GC setup advice thread. Help me!

[Beej '86 325es]

i have GC, beotch. 350/450 6" front 5" rear and my car is high still, but it's a 318is, so I'm lighter my perch hits sometimes when I hit big bumps with 4/5 passengers. since i drive so often with passengers and all...

Dude, if you're hauling people in the back seat, get some stiffer or longer springs in the rear now! I used to have 450 in the rear and it didn't take long for them to start binding bad, and I rarely had rear seat passengers. Check the springs, I bet the powdercoat is worn off where the spring would rub on itself. Don't let that go to long, that's how the nub for the spring on my trailing arms broke off.

[808BMW]

What makes the nub on your trailing arm fall off from coil bind? Just the amount of force being put on it?

When did you have that problem? I have the newer barrel-type springs, which GC switched over to fix the exact problem you had.

[Beej '86 325es]

Pretty much just the sudden impact of metal on metal eventually broke them clean off. The nubs are now stuck inside the sleve and I can't get them out. One broke off about 2 years ago and the left one broke and I haven't checked the right for a while but it's gotta be broken or close to it by now. Pretty much the left sleve has been resting in a dent in the trailing arm all this time, I can't believe it hasn't popped out of there. I can't wait to gut my rear suspension next weekend, it'll be the shiznit. I'll finally be able to autocross again.
I've heard that they GC does the barrel springs now, and I know they're still classified as a linear spring, but I don't know how they would be compared to the springs I have now.

[Bryson]

i have GC, beotch. 350/450 6" front 5" rear and my car is high still, but it's a 318is, so I'm lighter my perch hits sometimes when I hit big bumps with 4/5 passengers. since i drive so often with passengers and all...

Dude, if you're hauling people in the back seat, get some stiffer or longer springs in the rear now! I used to have 450 in the rear and it didn't take long for them to start binding bad, and I rarely had rear seat passengers. Check the springs, I bet the powdercoat is worn off where the spring would rub on itself. Don't let that go to long, that's how the nub for the spring on my trailing arms broke off.

dude, you are the suck, I have no coil bind issues. Get the new rear springs. I'm going to chop the top of my rear perch eventually to fix that problem. I also have a set of 450/600s so spring stiffness is not my problem here. My trailing arms also don't have issues being pinched until they break off, GC fixed all those problems with the new batch of springs/perches.

[Paul Q]

I have an 89 325ic that I autocross.

I have 450/700 spring rates with Koni adjustables.

As it was mentioned earlier, the cabrios are heavier in the rear so you need the stiffer springs to keep the body roll in check.

I can email a photo if anyone is interested in viewing my ride height.

Paul Q
89 325ic
paul@eyetoeyepr.com

[rwh11385]

bump

I just got my springs from GC - 6in 475# rear springs.

Should I try to send them back and get 450/600 from a connection where I can get them cheaper.....or just put these in for now?

Anyone know how friendly GC is with returns.....too bad it'll be another $10 to ship it back. :roll: (I could save on the springs I just got still if I send them back. The savings is more than shipping both ways......)

Help me out guys......

p.s. How tall of a front spring should I get? right now it is 150.64.53 (metric) and it is size that works. But could be a little shorter as my front could be lower, and it is near the end of its adjustment.

[aaron_silva]

You could probably get a set of used springs (used being put on the car for a day or even less) for $80 (front or rear). They seem to be pretty good about exchanges, though I have not tried it myself.

Aaron

[rwh11385]

I could get better than that new. :twisted:

I'll call GC tommorrow or Friday, I think they are probably closed now...... And I need to drop by our local frame shop who does a shit load of BMW work and see what they think.

[Beej '86 325es]

How do you get better prices than that for new ones? I think I'm going to have to order another pair for the rear since I'm converting to the H&R adjusters. I'll probably need some 2.5" ID, 6" length, 600 lb. springs.

[rayz]

i just took a look at my GC's. the only #s i could find are as follows
front- 51392
rear- 44350
0500.225.0500 (stamped on a lower coil)

are these springs in their proper places? Ive been having this feeling that they installed the springs backwards. fronts in the rears and vice versa. also, my front spings coils are seperated more than my rears, is this correct?

[808BMW]

i just took a look at my GC's. the only #s i could find are as follows
front- 51392
rear- 44350
0500.225.0500 (stamped on a lower coil)

are these springs in their proper places? Ive been having this feeling that they installed the springs backwards. fronts in the rears and vice versa. also, my front spings coils are seperated more than my rears, is this correct?

Well the front springs are straight, and the rears are barrel shaped... if they are new.

[rayz]

theyre not new. got them maybe two years ago.

[Bill 84 318i]

Rayz, the only number that I can distinguish is the bottom one. I think it's a 5" 2.25ID 500lb spring. Your rear one, correct?

The front springs are 2.5ID and the rears (if not barrel) are 2.25ID. It'd be hard to swap those, and I doubt they'd even fit on each other's perches. Yes, the rears usually have less space between the coils.

[rayz]

thanks bill. now i can see what the numbers mean. I do know thats the drop rate i ordered. 2.5f/2.25 rear. now that I know where Im at, I may go with a 6 inch spring sometime soon. that or make some kind of hat that will sit atop the rear spring to give me alil more height back there. thanks again.
ray