Fizzboy7

Sorry to bring this up again, but I keep running into roadblocks with my clunking F-Sport springs. After waiting two weeks, I had my installer check them out again. He assures me he did everything as per the instructions and cannot see why they'd be making noise. He left me with the option of getting sleeves, which I've researched here before. That may be something I end up doing, but I still don't think the clunking is happening from the spring coils touching each other. When the clunk happens (more on the right rear spring than any others), it's when I'm going over ruts or cracks on the road at low speeds. The springs are not compressing much when this is happening, so how can the coils be touching each other? So that leads me to think there's something else going on. The clunking also seems more frequent (constant) when it's cold in the morning or the car has been sitting overnight. So that adds a temperature variable into the equation. Bushings are set to nuetral and everything else checks out fine. I don't know what else can be done or what is causing the actual clunk. I've also spoken to my dealer to see if they had any ideas and they didn't. A diagonosis will cost $130 for one hour of labor (of course), which I would consider if it leads to a permanant fix. I'm on the fence here. What actually causes the clunk with F-springs?

ijulmimi

not sure what causes the clunking but what I know is you can out tein rubber silencers, medium sized, 3-4 peices on the top part of the F-sport springs and 100% will eliminate the clunking issues.

Enginerd

I would agree with your observations, as I also seem to notice the same trends. The right rear definitely is the worst offender, but not as bad when there is someone else in the car. I could be way off here, but when I lowered my car I noticed that the lower support for the spring just kind of sits over a small steel ring on the shock. On the stock shock the part that the spring bottom rests on is welded to the shock, could the bottom support be "bouncing" or "riding up" on the shock assembly and causing noise when hitting against this ring ring on the way down? I don't know...but it definitely bugs me, and I do have the Tein silencers, 4 packs!

IS-SV

I voite for the siliencers since the feedback is good that they are sure fix, installed as recommended by ijulmimi.

nsxiboi

iTrader: (2)

i have the same issues, but mine clunks on speed bumps, not cracks on the road. I got kinda fed up with the clunking but now i'm used to it. i'm thinking of switching to coilovers to get a lower aggressive stance.

colHolM

When the springs expand when you go over a crack, they invariably must compress right after. This is when the coils touch eachother.

The TMS fix is a sleeve on the second coil of the spring (IIRC).

Up here in Canada, we tested and found that a sleeve should be put on coils 2 & 4 of both rear springs. It eliminated my clunking issues

sandwiches

iTrader: (1)

Get the sleeves!

IS-SV

Agreed, especially since your original installer is recommending them. He will probalby charge you only a small amount for the instiallation, since they are installed without removing spings, etc.

Fizzboy7

Sleeves here I come. But this still leaves me scratching my head how or why these springs so commonly rub against each other in the first place. I expected Lexus springs to meet a certain standard. Clunking shouldn't be a part of this equation, which again leads me to think there's perhaps something more to it (the installation). But we'll give the sleeves a try and see.
Thank you all who responded. Again, I'm going along with what people say here and it's helped greatly thus far. To be continued...

IS-SV

Fizzboy - Looking forward to hearing about your results.

I too am puzzled by these clunking problems.

I have Eibach 350's properly installed by a very experienced independent shop and have no clunking. And these springs are rumoured to be same as the F-Sports.

If the possibility of "defective springs" is true, it makes me wonder if Lexus dealers still have earlier versions of the springs that were more prone to clunking.

Fizzboy7

You have the silencers on and it still makes the clunk sound?

ecr527

I just installed some F Sport springs on my 350. After reading all these threads about the clunking issue with these springs, I went ahead and bought 4 packs of the Tein silencers. I was originally going to put them on all four springs, just to make sure, but ended up putting them on coils, 2,4 and 6 on the backs, and just on coil #2 up front. Knock on wood, I haven't heard any clunk whatsoever. I've even been intentionally driving over speed bumps just to see if I could get it to make a sound, but I haven't heard anything. I hope it stays that way.

Fizzboy7

Glad it worked for you. I'm just surprised Lexus designed something so rocous. It doesn't make sense to design a spring where coils strike each other simply from going over cracks or ruts. I am thinking about giving corporate a call.

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

the F-Sport springs are not made by lexus.... they are made by eibach

IS-SV

That's what we've heard, but not confirmed. Are some people having the same issue with the Eibachs?