Anywone tried Ground Control coilover conversion kits?

[Adam West]

Hey any experience with Ground Control kits? I have AGX struts and like them but I'd like the car lower and a bit harder for the track/autoX and feel like I'm maxing out the HR sport springs.... I guess you can get the Ground Control coilover conversion kits - and an experience trackie, Todd at FTL Performance, was telling me about them and said you could order any spring rate you wanted. So how would one go about figuring out what spring rate they need (esp since I don't think HR will share info on what rate their Sport Springs are as a baseline)...? Does anyone know the spring rate for the HR Sports?...

I know their a bunch of nice coilovers than this option BUT I'm on a budget AND I feel like it would be a waste to give up practically new AGX's since the problem is in the spring department - so Ground Control conversion? A vote of confidence for me going that route...

http://www.ground-control-store.com/pro ... .php/CA=25

Thanks in advance for insight + wisdom.

[gt2.5turbo]

ya i love them... legacymax has them too and we both approve. the drop is really nice and you can customize your spring rate when you order for what your wanting to do.... i def recommend them

[Imprezive]

My brother works there, and I know a few of the guys to. I've had good experience with them to.

Will you be driving your car on the street to? If so I wouldnt recomend anything over ~380lb/in in the front.

What are your sway bars like???

[Adam West]

Cool - According to the suspension bible/sticky H&R's are about here...

H and R........................(front) 196.25-204.1 ...............(rear) 186.25-193.7

Any recommendations? Wonder what ratio difference I need between front and rear?

Yes, swaybars - just adding a front 22mm to keep the body roll to a min in cornering - hoping the 20mm adjustable set at 24mm in the rear is going to offset any additional understeer.

Just moved to 7" wide rims and tires from the stock 15's so should be a whole new ballgame on grip...

Yes, will be driving the car daily - so I have to decide just how bad I want the ride to be - already rides like a dang stage coach so probably won't be that much worse if I get springs in the low to mid 200s?

Probably the wider tires, being flatter from the larger front swaybar and lowered further than the 1" I get from the H&R's will help grip in cornering. If you track these cars they really have issues with understeer - but are so forgiving in most other cases - I'm sure I've done some pretty stupid stuff at very high speed in learning and really haven't had to pay for it (yet) - not like I would if I was learning on a RWD car...

What think? Any opinions on spring rates and additional info on how these install would be most appreciated!

Also, really dumb question - are they priced per each, set of two or four on the above link? - because 400 bucks for 4 is pretty affordable...

[555BCTurbo]

I believe that is the price for the set.

[legacymax]

I like them, I only thing i don't like about them is that they can become totally unsprung if you get enough wheel lift. Now you need some serious wheel lift to do that, but i wouldn't Rallycross them unless you got a spring that wouldn't unspring. One thing i would suggest is apoxying the metal cone to the spring so that at least these two don't come apart. Now since you are track/autoxing them, you should be fine. I really can't wait to get to drive them again, legacy should be running next week!
-Max

[jamal]

I like them, I only thing i don't like about them is that they can become totally unsprung if you get enough wheel lift. Now you need some serious wheel lift to do that, but i wouldn't Rallycross them unless you got a spring that wouldn't unspring. One thing i would suggest is apoxying the metal cone to the spring so that at least these two don't come apart. Now since you are track/autoxing them, you should be fine. I really can't wait to get to drive them again, legacy should be running next week!
-Max

that shouldn't be a problem if you give them some preload (which should be done). Or the springs are too short, but you can get them in any length and rate.

Back on the subject of the GC springs, I would definitely take them over over low range coilovers and run them with an AGX or Koni insert. I don't know what the AGX can handle for spring but I'd guess it's in the 250 lb/in range.

[ej22t kid]

yes the springs will come on seated if the wheel is lifted but you are not going to jump your car are you? be cause that is the only way it would cause a problem.

Currently i have a set of the GC STI strut bodies with i think they are the 1453 spgc konis with 7-350 in front and 8-380 in the rear when i get a chance the rear is changing to 340lbs

i also retrofitted some GC WRX camber plates.

i love it but it is a little over done compared with the quality of the rest of the suspension so sway bars and stiffer bushings are on this months shopping list.

call GC at 530 677 8600 if you get serious Mark is very helpfull

[Adam West]

Thanks t-kid! I will lcall them - ways off but will do.

Now what about ride height - looks like I can go as low as -1.75...

http://www.ground-control-store.com/pro ... I=85/CA=25

Any chance to go just a bit lower than that? I'm running 16 x 7's and want to get 225. I've heard if I use a certain camber plate I can align the strut in such a way to run very wide tires -- 17 x 245's...Anyhoo, anyone reading along got comments on ride hights with this product?

Thanks again for the encouraging comments up to this point...

[Adam West]

These are the plates in question that let you run really wide tires...

http://www.ground-control-store.com/pro ... =150/CA=97

[ej22t kid]

These are the plates in question that let you run really wide tires...

http://www.ground-control-store.com/pro ... =150/CA=97

you actually can't use these plates, they are too tall for the legacy. I tried mounting them on top and underneath the strut tower and it just didn't work. BUT you can get the WRX old style if you call and ask, you will have to drill new holes and mount the plate from underneath but i think it is worth the amount and easy adjustability. If you can’t figure out how to do that you shouldn’t be working on you own car.

Although, if you are a bolt-on kind of guy i have heard this company http://www.k-mac.com/ makes then but I have no specs on them.

The only way i see you using the plates to help with big tires like 245 is if you go to lets say 3 degrees with the plates then compensate with the factory eccentric bolts, which i think only go to +/- 2-2.5 degrees, causing the tire to be further from the strut and having 1 degree of camber. but you will still have to roll your fenders or fender flares, go rally style!