My new suspension lifted my car. WTF?

[99gst_racer]

I just did an AWD conversion on my GST and I ordered new springs and shocks for it as well.

My previous set-up consisted of Tokico HP's and Eibach Sportlines.
My new set-up consists of Koni yellows and Megan orange springs.

The Eibach's state they lower 1.7", and the Megan's state 2.0". I loved the car's stance with the Eibachs, so I wanted a similar length spring, but with a slightly larger spring-rate.

I installed my rear springs and shocks yesterday, and dropped the car down, and it sits like a monster truck. I have over 2" more wheel-gap then there was before. It's sits like it has factory suspension, and I'm pissed.

So, I loosened the upper and lower control arms and set the car back down and let it squat and that didn't make much of a difference... Is there something I'm missing or doing wrong? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TurboMike]

Did you put the perches on the Konis on upside down? Common mistake.

 

[asian312]

Did you put the perches on the Konis on upside down? Common mistake.

Second that. Also on my rear Konis there were two cuts for the c-clip that the perch rests on for 2 different heights.

 

[99gst_racer]

I'm pretty sure they are on correctly. I'm leaving work right now to go home to verify.

I have the lower perch sitting on the lower c-clip cut.


EDIT: I found a pic in my photobucket. Looks like I have that lower perch installed correctly.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i17/paulvolk/pix1109.jpg


Any other ideas?

 

[TurboMike]

Double checked you have the correct springs going off the part number on them?

 

[99gst_racer]

I'll verify the part number on the box when I get home this afternoon.
Thanks!

 

[laserspeeddemon]

I'm sorry dude, when you get home you gotta take a picture I wanna see this one.

 

[99gst_racer]

Something else worth noting that I just noticed; The passenger side is sitting lower than the driver's side, but still not as lower as the Eibach's made the car sit. What in the world could cause that?

Also, I did verify that I have the correct application springs.

 

[jtmcinder]

Start with the basics: measure the distance from the lower eye to the perch on the HPs and the Konis. They should be the same.

- Jtoby

 

[TwoLiterLaser]

Did you do the AWD conversion yourself?

 

[gsx951]

Paul, are the springs longer than the Eibach?
Is the upper mount OE?
Are the Konis seated fully?

The snap ring grooves in the shocks can be recut to position the perch anywhere you would like it to be. It just takes a lathe and a .060" parting tool. It takes only 5 minutes and is very easy to do. If you weren't on the other side of the state, I'd say stop by.

 

[99gst_racer]

Start with the basics: measure the distance from the lower eye to the perch on the HPs and the Konis. They should be the same.

- Jtoby

I wish I could - I already sold my previous set-up and installed it on a local guy's car.

Did you do the AWD conversion yourself?

Yup.

Paul, are the springs longer than the Eibach?

I wish I still had the Eibach's for comparison.

Is the upper mount OE?

Yes.

Are the Konis seated fully?

I'm not 100% sure what you mean. Can you please elaborate?

The snap ring grooves in the shocks can be recut to position the perch anywhere you would like it to be. It just takes a lathe and a .060" parting tool. It takes only 5 minutes and is very easy to do. If you weren't on the other side of the state, I'd say stop by.

I never thought about that... Thanks for the tip and for the help thus far.

 

[99gst_racer]

Pics:

BEFORE


and AFTER:

1st pic = driver side
2nd pic = passenger side

 

[jtmcinder]

It's been a while, but my memory says the perch was below the top of the tire (when I had Konis and OE-style springs). Are you sure there isn't another groove on the shock's body that's lower? My Konis came with two grooves.

- Jtoby

ps. you could always just take the car rallycrossing ...

 

[laserspeeddemon]

Well, you are comparing a car with BIG 'OLE Rims to cars with 14" steelies, so there are bond to be differences. Why don't you put the Rims on and take another picture. Also you converted the car from to AWD, so there could be some problem there. Did you have the Eibachs on the car at all when it was AWD?

 

[fertez_turbo]

Well, you are comparing a car with BIG 'OLE Rims to cars with 14" steelies, so there are bond to be differences. Why don't you put the Rims on and take another picture. Also you converted the car from to AWD, so there could be some problem there. Did you have the Eibachs on the car at all when it was AWD?

No the Eibach's were on when he was FWD. We set those steelie's next to his 18's and the total outside diameter is identical. The 18's have a lot lower profile tire on them.

 

[99gst_racer]

Well, you are comparing a car with BIG 'OLE Rims to cars with 14" steelies, so there are bond to be differences. Why don't you put the Rims on and take another picture. Also you converted the car from to AWD, so there could be some problem there. Did you have the Eibachs on the car at all when it was AWD?

