My 5K got lowered!!- for free

["Livolsi, Stephane" <livols1@investorsgroup.com>]

Actually, it's only lowered in the front right corner.  Dropped my
daughter off at school this morning and while backing up in a turn, a
very loud SPROING! noise from the front right corner.  At the same time
the steering felt stiff and then back to normal after the sproing.  I
know that CV is on its way out and thought that was it - except I was
puzzled as to why would I still be able to have motion if the cv was
broken (diffs unlocked)?.  Continued gingerly on my way to work and
anytime I took a 90 degree corner (at an intersection) it would sproing
into the turn, and sproing again when straightening out.  When I finally
got time to take the tire off, I found the problem - the top coil of the
spring had snapped off.  The sproing was the spring turning against the
strut support!  It had left a very jagged edge that was digging in and
would not allow the spring to turn until a certain tension was reached.
YIKES!

Bad news is the dealer wants over $200 Can. per spring :(

Good news is a not too distant wrecker has several 5K's but no quattros
:1

Better news is 5K non-q springs will fit a q :)

Best news is wrecker only wants $45/spring {:o)

Has anyone else ever had a coil spring snap just like that?  I
accelerate and brake fairly hard but tend to take it easy on the bumps
and don't rally or anything like that. This car is a daily driver and I
treat it pretty good.


Stephane Livolsi
180 Yorston St
Williams Lake, BC, V2G 3Z1
ph 250-392-2637
fax 250-392-2693

'86 5KTQ stock (if you don't know what it means, you aren't in the club)