my face, is sad :( (gc coil question)

[Best_name_available]

so after much anticipation I called GC to place my order, and was shot down promptly. When I said I wanted a stiff low setup for a DD and auto x we settled on 400/600 but when I said I wanted to run my bilstein sports he said I would need the GC koni shocks and that was the end of it. I'm a bit confused as it seems that lots of people are running the GC conversion with billys so what's the deal should I go through with it or not?

[MR 325]

Call back and talk to Mark. Maybe he will be more helpful? You can definitely run Bilstein Sports.

[nrubenstein]

so after much anticipation I called GC to place my order, and was shot down promptly. When I said I wanted a stiff low setup for a DD and auto x we settled on 400/600 but when I said I wanted to run my bilstein sports he said I would need the GC koni shocks and that was the end of it. I'm a bit confused as it seems that lots of people are running the GC conversion with billys so what's the deal should I go through with it or not?

If you want to be *low* you want a shortened strut setup.

[Roysneon]

If you want to be *low* you want a shortened strut setup.

This. You will barely be able to tuck tire in the front with Bilstein Sports. If you're really looking to do this on the cheap, get the GC conversion kit, buy Koni SA for a 325ix, then section about 2" from your housings, weld on the new perch from GC. You will need a spacer in the bottom of the housing to make up the difference between the 2" you cut and the 4" shorter that the iX strut is.

I just finished installing this same setup and it's the best I've had by far. I am now lower with the short Konis/chopped housings with my German Engineering coils cranked all the way up as I was with the full length Bilsteins with the coils all the way down.

[Eric]

I had GC on bilsteins on my old E30 M3 and the ride sucked due to bouncing off the bump stops constantly. GC is right about the Koni's, it's way better.

[Roysneon]

The last couple pages of my thread here are very pertinent to this discussion

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=322132

[nando]

Ground Control is right. You need konis, Bilsteins are going to be too long.

[Andy.B]

I am now lower with the short Konis/chopped housings with my German Engineering coils cranked all the way up as I was with the full length Bilsteins with the coils all the way down.

This.

Section the housings and run shorter inserts to maintain suspension travel. Any local fab/welding shop should be able to do it for you for cheap (It cost me $50 to get spacers fabbed up and both housings sectioned 1"). My front adjusters are all the way up, and the tops of the tires are flush with the fenders. If you are looking for a cheaper option than the Koni's, check out the Camaro shock thread for info on fitting 2nd gen mr2 strut inserts in the e30.

[Best_name_available]

Wait so if run koni ix in the front with shortened struts can I still run the Billy sports in the back and get low? I ask this because I already have billys. Is the GC kit better then the GE kit other than choosing your rates?

[nrubenstein]

Wait so if run koni ix in the front with shortened struts can I still run the Billy sports in the back and get low? I ask this because I already have billys. Is the GC kit better then the GE kit other than choosing your rates?

You can also run iX Bilsteins in shortened struts.

[nando]

the ride will still suck

don't bother messing with ix bilsteins.

[Best_name_available]

the ride will still suck

don't bother messing with ix bilsteins.

notably noted my friend, notably noted.

so how about my installed rwd bilstein sports in the rear are they ok to go low?

[RedReplicant]

Just try it if you've already got them. Worst case is you don't like how it rides so you replace them with something else and throw 'em in the classifieds.

[nando]

I'd run the same shock all the way around but you may as well try it.

[Best_name_available]

Yea I'll try it, guess it should be fine since everyone is saying the billys are stiffer