To get this out of the way, I'll admit that I'm new to working on cars aside from basic maintenance.

I recently purchased new and installed some Tanabe GF210 springs and strut bars on my 07 Fit. I thought the install went well considering it was the first thing I've done to this car and it only took a few hours to finish .

My problem is that my rear end has developed a constant clunking noise that has gotten progressively worse since the springs went on. It gets more frequent with more suspension travel, speed bumps, corners, etc. The sound can be reproduced by any downward force on the back of the car. It takes almost no force at all to make the clunk.

I've tried taking off the rear strut bar, nothing.
I've jacked up the car and made sure the springs are in their seats and the bolts are tightened, nothing.
The close together coils are on the bottom of the springs, since I know there was some question about that in another thread.

My theory is that since the lower coils on the springs sit on each other, the uncompression/compression are making the clunk. The springs came with a rubber/plastic coil wrapping that could supposedly quiet them down (sounds like the obvious problem I know), but it seems like no one here uses them.

How big of a moron am I? What do you think I'm doing wrong? Does anyone else know of these springs or what I could be overlooking?

 

I'm guessing that the company put those rubber parts in the kit so some people could leave them out and enjoy the clunking sound the springs make without them so other people will know there are new springs installed. But some people like a quiet car and use them as instructed.

 

It just seemed to me that all the installation pictures I've seen have left the rubber coils off with no ramifications.

If you have these springs and can actually say that the rubber bit is the problem, then I stand corrected. Otherwise, it seems like there's more to this.