos to see the huge difference. I even removed the spare wheel from the back to reduce the rear sagging a bit!

Oh, and the bouncing / harshness seems to be reduced with every passing day, it seems that they really need some time to settle in. Hopefully when the new rear springs get here, the car will be just perfect!

[Speed_Chaser]

I see what you meant, well, you've got the hellaflush look now. It's all level, many people dream about this!

[Uncle Buck]

That's odd - the front doesn't look like it's dropped that much ? I hope I'm wrong here, but it seems the front springs might be too high a load rating as they definitely shouldn't be that high & yet jumping around like a jack rabbit. That's the kind of behaviour you would expect from cheap massive drop springs - which these obviously aren't !

I speak from experience, having owned a Skyline with Tein coil-overs and a supercharged Nissan with BC's on.

[brainii]

like I already said, the front height is now 4cm lower than what it was before the KW install BUT the back is 9cm lower. This is why it looks that the front is not dropped. It might also look not as low, as my tyres are 15 inch and with steel rims.

I also found out that by lowering the front more, the front springs lose tension and bounce less.

I also did say that it's getting better everyday, hence not so bouncy anymore..

[brainii]

northernlite, and everyone who might know, this are the parts I have left over from the OEM rear suspension. Does this look about right? This is what's left over if you follow the KW installation manual.

[northernlite]

hey brainii

these orange stoppers of the last photo we cut a little bit an put them in the back kw suspension.

my length between the edge of the wheel arch and the wheel centre ist 325mm in the front and 345mm in the back.

how is it on your car?

what version of the kw suspension do you have?

there are 3 version and they also differentiate between independent suspension and twist-beam rear suspension.

do you have the correct one for your car?

the number on the photo of the damper is the same number of mine.

i have a 2007 auris dcat. i have a definitily a independant suspension.

anybody knows what kind of suspension the 1,4 auris have?

these are only some thougts, which should help you to find a solution

[brainii]

I don't think we are meant to cut down original parts and re-attach them (orange stoppers), this can't be right, the KW manual says the orange ones have to be removed and even shows them in a photo with a big X over them.

I'll have to check the length when I get home, I wrote it down on the warranty card but if memory serves right, it's 370mm front and 320mm at the back.

I have the simplest KW V1 Inox suspension and yes, it's the correct for my car.

My 1.4 petrol Auris has the simple rear suspension (I think it's called twist beam).

I know 2 things:

1) The diesel Auris front axle supports 1100KG, while the 1.4 petrol supports 1020KG maximum. The KW only makes one suspension for the Auris, and this supports 1100KG, maybe that's why the front of the car is a bit too stiff, (that's less than a 10% difference though).

2) The diesel and the petrol versions have different rear suspensions, maybe that's why it doesn't properly fit on mine?

However, KW has already shipped new rear springs, maybe they realized these differences themselves and made new rear springs for the petrol engines. We will see when they come on Wednesday/Thursday.

Thanks for the replies, I will update this post when they get here.

[brainii]

btw I did look up the measurements between the edge of the wheel arch and the wheel centre.

Both fronts are 370mm, back right is 320mm, back rear is 315mm.

I also read the product specifications more thoroughly today, there are 2 different types of rear springs, one for the independent suspension (diesel or SR Auris) and one for the twist beam axle (petrol Auris) and guess what?

They sent me the wrong one! The correct one is also 6cm taller, which should work perfectly.

[northernlite]

thats exactly what i thought, there are two different rear suspensions on the auris and you need the correct springs.

when do you get your new springs and when is it installed?

[brainii]

You will not believe this, but the new springs they have sent, are 2.5cm taller than the ones I have, but still the wrong ones!

KW said to put this on and it's fine, and they want the old ones back too (which the local rep will deal with).

If I install these at least, I should be within the 3-6cm drop (exactly at 6cm) for the back they advertise, but won't be able to raise the height at all.

I'm thinking to just put them on and the hell with KW as it's been too long waiting and the stress is bad for me, plus they won't answer my emails so anything I do tell them has to go through the local rep and I can't be sure of what he's telling them.

