ack154

iTrader: (7)

So I'm guessing most people have not been following my other thread...

Basically I finally upgraded my suspension from the Hotchkis springs that I won back in June of 05 (Crossword puzzle contest here on SL). And I wanted to mainly replace my OEM struts since they've had about 58k on them (probably 50k+ lowered). I finally got some H&R Sport springs and Tokico struts. Love the set... great ride.

Anyway... about the problem. If you haven't read that thread, here's what's going on:

A few months ago I found what appeared to be a piece of a coil in the driveway. It was probably at least 6" long around 1/3 of a full coil. But I couldn't really tell if it was part of my car because it was pretty severely rusted and I just couldn't tell if it was from a coilspring or not. Not to mention that there was no flat end - both were odd. So if it was a broken coil, it meant that it was from the middle. And I don't think I wanted to believe it would do that...

Fast forward to this past Saturday during the spring/strut install... This is what I found when we took the fronts out:





BOTH springs were incredibly rusted (peeling rust too) and both broken. The broken parts were just sitting on top of the perch and managed not to fall out. It looks like that piece that I found in the driveway was from one of them and just fell out (thankfully not slicing a tire or damaging anything else that I noticed). So the other small piece was probably from that same one - and the other larger piece is from the other side. So yes, BOTH front coils were broken (the rear were solid but still rusted pretty good).

And as you can tell, they weren't just snapped clean off... they were both cracked down the middle where they broke. Crazy. And I didn't ever notice any sudden change in ride or performance. The ride was more harsh than when I put them on but that was 3 years and 50k+ on OEM struts previous.

Not much more to explain... I mean, I do race. But even considering a full season and a half of autocross (in total) and nearly 3 yrs of use, there's no reason I can think of that they would be this bad.

I have emailed Hotchkis and sent them the same pics (and still have the pieces here for now). Still waiting to hear back.

So should you run out and buy new springs and get the crazy Hotchkis ones off of your car? Probably not. Should you be concerned? To a degree... If you have Hotchkis springs, you may want to at least look in on them and see if they're starting to rust and how bad.

I'm hoping (for everyone else's sake) that my springs were just an anomaly and it isn't a widespread issue. Or hopefully they've improved since I got my set. Maybe powder coated and stronger? Don't know.

A thread for thought though...

sciontc313

wow! im shock about this... this is my first choice before when i want to lowered my tC but then my guts went to TRDs... im glad your suspension alright and nothin damage.... HOTCHKIS should recap about this situation....

ack154

iTrader: (7)

Well as soon as they reply, I'll be posting it.

I still did love the springs and thought the look was awesome. The perfect stance, IMO. But now I wonder at what price.

I'd also be curious to see what some other springs look like in similar climates and similar conditions (racing?) in the same time frame...

Yanki01

Jezuz! Thats some serious rust. Mine have some minor surfface rust but nothing major like yours, i got mine installed Oct 2005 (20k miles on them so far). Im still worried about this, i dont have a backup besides my stock suspension. Hopefully Hotchkis has something to say about it. How'd your rears look?

ack154

iTrader: (7)

The rears are still rusted.. but not to the extent of the fronts. I didn't inspect them too closely for any defects... but didn't see any major issues with them.

2_much_tc

I don't know what area you live in, but do you think it could be caused by the salt on the roads? That part is always exposed, and you figure after 3 years of harsh elements being thrown at it, it would get rusty. NOT BREAK, but get rusty. Just a thought....

Tcguy85

wow

ack154

iTrader: (7)

Well I am in the Northeast (NY)... so yes, there is salt. Sometimes a lot of it. BUT... still... it shouldn't be that bad.

But that's part of the reason I'm hoping to hear from some others with similar situations but different springs.

Hyghgynx

That's what I was going to mention. (Possibly weather-related.) But the extent of the damage
is pretty bad. I'm curious about what Hotchkis is going to reply. GL and congrats on the NEW
set-up!!

Javawacked

wow, that sure doesn't give me the warm fuzzy's reading this. been running on the same set since the end of 05. (Sep or Oct.) i get under the car at least once every two weeks. i check the exhaust system, all four corners of the suspension for missing bolts, etc., and the panels, sheet metal, fuel lines, plastic and what not. i have 57000 miles and about 40000 of that on the Hotchkis springs. the only thing on the springs i get is surface dirt from the road after it rains...

gl or your new setup.

p.s. Firefox says that Hotchkis is a misspelled word. one of Firefox's spelling suggestions is 'crotchless'

god i love Firefox

Chrisb319

iTrader: (1)

Did you wash the undercarriage of your car at all during the winter? H&R's are sounding really nice about now.

ack154

iTrader: (7)

Well I washed it as much as I went to the car wash, I suppose. I never really made a specific effort to wash them but I would usually spray into that area when I washed...

Steventc07

I would say its a necessity to paint hotchkis springs to prevent rust then

AcrimoniousBear

OK Ack i didnt know u already posted this but i TOO experience this same thing. 2 days after reading Ack's origninal post my shocks and struts were replaced in favor of Tokico's and my spings are in just about the same shape. they have not completly broken apart yet but they are well on their way. they are squishy enuf that manpower alone is all it takes to compress them enuf to change the shocks. a spring compressor WAS NOT NEEDED! they are in HORRENDOUS shape. like ack the fronts are in worse shape then the rear.

i live in VA and we see a light to mild snow but nothing in the last 2 years that would warrant this amount of rust. i do not drive my car in much salt and i wash it frequently to prevent this sort of thing. however this is not a part most would think of failing. but it clearly is an issue that needs to be addressed. IF YOU HAVE HOTCHKIS I WOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THEM AND POSSIBLY SWITCHING! i will be. Tein S-techs have a higher spring rate and sit a little higher so suspension travel in autoX's will increase which is a good thing since the hotchkis sat too low to prevent bottoming out.

i wish this was isolated cuz i loved my hotchkis' but i think it may be much larger of an effected group than just myself and ack. good luck everyone! be safe!

chicotunner07

^^um, S techs sit much lower then hotchkis btw, your thinking of H techs

kanundrum

hotckis should def come thru and send you new replacements. >_<

davedavetC

iTrader: (4)

i should take a pic of mine, they are rusted bad too so just to let you know you arent alone ack.

i had mine for about 40k miles probably more, and they were rusted really bad, not to the point when they broke but bad.

WendysOrBust

No springs should to this, its extreemly unsafe and Hotchkis should and they probobly will give you free replacements. I know a guy on h-t had a bad batch of Eibach springs, same rust problem, and he had them replaced no questions asked.

Instead of leaving this thread open to people to bash Hotchkis products, call them first and see what they will do for you. I know I've already heard of them replacing broken sets of sway bars.

ack154

iTrader: (7)

I did send them an email that day (saturday) with the pictures attached. Haven't heard anything back yet but at this point I may have to follow up with a phone call to see what they say about it.

And this thread isn't really to bash Hotchkis... I still want to think they make quality products... but at the very least this should be an FYI to people that may have the springs and for those people to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't end up in a similar situation. Though it is sad to hear more and more about other people having similar rust problems...

WendysOrBust

Oh, yea, I know this isn't a bashing thread. I read another thread and apparently a few other members are also having this same issue. Just follow up with a call and let us know what they say.