Rusty Suspension Springs

[robvas]

My Kia spring - I understand the rubber sleeve is to prevent the spring from causing a blowout if / when it fails (it did hold it in place, I had to tear it to remove the broken piece of spring from within the remaining coils)

The rubber isolator/insulator on springs are for preventing vibrations/noise, not for tire blowouts.

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[Cobra Jet]

A note of caution before blaming any vendor:
Just because a vendor (XYZ) sells suspension springs with their name does not mean they are also the manufacturer of the springs. Many vendors give their proprietary specs to well known Spring Manufacturers and the coil spring is produced under contract with that Vendor’s name.

Example: Ford Performance (or their prior entities of Ford Motorsport and Ford Racing) does not and never has produced the actual suspension coil springs with their name on it. IIRC, going back at least 30 years now, it was said that Eibach was the supplier for the Motorsport/Racing springs…

Places like some of these in this link are contracted to make XYZ suspension springs for nearly anything that requires a coil spring:
https://www.google.com/search?q=coi...rers&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

Then you have companies like Eibach, KW, AST, H&R, Vogtland, etc. who are huge in the industry and also get contracted to produce XYZ springs for XYZ aftermarket entity or global vehicle manufacturer.

IMO, the “problem” isn’t with “Steeda”, the problem goes back to whomever is the contracted supplier doing the winding, coating and QC of the supplied springs. If their coating isn’t lasting through a minimum of 10k miles or less in winter climates, then they need to figure out why the coating is breaking down.

The problem also doesn’t exist with just a aftermarket “vendor” or reseller per se - the problem has existed with factory coil springs too.

I had a prior 96 Cobra with a failed driver side front factory spring; the last coil on the bottom had snapped midway through itself and was wedged between the top portion of the coil it broke from and the lower control arm perch. It never made any noise, the car never handled any differently and the car didn’t lean or look any different from the driver side to the passenger side. The ONLY way I found it was because I was upgrading the suspension to aftermarket components including the springs. When I went to remove the spring the broken part was in the perch…. That was after the car had over 80k miles on it too.

So factory components fail just as the aftermarket does BECAUSE the part itself is mass produced and in some instances it’s coming from the same materials used (metals and coatings), same manufacturing process, and same contracted manufacturer.

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For those in a winter climate where road salt is used or if living by a salt water bay or the ocean - best recommendation I can give is to do a chassis rinse ofter use rather than letting salt deposits sit. You can use a car wash power wash hose, go to a car wash that does chassis spray or just a house hose. If the car sits for prolonged periods of time over a stone driveway, dirt/grass, or outside in the elements - drive it every now and then to air out the chassis. Just air moisture alone causes corrosion too.

 

[robvas]

IMO, the “problem” isn’t with “Steeda”, the problem goes back to whomever is the contracted supplier doing the winding, coating and QC of the supplied springs. If their coating isn’t lasting through a minimum of 10k miles or less in winter climates, then they need to figure out why the coating is breaking down.

While this is partly true, any company putting their name on parts should be regularly testing and QC'ing what they receive from their suppliers.

 

[WD Pro]

The rubber isolator/insulator on springs are for preventing vibrations/noise, not for tire blowouts.

It's not the isolator, it sleeves the first few coils and if I remember correctly, it was a low level recall that was done during service (maybe around year 4) and breezed over.

You can see the sleeve on the photo I posted - the full section of spring is covered in it, the remaining bit of the sleeve is still on the car :

This is the isolator for my car :

You can see both items separately in this screengrab (same car) :

And you can see the rubber sleeve has retained the broken part of the coil.

WD

 

[robvas]

It's not the isolator, it sleeves the first few coils and if I remember correctly, it was a low level recall that was done during service (maybe around year 4) and breezed over.

You can see the sleeve on the photo I posted - the full section of spring is covered in it, the remaining bit of the sleeve is still on the car :

That's what this part is...

https://www.steeda.com/ford-6r3z-5l302-a-mustang-front-coil-spring-isolator

This isolator slides over the lower portion of either the left or right front spring to minimize NVH and allow free spring rotation during bounce and rebound. Steeda recommends that both left and right isolators are changed in pairs to eliminate height variance side to side.

 

[WD Pro]

That's what this part is...

https://www.steeda.com/ford-6r3z-5l302-a-mustang-front-coil-spring-isolator

This isolator slides over the lower portion of either the left or right front spring to minimize NVH and allow free spring rotation during bounce and rebound. Steeda recommends that both left and right isolators are changed in pairs to eliminate height variance side to side.

I've posted the info relative to my example, not much more I can say ... ?

Here is the exact same car, without that addiotnal part (I assume it was non Kia serviced) at 5 year 79k :

The additional tube part (separate to the Kia isolator), fitted FOC to my car, by Kia, after manufacture and during a routine yearly service, potentially saved me from the scenario shown above

Which interestingly, is the exact scenario that cost my wife a tyre and a drop link on her mini ...

WD

 

[MAGS1]

While this is partly true, any company putting their name on parts should be regularly testing and QC'ing what they receive from their suppliers.

Nailed it. If it’s got your name on it, I’m blaming you regardless of who actually manufactures it. They are manufacturing based on the seller’s specs and if something has my name on it, I want quality products backing my name

 

[K4fxd]

I'm going to pile on also. Steeda needs to change their coating process.

 

[MAGS1]

I'm going to pile on also. Steeda needs to change their coating process.

Agreed, for everything. Took 4 winters but my jacking rails are starting to rust now. I sprayed my IRS braces and G Trac brace with several coats of Rustoleum before installing to help prevent that. A better powder coat will hold up against that much better.

 

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

They are not a safety hazard at all. Not one bit. Ugly, but completely safe.

mild winters are actually worse for rust btw, the salt on the roads corrodes exponentially faster above freezing. Your son has a nice car btw I’ve seen it around metro Detroit.

For now, perhaps, but long term the corrosion will continue and get worse, leading to a safety issue.

 

[EFI]

The attached images show an example of a popular Steeda lowering spring set

Yup as always, more Steeda garbage.

 

[sms2022]

For now, perhaps, but long term the corrosion will continue and get worse, leading to a safety issue.

If you saw some of the rusted shit we have on the roads around here…trucks with frames broken in half towing landscaping trailers, cars with the front clip missing and the wheels pointing in different directions…

hell my fiancés ford escape had the rear strut come through into the cabin on the highway after the wheel well rusted out last year. Popped right up through the back seat like whack a mole.

never heard of a car with a broken coil spring from rust though

 

[Mike Pfeifer]

When I worked at a BMW dealer in the south side Chicago suburbs, I constantly replaced broken rusted springs.

 

[80FoxCoupe]

Yup as always, more Steeda garbage.

Serious or no?

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

It must suck seeing the thing you love basically rot before your very eyes in these salty states. I don't envy it. Beater cars ftw i guess.

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