2 things:

1) I regret not buying BC racing coils, which were slightly cheaper and I could buy direct and the British speak English and they wouldn't probably send the wrong ones (not twice that's for sure).

2) I'm never buying KW again and will probably stop buying German stuff all together! I thought the Germans were organized and efficient,well, apparently not.

I'll install them in the next few days and post back.

[Speed_Chaser]

So why not to just return the springs, ask them to return the money and compensate the stress and installation fees which I think were huge due to looking into this problem and trying to make the faulty springs fit as they should.

[brainii]

I don't wanna return them. I've spend close to 200 Euro so far (mechanic installation, wheel alignment which I will go tomorrow, transport costs..) and for sure they won't be returning that cash back even if they did give a refund. Plus the whole point was to install coilovers..

Progress report:

We've installed the new rear springs today. The rear did become 2.5cm taller and the front also almost 1cm taller. Rear is now 6cm lower than stock which is right at the limit of KW (3-6cm drop), front is almost at 4.5cm drop which is low but within limits.

The ride is better now and the car looks and feels more balanced. However, I wonder how much better still it would be with the CORRECT rear springs.

Considering that the springs drop 0.5-1cm more after they settle in, the rear ones will eventually be out of KW limits.

I've told this to my local KW rep, I'm waiting for his response. I have to note that the local rep has been very supportive so far, unlike the KW central back in Germany..

[Awebb180]

I don't think we are meant to cut down original parts and re-attach them (orange stoppers), this can't be right, the KW manual says the orange ones have to be removed and even shows them in a photo with a big X over them.

I'll have to check the length when I get home, I wrote it down on the warranty card but if memory serves right, it's 370mm front and 320mm at the back.

I have the simplest KW V1 Inox suspension and yes, it's the correct for my car.

My 1.4 petrol Auris has the simple rear suspension (I think it's called twist beam).

I know 2 things:

1) The diesel Auris front axle supports 1100KG, while the 1.4 petrol supports 1020KG maximum. The KW only makes one suspension for the Auris, and this supports 1100KG, maybe that's why the front of the car is a bit too stiff, (that's less than a 10% difference though).

2) The diesel and the petrol versions have different rear suspensions, maybe that's why it doesn't properly fit on mine?

However, KW has already shipped new rear springs, maybe they realized these differences themselves and made new rear springs for the petrol engines. We will see when they come on Wednesday/Thursday.

Thanks for the replies, I will update this post when they get here.

If the rear springs are still too short then you have two options from my point of view. 1 return the whole kit and go springs/dampers or bc coilovers which are specific to your car+engine or 2 order custom springs in length + axle weight

i would still be concerned about running the wrong axle weight up front - this wont let the car settle properly so thats why its slightly high + it wont drive correctly with compression and rebound - almost skittish across the road

Alex

[brainii]

Awebb180, I'm still in negotiations with KW Germany, trying to convince them that my car is in fact twist beam rear axle (they want photos, they don't believe me, can you believe that?). Anyway, I've sent them photos of the actual rear suspension, maybe now they will reason up and finally send the correct rear springs.

As far as the front is concerned, KW only makes 1 type of V1 front suspension for the Auris, so this will have to do (it's only 80kg difference in weight for the front axle, not that much in my opinion). I don't even know if Toyota themselves make different front suspension for the petrol/diesel engine version of the Auris.

Here's a picture of my rear suspension, I know it's twist beam but just to reconfirm:

[Uncle Buck]

80 kg of difference in front end weight is actually quite a lot.

Most suspension companies (especially racing ones) would tell you that correct spring weights & lengths are crucial to the handling of your car. I asked specifically for 6kg front & 4 kg rear weight springs on my petrol Nissan, because they had quoted me for the diesel (which is 50 kg heavier at the front end & thus a 7kg spring). The difference it made was very noticeable & the softer spring was well matched to the lighter nose weight.

Just pause for thought ......