The outside diameter and circumference on the steelies is the same on my Racing Harts, so it wouldn't matter which one was on the car. I only had the Eibachs on when the car was FWD. The AWD swap consisted of swapping subframes; the suspension's geometry remained unmodified, so I couldn't see how that would have any affect on this issue. But then again, that's why I started a thread about it. Maybe there's something that I'm overlooking.....

It's been a while, but my memory says the perch was below the top of the tire (when I had Konis and OE-style springs). Are you sure there isn't another groove on the shock's body that's lower? My Konis came with two grooves.

- Jtoby

ps. you could always just take the car rallycrossing ...

Yeah, there are only two grooves, and I'm 100% sure that mine is set on the lower of the two.

Ya know, I debated running lowering springs vs. coilovers, and I ended up going the cheaper route. And now I'm kicking myself for it.... So, yesterday, I order my threaded sleeves and nuts, and I'll be running the Hypercoil springs with RRE upper bearing mounts. I should have gone this route the first time.

 

[gsx951]

Paul, check this out: http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/TKRS_2005_Web_Catalog.pdf

Go to page 13 in the catalog.

I had to cut a new snap ring groove in a lower position to use 8" springs.

With the RRE mounts, I had to cut material off of the bushing that the shock rod seats against for the Koni shaft to fit. Otherwise, they're too long to get the nuts on. Again, this is an easy deal with a lathe. Put the shortened bushing between the shock and the mount.

Ask, Ty about this when you order. Mine are a couple of years old, this may have been addressed.

 

[99gst_racer]

Paul, check this out: http://www.truechoicekoniracingservices.com/TKRS_2005_Web_Catalog.pdf

Go to page 13 in the catalog.

I had to cut a new snap ring groove in a lower position to use 8" springs.

With the RRE mounts, I had to cut material off of the bushing that the shock rod seats against for the Koni shaft to fit. Otherwise, they're too long to get the nuts on. Again, this is an easy deal with a lathe. Put the shortened bushing between the shock and the mount.

Ask, Ty about this when you order. Mine are a couple of years old, this may have been addressed.

Yeah, that's basically the same sleeve kit that I ordered. I planned on running 7" springs. Hopefully I wont have to cut a lower groove in the shock body. How much lower did you have to cut your grooves for the 8" springs?

 

[president95]

With the RRE mounts, I had to cut material off of the bushing that the shock rod seats against for the Koni shaft to fit. Otherwise, they're too long to get the nuts on. Again, this is an easy deal with a lathe. Put the shortened bushing between the shock and the mount..

Like this?

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[gsx951]

Yeah, that's basically the same sleeve kit that I ordered. I planned on running 7" springs. Hopefully I wont have to cut a lower groove in the shock body. How much lower did you have to cut your grooves for the 8" springs?

I'll have to stick my head under the car and measure what I did because I do not remember. This might take a day; I'm sick as a dog right now

Confirm this with Jtoby but 7" is kinda' short.

 

[gsx951]

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Yes, that's it.

 

[jtmcinder]

You can run 7" or 8" on a 2G. 7" springs weigh a little less; 8" springs are less likely to bind and produce slightly lower side-loads. But we need to deal with another issue....

The biggest problem I see so far is the lack of top-hats for the set-up pictured above. The RRE plates can stand up to daily driving (which I doubted at first, but now know to be true). There is no good reason not to run top-hats, since they are incredibly cheap and (in theory) reduce stiction.

Linking the two issues: if you run top-hats, you'd be better off with 7" springs, since the hats eat up about an inch. (You also need to put the spacers in the other way, with the smaller one below the plate or you'll lose too much travel.) Without hats, you might as well get 8" springs, since they are more popular and come in a wider variety of rates (at least from Hyperco), which makes swapping and dialing in easier.

If you decide to get hats, get the flat ones from Ground Control. You'll have to open the hole up a little for Konis, but that's easy.

- Jtoby

 

[thekellbeast]

If you decide to get hats, get the flat ones from Ground Control. You'll have to open the hole up a little for Konis, but that's easy.
- Jtoby

GC wouldnt sell just the hats anymore, or just the perches. The guy on the phone even went and asked his manager, and couldn't get permission. I had to sort through a stock car catalog to find the hats I needed.

 

[99gst_racer]

I planned on running top hats with 7" springs. I'm running a welded center diff. now, so anything that helps prevent striction and binding while turning, would be of great help.