Bilstein rear shocks with a ground control coilover kit, Who has done it? Need some help. Thanks! Options

[draganc]

Gents,

I’m in the progress of installing a new set of Bilstein rear shocks with a ground control coilover kit.

Unfortunately, my car has been waaay too long on stands and I forgot how the original shocks were mounted. Not a big deal, however, with the ground control kit I’m a bit lost.

I don’t know if it matters but here is some more information about my set-up: I will be using original front and rear sway bars, 7x15 ATS with 205 tires, front stock torsion bar and are looking for a slightly lowered set-up. In addition, I’m using Tangerines Racing’s rear Delrin bushing kit with solid pivot shafts.

Who has installed such a kit and can help me out?

a – f are the original parts from the car and 1 – 7 what came with the kit.

Questions:
1) Which groove is used on the shocks, for installing the clip to position sleeve 5?

2) What are the measurements (top to bottom) for the gold spring plate on the sleeve?

3) I guess 2, 3 and 4 are only used with stock spring set-up.

4) The Ground control instruction are calling out for “…cut stock Bump Stop in half and use upper half…”.
My old stock shocks did not come with a bump stop. Where can I get original bump stops or is there an alternative way/bump stop?

5) Once the sleeve is pulled over the shock and the spring is installed how do you fasten top plate 7?

6) Top plate has 2 holes. I guess to tie-wrap the springs to it once the car is lifted. Please confirm.

7) Does c and e go on top of plate 7, before they are installed back into the car and then fixated with d and f followed by nut 8?

Thank you in advance for your inputs!!!
Dragan

[yeahmag]

Clip should be on the lowest position.

I believe that is where you have it now. I don't think you need to worry about a bump stop, but if you want to run one and don't have one you will need to buy one.

The adjuster will end up about 1/2 way up on most cars. YMMV.

The "top hat" is zip tied to the spring and uses parts from C, D, and F

[tradisrad]

i put them on my car. I don't think I used the bottom groove. My goal was to have the adjuster 1/2 the way up the sleeve whne the car was at the desired height.
I'll take a look when I get home (if I remember) and take photo.

What spring rate are you using; 150?

[stugray]

May I ask what you paid for the new bilsteins and the ride height adjuster (perch)?

And where? ( all from GC?)

I am shopping around and the rears setup for racing are more expensive than I thought.

Stu

[draganc]

Thanks for your input guys!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

The springs are 125lbs and it came with the coilover kit from ground control. The std. kit comes with 150lbs springs, but since it will be only a street car and the roads suck in NJ I went for the 125lbs. If you call them to place your order, you can pick whatever spring rate you want.

BTW calling Ground Control, I called them twice and was positively shocked - you get the word play - about the expertise of the people answering the phone.
They really know they stuff!

The kit is about $200 – I think a great price. About the Eibachs, actually, I forgot where I bought them. But if you check GPR and/or other club vendors, they will give you very competitive prices.

Thanks,
Dragan

PS: My conclusion, Clip on the lowest position, sleeve half way, then 5, 6, 7, e, c body d, f, 8. Looking forward to some installed pics!!

PPS: GC has bump stops for $12.

[tradisrad]

It looks like the clip is on the 5th position from the bottom.
The Clip on the shock,1, goes on the 5th from the bottom. 5 slides onto shock, center the adjuster ring, and rest it on inner shelf of collar. 6 goes on then 7. C is next, put it in the car, D,F, nut that is on the shock. Disclosure: I could be missing something.

[jimkelly]

http://www.ground-control-store.com/produc...ption.php/II=76

link doesn't say billsteins are compatible

nor does it show available spring rates

but thanks for the thread

jim

[vintage914racer]

I might be mistaken, but I think the bilsteins have an internal bump stop already? I thought I recalled learning that when I installed my bils/GC rear kit a few year ago. Car is in storage so I can't go out and check.

