GC Spring Rate?

[Maeda]

I know this is going to sound newbish and stupid but i'm completely serious when I ask...

Anybody know a spring rate good for track drifting? Small elevation changes, on camber and off camber turns...

I know that all suspension geometry is very different car to car so i'm a little confused as to whats race stiff for an e30...

I'm looking for something comperable to my last track car's(240sx) coilovers which were
8 kg/mm front = 450~ lbs/inch
6 kg/mm rear = 335~ lbs/inch


I was thinking
450 lbs/inch front
550 lbs/inch rear

I'd like to be able to do some street driving, but i'm willing to completely toss that out the window for pure unadulterated perfromance.
Anybody want to suggest a damper for these spring rates?

[PiercedE30]

if going GC, go with the GC Koni's. They are shorter than OTC koni's and I think they may be valved a little different.

[Maeda]

How are the GC Koni's matched to the spring rates i'm looking for?

Pretty good? It seems that way reading a few posts on here....

[IS]

I don't usually say this, but use the search...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=72254

[rwh11385]

hey dude, I can hopefully help you out.

You want (obviously) lot of negative camber in front and little in the rear. This makes a difference on top of the spring rates.

I think a strong spring rate in back compared to front will help you get the rear out. Personally, I have read people unhooking the rear bars and having the car be more easily controlled, but you would want more power? Are you turbo'eing it or swapping??

like about a 100-150lb differential may be balanced on these cars, depending on the range of rates.

I'll PM you

[Maeda]

I don't usually say this, but use the search...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=72254

"Ouch I got a search newb."

I read this thread and it didn't really answer my questions specifically enough.

He wanted daily driver spring rates and i'm talking about track duty spring rates, drifting specifically.

The alignment I was shooting for, lance_ entities, was -2 up front and 0 in the rear. 0 toe all around, and as much front caster as I can safely run without demolishing tirerods every 3 seconds. Car will have 300rwhp no matter what.

[IS]

That may be true, but the main problem I saw with your proposed setup is not enough front/rear spring bias. Ideally, it should be around 2:3, or more. I'm claiming this from what has worked for me, calculated wheel rates, and from companies like H&R, IE, & Turner.

My 440/700# setup is more track oriented than anything else. Stepping up to 500/750 or 800 would also not be a bad move. Anything more might be overkill, since most tracks aren't ideal, but it depends on your personal preference, skill, and how much lightening you plan to do.

Good luck.

[rwh11385]

The alignment I was shooting for, lance_ entities, was -2 up front and 0 in the rear. 0 toe all around, and as much front caster as I can safely run without demolishing tirerods every 3 seconds. Car will have 300rwhp no matter what.

lollollol

You've not seen a lowered BMW alignment specs have you? -2 is nearly what some cars with shock strut mounts could have with a lowered suspension, and there is no way the rear camber will be zero, unless..... well, extremely unlikely.

-2 would be hard to get in the back IMO on an E30 that has been lowered in any way.
front can be -3 to -4 with camber plates and give you a good difference

you can get adjustable caster from Bavarian Performance Group or whatever. Also, GC plates have caster adjustments.

[Maeda]

lollollol

You've not seen a lowered BMW alignment specs have you? -2 is nearly what some cars with shock strut mounts could have with a lowered suspension, and there is no way the rear camber will be zero, unless..... well, extremely unlikely.

-2 would be hard to get in the back IMO on an E30 that has been lowered in any way.
front can be -3 to -4 with camber plates and give you a good difference

you can get adjustable caster from Bavarian Performance Group or whatever. Also, GC plates have caster adjustments.

Good god. Well I guess i'm just going to need more rubber. This is going to be tricky....

IS: I was thinking since I'm going to go with gc i may as well try something and if i don't like it, i can always bump the springs rates up later. What dampers would you suggest if I go the 500/750# setup?

[IS]

Turner J-stock bilsteins or pick up a set of used bilstein sports and have bilstein valve them for those spring rates.

Also, what lance was trying to say is that you'll need aftermarket eccentric bushings or fabricating eccentrics like the one in Ireland engineering's kit to achieve close to zero camber in the rear.

[Maeda]

I keep hearing about specially valved koni's from GC. Is this an option as well?

[IS]

Yup, but they're still konis. I'm not saying their bad by any means, but bilsteins are better. They're also $640 without tax or shipping, which isn't cheap. If you decide to go with something like 500/750, I would go with Turner J-stocks, which will be slightly cheaper since they're not coming from CA. I paid $675 out the door. Or, just revalve sports.

[Maeda]

Whats your feeling on the groundcontrol full coilover setup?

I can get this at a much better price the the Turner setup.

[IS]

With their full coilover setup, you're paying them to do some labor, which is wasted money IMO. Its $160 more to get their kit (which includes shortened strut housings) than it is to just buy the parts by themselves. Besides, you don't really need the camber plates (youll get 2.5 degs. neg. up front from lowering the car 1.5") - so that $460 cheaper.

[Maeda]

I need the camber adjustment!

It's getting to where my newbness to this car is becomming a little too apparant. I'm going to do a little more reading up on this.

Thanks for all the help IS.