A question for those with Ground-Control Coil overs

[RKT SHP]

I just installed Ground Control Coil overs this past weekend along with Tokico D-Spec shocks. I left on the rubber isolators at the top and the bottom, and installed them according to the instructions(which were kinda vague by the way) and the only variation that I made from the instructions is that I left off the bump stops on the front shocks, I trimmed the rear according to the instructions. I have the "coil over" spun all the way down(only about a half inch left of threads) and the car still sits at close to stock height. I called up ground control for help and they only suggested that I remove the top rubber isolator. I am hesitant to do that because if you have metal on metal its going to be extremely noisy. Does anyone here have any experience with these coil overs and if you do what did you take off(if anything) to get the car lower to the ground.

P.S. I am not trying to have my car sitting on the ground. I am only trying to get it about an inch or so lower. The reason that I went with these coil overs is that being in the military, I am subject to end up anywhere in the states which means I might need to raise the car later on depending on the quality of the roads where I am living.

 

[RKT SHP]

anyone???

 

[cmancha003]

From what i have seen in other threads or other car forums is that they could settle lowering the car a bit or you might have installed them upside-down. If either one of those is wrong, i don't have any other ideas :shrug:

 

[RKT SHP]

I called Ground control and sent them pictures and they didnt say anything about them being upside down

 

[CPRsm]

Can always get different height spring, same spring rating.

 

[RKT SHP]

That is what I plan to do.....I have been talking to a lot of people abou this and they all think that shorter springs with the same spring rate would be the ticket. I am going to talk to ground control and hopefully they will switch the springs out for free.

Can always get different height spring, same spring rating.

 

[chuckstang]

so they are not adjustable in height I take it...

 

[RKT SHP]

actually they are........they just sent me REALLY tall springs that when I screw the adjuster all the way down I am only at stock height.

 

[Tob]

What is the free length of the spring and at what rate?

 

[RKT SHP]

Honestly Tob I dont know, However, when I talk to them on monday I will be sure to ask and post here just so that other people dont end up in the same boat I am in. Just so it doesnt seem like I am negative towards ground control, I gotta say that the parts are very high quality and work very well. I just somehow ended up with a too long spring.

 

[DavidHasselhoff]

KW's worked just fine for me.

 

[evasive]

KW's worked just fine for me.

:rollseyes Wrong thread - he's asking about Ground Control.

 

[Tob]

Honestly Tob I dont know, However, when I talk to them on monday I will be sure to ask and post here just so that other people dont end up in the same boat I am in. Just so it doesnt seem like I am negative towards ground control, I gotta say that the parts are very high quality and work very well. I just somehow ended up with a too long spring.

Hey, sometimes these kinds of things happen. Hopefully it is a simple matter of a spring swap and you'll be on your way.

Good luck!

 

[RKT SHP]

Tob I asked about the spring height and rate today and I was told it is 7 inches and the rate is 430.

 

[RKT SHP]

I have been going back and forth with ground control talking to a guy named jay. He seems to think that I installed them wrong and it is all my fault. At first he told me that I need to remove the rubber pieces at the top of the springs because they shouldnt be on there(the part that goes up into the spring perch). I knew that was the wrong answer but for the sake of argument I did it. Of course that didnt work out to well for obvious reasons. That was on friday, I called back today and he said that the rubber perch on the bottom needs to be removed to lower the car even farther.(I sent him pictures of the back). I informed him that the perch isnt even sitting on that rubber piece and it is less than a quarter inch thick and couldnt possibly make any diffrence. He also said that my bump stop was cut all wrong and that is causing me problems. I sent him pictures of the car with suspension compressed and there is several inches of clearance between the bumpstops and the frame of the car.

 

[RKT SHP]

here are some pictures

for reference here is the car at stock height

and here is how the car sits now with the coil overs just about bottomed out

the rear

another of the rear

the front

another of the front

Please excuse the dirty car

 

[RKT SHP]

Here are some pictures of the coil overs installed

Lets start with the front

as you can see the coil over is just about bottomed out and if you look at my previous posting you can see the height with the coil over at it's present position

Here is one more

Here is a shot of the rubber piece at the top that a guy named Jay from ground control suggested that I remove.

and then the back

Here is a shot of the cut bump stop that he stated that I did incorrectly

Here is a shot of the bottom of the rear coil over. Even though it looks like there is a lot of room left at the bottom for adjustments there isn't. The coil over is actually siting(bolted too) the perch.

Here is a shot of the top of the rear coil

and lastly a shot of the numbers that are on the rear coil

As I am typing this posting Jay just wrote me back and told me to remove the rubber piece on the back and lower it down all the way. I feel that this is the wrong answer. There is no way that I should have a coil over screwed down that far and only have stock height. This coil over set up seems completely backwards to me. It almost seems like they are building their setups to raise Mustangs from stock height rather than lower them.
As I am sure that everyone does when installing coilovers I started with them just about at the top of the perch. And the car literally looked like a dunk(usually older car with HUGE wheels on it jacked up in the air). I knew then that something was wrong. I really dont feel comfortable taking the front coilover any lower as I am going to start running into clearance issues.

 

[DavidHasselhoff]

If you bottom out your coilovers you'll actually have a loose spring so I wouldn't bottom them out all the way because it'll make a rattling type sound. Mine have the same bottom thread count as yours pretty much. You just need a shorter spring with the same rate. You might have to cut your springs if they don't make any shorter springs with that spring rate.....that might end bad.

My fenders are flush with my tires...my tires are equivalent to the stock tire heights. Your car should be at the least 2" lower with the coilover being bottomed out like that. Something isn't correct with that kit. You can also use someone elses springs if they don't make a shorter spring though, but that's more money.

 

[Illtaketwlight]

They look like very big springs to me. That's all it can be is Springs........ My rear coilovers i run 200 Lb's X 14 inches long. They are prefect for drag racing. You probably need lighter springs. How does it ride ??

 

[Tob]

Tob I asked about the spring height and rate today and I was told it is 7 inches and the rate is 430.

I hate to say it, but I get a funny feeling while perusing their website. It would appear as though Mustangs are far from their forte.

The rear bumpstop doesn't seem to be trimmed incorrectly. How exactly is he claiming it to be wrong?

I can't tell from your photo, but does the GC part number on the spring read GC180.64.75? If so, that would correlate to this spring
Ground Control - GC180.64.75 (7/2.5"/430 lbs)

It indeed looks as though you'd need a shorter spring up front to get any lower. But six inches seems way too short, leaving you little room in terms of coil bind. Brother, this kit isn't looking all that appealing at the moment, as you are obviously aware.

Is it possible to get a refund and start over with a kit from MM, etc?

Tob

on edit...

You just need a shorter spring with the same rate.

You don't want to do that. If you went shorter you'd need a requisite bump in rate (otherwise you'll bottom out that much quicker) - it appears as though GC does carry a few alternatives, but as I mentioned before, you're giving up quite a bit.

http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/category.php/CA=214