GC sends 7" springs as standard now? wait a minute . . .
So I got my sleeves and springs from GC last week with a custom rate of 430lbs all around. I've been busy and didn't really look at them until today and . . . damn those are some short springs pulled out the measuring tape and they're 7" instead of 8".
I'm not going to drop the car beyond ~1.5" and I'm worried that the springs will fall out of the perch at full droop (using standard Koni yellows). I can't have that. shops won't touch my car if the springs fall loose when the car is raised on the lift.
Does anyone have any clue if I'll run into issues? Should I call them up and get 8" springs sent out instead? will mounting them on the middle or upper perch be enough and would that make the (inevitable) rubbing worse?
On my car there is tons room between the top hat and spring on the rear with 8" springs. The front is a different story though. I think, using the middle perch in the front, with the car about 5" from jack point to the ground, the spring will just be touching the top hat at full droop.
__________________ Paul
2009 Mazdaspeed3 | 1995 Miata | 1999 Crystal Blue Base - bought 6/13/02, sold 3/11/09
7s or 8s it doesn't matter. They'll both lose contact with the perches with high spring rates.
It looks like the spring should just fall right in to the GC spring seat (unlike the OEM) but I can't say I'm 100% happy about it.
I'm guessing that shortened shock shafts wouldn't be a good fix either since the gap between the sping and top hat could end up being more than 1" . . .
Why not? The Prelude has a ton more droop than it needs.
oh yeah, not that getting rid of an extra inch of droop is a bad thing, just that it wouldn't necessarily keep the springs from falling out of the seats.
I guess I just need to install them, find out exactly how I want the sleeves adjusted to get the height I want, and work from there.
if 7" or 8" won;t make much of a difference, I'm not shipping them back to California and waiting 3 weeks+ again.
Regardless of spring length, at the same ride height, they will have the same amount of gap at full droop. So if you werent worried about it before, why worry about it now? The only reason to worry about the shorter springs is coil bind, and you arent going to bind 400+ lb 7" springs.
Sway bars won't limit droop when the car is on jack stands, and might not even limit it when you're out on the track. I've had debris get between the spring and the perch on the rear springs of my track car at TWS.
Regardless of spring length, at the same ride height, they will have the same amount of gap at full droop. So if you werent worried about it before, why worry about it now? The only reason to worry about the shorter springs is coil bind, and you arent going to bind 400+ lb 7" springs.
I had never heard any complaints about the ERS springs falling loose at full droop so when the springs showed up and they were a full inch shorter than I expected, that was my main concern. I realize now that it's not as big a deal as I first thought.
anyways, I'm just going to order helper springs and prevent any issues with the local shop and to make life easier for me when I have to put the car up on jackstands. I can't find anything better than ~$85 shipped for 4 Hypercoil 2.5" helper springs so if anybody knows of a better deal, please let me know
I would use H&R helpers. They're stiffer (the Hypercoils are very, very soft, and can only be used on top of the main spring), and they're ground on each end so the ends are parallel when fully compressed. Since you're using 2.5" springs, the H&Rs are the best choice. I've had both, and I would suggest H&R.
Don't forget to order couplers as well. You'll spend just as much on those as you will the springs. You could safety wire them together, but a coupler would be more secure.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my setup since H&R doesn't make 2.25" ID springs.
I would use H&R helpers. They're stiffer (the Hypercoils are very, very soft, and can only be used on top of the main spring), and they're ground on each end so the ends are parallel when fully compressed. Since you're using 2.5" springs, the H&Rs are the best choice. I've had both, and I would suggest H&R.
Don't forget to order couplers as well. You'll spend just as much on those as you will the springs. You could safety wire them together, but a coupler would be more secure.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my setup since H&R doesn't make 2.25" ID springs.
thanks for the advice. any H&R dealers you'd recommend? seems tougher to find low prices on H&R now than it was a few years ago.
Sway bars won't limit droop when the car is on jack stands, and might not even limit it when you're out on the track. I've had debris get between the spring and the perch on the rear springs of my track car at TWS.
I don't care about that. They'll limit droop when one wheel is all the way compressed and the other wheel is lifting.
__________________
"The only thing that needs adjusting is the nut behind the wheel."
I checked the GC store and they have couplers for $20 ea and Eibach 3" 50lb helper springs for $50 ea (the H&R are just under $40). I didn't know GC carried them but then again, I never had any reason to look.
and damn . . . I hadn't planned on an extra $300 I could get by without them for awhile I guess but honestly, I'd like to get my suspension all put together in the next few weeks and then leave it alone for the next 50 or 60k miles might as well do this now . . .
Yep, I'm still debating whether or not to run helpers on my new setup. I don't want the spring to come unloaded, but I don't like the added complexity, weight, & cost of doing helpers. However, I can't run without helpers because I can't afford to have that little droop. Right now, the car will have so little droop as is.
Yep, I'm still debating whether or not to run helpers on my new setup. I don't want the spring to come unloaded, but I don't like the added complexity, weight, & cost of doing helpers. However, I can't run without helpers because I can't afford to have that little droop. Right now, the car will have so little droop as is.
my setup will be nothing like yours (daily driver w/ weekend auto-x capability) but if you might be interested in pics of the installed springs, weight of the springs/couplers, etc. let me know. I figure I'll be doing this in about a month.
as far as complexity, you're referring to spring rates? with only 10-50lb rate helper springs, shouldn't they compress fully when all 4 wheels are on the ground?
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
pulled out the measuring tape and they're 7" instead of 8".
Linear Mode
