I have Tokico Illumina 5-way adjustable shocks installed on all 4 wheels on my '95 RX-7. I installed them new myself with a friend about 2 years ago. From the beginning the rear shocks hiss any time they are compressed. The lower setting 1 and 2 is louder than a stiff setting of 4 or 5, but one can still hear it.

My question is this normal? It is pretty annoying. The shocks work great (I have nothing to compare them too except for the stock shocks). Could they be seating wrong? Or maybe the seal is broken. Note: I can only hear the rear shocks. The front seem fine.

 

My JIC coil overs do the same thing. I haven't noticed the Tokicos in my Honda, but maybe its cause the RX7 is quieter. I was told that it's normal, but it makes me think they are worn out.

I'm wondering if it's a double piston thing. Maybe the guys that have Koni's aor the JIC FLA-2's can answer that?

 

I have the same problem with my new Tokico's. One is hissing. I can tell it is just 1 by cranking the others up to 4-5 and listening to the sound. Been thinking about returning it. Very annoying. Anyone want to call Tokico and see what's up with this?

 

Anybody???

 

Yep, I say it is normal. I had Illuminas on a 1st gen many years ago and they did this. On my 94 I have GAB coilovers, and they do it also.

Mike

 

Is the Gab's dual piston or single? If it's dual, then maybe that's the reason (my Tokico's & JIC SF1's are both dual piston).

 

Don't remember, maybe someone else reading this will know. They are GAB Super R's. I suspect they are dual piston, but can't say for sure.

Mike

 

hey texas7 are you still trying to sell your volk wheels? hey go racer...nice pic under your name, that is my friend's car.

 

Yeah I got the pic from auto trader. I don't have pics of mine but it's a '94 white touring as well.

Were getting off the thread subject though. Doesn't anybody reading this have single piston struts?

 

I got my Tokicos a couple years ago and noticed the hissing too from the right rear. One of my friends works for Tokico, so I took it back to him and we tried it on the shock dyno. It didn't really hiss there, but he still had it sent back and replaced with a brand new one. The new one still hisses, so I'm suspicious that it has something to do with the installation. The next thing I'm going to try is swapping left and right, to see if it moves to the other side. If that doesn't work I might try my stock shocks again. It could be that running on soft settings in the Tokicos causes the upper mount to move differently, this could be where the hissing comes from.
Hissing noise really has nothing to do with single or dual piston (monotube or twin tube). It's more a matter of gas pressure and manufacturing tolerances in the shock. If it doesn't go away after the first couple miles, it usually means there is a leak in the shock.