STANGmole

Uggggh....I took my car in to have springs installed this week and looking at the box of old parts, I can see that my spring isolators didn't get transferred and installed.

Do I need to be concerned?

The car rides great with no noise whatsoever...now. Will it be a problem in the future? Has anyone ran with no isolators long term? I know some people don't install them to make the car a little bit lower.

SteedaMatt

It could develop a squeek over time.

Sam Strano

I wouldn't worry about it. If it squeaks down the road you can install them. But if it's not now, I'd say it'd be silly to tear the entire thing down a second time for that reason. If it ain't broke and all that.... And I personally never switch them anyway, never had an issue.

wcgman

Take it back. Install was wrong and they need to finish it properly. You don't want it sounding like a mouse every time you go over a little bump.

Murphdog

The old isolators on my stock springs ere too worn out to even be able to pull off of the old springs. I've had my steeda springs installed almost a month now with no isolators and have no issues at this time. If I start having an issue, I'll get them installed.

STANGmole

Thanks for the info everyone! I talked to the shop that did the install (Mustang specialty shop...races Fox Mustangs, was working on a GT500 when I dropped off my car, etc) and when I asked about it they said the reason they didn't install them...is because they don't do it! They were cool about it and said if I wanted them installed that they would do it for me, but they don't like them and as a general rule don't install them and have never had a problem. They assured me that if I have issues to bring it back and they'll make it good. So far, I've been driving it for a few weeks and have had zero issues.

I also remembered years ago when I bought my 90 GT that had 20K miles on it and a bald driver's side tire due to the spring isolator being pinched out and the alignment getting thrown off.

With that in mind I'm going to drive it and see how it goes....

tbear853

As a coil spring is really a torsion bar rolled into a coil, and while it appears to bend in compression, it actually rolls some too .... and without isolators there's a steel end rolling against a steel frame or suspension spring perch. It's not much rolling, but it's there and in time it will wear the seat area some. A little rubber there between ain't gonna hurt .... but if it's a thick steel spring seat it's not likely to wear a hole through the seat either. If a thinner seat like I suspect the upper rear pocket in the frame is (a loose pocket where a spring also has room to move around) I'ld want the rubber there. If on a front shock where the seat is beefier, probably wouldn't matter so much.

Sam Strano

If the spring would wear, or wear the strut perch, it would also wear right through the rubber. The majority of any movement is far and away the portion of the spring that is free to move (not touching anything else). See also how lots of cars with springs that sit on the axle place the spring right on the axle.

I agree a little rubber ain't gonna hurt, but I think the question was "do I need it because it was left off.