[draganc]

Thanks for the picture

I guess the Bilstein would qualify for "stock" configuration.

How about washer e?

Do I have to install it between top plate 7 and lower rubber bushing c?
That's how the stock set-up was.....

Regards,
Dragan

[tradisrad]

I put the conical nut/bushing "C" straight onto # 7 with no washer under it. I did not have a lot of threads sticking through and with "E" in place there may be even fewer threads sticking through. Again, while I think I installed them correctly, I could have missed something. I don’t have any rattles or loose parts and I've been driving on them since last summer.

I'm running 150# springs which are a slight increase over the 140s I had.

I had the intention of corner balancing my car and that is why I put them on. After I installed and tried to balance my car with my 180lb butt in the seat I learned that I need much higher spring rates to shift the weight of the car around w/o drastically changing the ride height. I have been told that I should balance the car w/o me in it and live with it. I never got total clarity on this issue: see here I don't think I would recommend them in palce of the Bilsteins with the 140lb Weltmeister springs unless much higher spring rates are used and corner balancing is in the works. They do look nice when I am changing the oil.

Jim, they do fit Bilsteins. However, I can't imagine them fitting on stock shocks with the welded-on lower spring perch.

[draganc]

OK, after your inputs and talking to Ground Control, here is what I came up i.r. to the assembling the coilover kit. The black line represents the body.

@ tradisrad, interesting comment about the washer! I put the washer in-between and have enough threads lefts. However, I’m still waiting for the bump stops and have not yet installed the assembly.
Very interesting thread about the corner balancing. This is on my to do list. PM if you are done with your scale chamber gauge set-up and want to sell them I would be interested. PM me.

Thanks again,
Dragan

PS: I love the sticker with the note about Nuerburgring – Nordschleife (aka die gruene Hoelle) Race Track tested technology.

[draganc]

"...I don't think I would recommend them in palce of the Bilsteins with the 140lb Weltmeister springs unless much higher spring rates are used and corner balancing is in the works..."

Could you please clarify, what would you not recommend? The springs 180, 150, 140 or 125lbs? Or not corner balancing with sub 180lbs springs?

Thanks,
Dragan

PS: "...They do look nice when I am changing the oil..."
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) It's all about the bling!!

[draganc]

http://www.ground-control-store.com/produc...ption.php/II=76

link doesn't say billsteins are compatible

nor does it show available spring rates

but thanks for the thread

jim

"...If you call them to place your order, you can pick whatever spring rate you want..."

Jim, you have to call them to pick other spring rates.
d

[dlestep]

...I moved the clip up to position the adjustment collar mid point on the threaded sleeve.
You may consider using tender springs (considered zero when compressed) so you don't have to use a plastic tie strap. After spending what I did on the adjustible Bilstein setup, I thought it was...no solution..., or a cheap shade-tree attempt at best.
A type of solution you'll only have to live with when your rear is lifted. Some run nylon web limiting straps to restrain the suspension from fully extending. (which is cool and adds a certain flavor in my book).



...and yes, the adjustibles... do...look...good !

[tradisrad]

"...I don't think I would recommend them in palce of the Bilsteins with the 140lb Weltmeister springs unless much higher spring rates are used and corner balancing is in the works..."

Could you please clarify, what would you not recommend? The springs 180, 150, 140 or 125lbs? Or not corner balancing with sub 180lbs springs?

Thanks,
Dragan

PS: "...They do look nice when I am changing the oil..."
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) It's all about the bling!!

I guess I would not recommend them, the coil over kits, because corner blanacing is difficult with the low spring rates & driver weight. The car can be lowered with the Bilstein and Weltmeister springs for about $100 less than the coil over kits. And the fine tuning the coil overs provide for ride height does not dont really do any good for our street cars. Now for high spring rates and track cars I bet they are great.

They are looking good, but move the clip up (like previous poster said) so you are in the middle of the range on the threaded collar.