purpose of shorter shocks

[mspiegle]

What's the advantage to the shorter shocks? I'm trying to figure out how I want to do my suspension setup for a track car and am definately leaning towards the GC coilovers.

[permit]

You can slam the car more than you'd be able to with a longer shock.

[E30-323ti]

wrong answer.

Shorter shocks are used to keep shorter stiffer spring captive at full droop.

You need shocks with shorter bodies (modified struts are needed for this) to "slam" the car and still have suspension travel, otherwise you are just riding on the bumpstop=not kewl at all.

[King Luis]

in short. more range of shock travel.
GC also modifies the stiffness of the shocks and struts for the e30s and i think they cut 4 inches of the shock body. (can someone double check this).

[gstuning]

They dont mod the shock it self, they just find other shocks that are the required lenght and revalve them,

Kw does the same on their coilover kit´s

[mspiegle]

Ok, so since my main goal is to track the car, this won't really gain me anything - right?

I have another question.... would I gain any ability to run a wider front wheel if I were to use the E30 M3 front strut/hub/etc assembly, or is the geometry/size the same as the non-M part?

[318isbmw]

Sorry, got a question, so if my shocks are 1 inch shorter when collapsed and 2 inches shorter extended than Bilstein sports, will that be ok on IE stage 3's or do I need to get shock spacers? Sorry to thread jack but pretty much same topic so didn't wnana make a new one.

[Low Level E30]

They dont mod the shock it self, they just find other shocks that are the required lenght and revalve them,

Still not true.

GC does not actually modify the shocks. Instead, they provide you w/ Koni shocks for VW Corrado VR6's --- nose-heavy FWD 6-cylinder. The Koni's for these cars are 4" shorter than the E30 Koni's, and have stiffer valving.

Call TC Kline and speak to Alex. He's your man.

[JRKOUPE]

[QUOTE=mspiegle]Ok, so since my main goal is to track the car, this won't really gain me anything - right?

I have another question.... would I gain any ability to run a wider front wheel if I were to use the E30 M3 front strut/hub/etc







I do not believe the 5 lug M set up allows a wider wheel per se.

[mspiegle]

Still not true.

GC does not actually modify the shocks. Instead, they provide you w/ Koni shocks for VW Corrado VR6's --- nose-heavy FWD 6-cylinder. The Koni's for these cars are 4" shorter than the E30 Koni's, and have stiffer valving.

Call TC Kline and speak to Alex. He's your man.

Hmm... I didn't know TC Kline did non-M E30s. Thanks for the heads-up. I kinda wanted to go through an experienced shop like them since i've heard that GC doesn't have as good of support unless you're talking to the owner.

[Skafrog]

I need to see proof that GC does this. And by proof, I mean serious proof. None of this "I heard it over the internet shit".
Also, IF GC is doing it, are you sure TC Kline isnt doing it? (Certain mustang Koni's also fit e30's). Just because they are using Corrado VR6 koni's doesnt mean shit. If the diameter is 51mm, and they re-valve them to spec, then what the hell does it matter?
GC doesn't have the best customer support in the world, but they know what they are doing. They make suspension systems that win races, and win a whole shit load of them. Jay and the crew knows more about suspension than all of us combined. Some of the stuff they do to their kits is incredible, yet is rarely talked about. You know why? Because people just make assumptions based on other people's opinions, and dont research or take measurements for themselves.

Also, you will need to roll the fender if you want wider wheels.
[EDIT] Oh, and alex is a crazy mofo. He will try to sell you purple "candy". Dont buy them, they are not candy ;)

[mspiegle]

Ok, I think i'm confused now. I plan to track my car, but I don't care about 'slamming' it.. Do I want any of this shorter-shock nonsense?

I should probably just call up GC or TCK and have them tell me what I want, because i'm obviosuly clueless =)

[Skafrog]

Yes, you do. To be at a "competitive" ride height, you will want to be fairly low the ground for multiple reasons (aero, center of gravity, polar moment, etc). To accomplish this, you will need shocks that can handle the lowering, by either reducing he stack height or getting shorter shocks.

http://www.e30m3performance.com/installs/GC_susp/GC_susp1.htm

[318isbmw]

I've got IE's and I'm wondering if it's ok that my shocks are 2 inches shorter when fully extended than a normal Koni shock and 1 inch shorter when compressed, is that ok?

[mspiegle]

Yes, you do. To be at a "competitive" ride height, you will want to be fairly low the ground for multiple reasons (aero, center of gravity, polar moment, etc). To accomplish this, you will need shocks that can handle the lowering, by either reducing he stack height or getting shorter shocks.
http://www.e30m3performance.com/inst...p/GC_susp1.htm

That was an awesome read. Thanks!