Advance Design coilovers

[Jean]

Ok, so there is a chance I'll be running these soon on my car. Who here is running them ? Post pictures / list your suspension specs and comments.

Thanks.

[Jean]

Edited with correct info - I'll try and get some pictures .

Description for GC/Koni:

E30 Street Coil-over kit, (uses EXISTING 325 housings that are on your car),


2 Koni single adjustable strut inserts, bolted into existing housings

Koni Single Adjustable Front Strut Struts are externally adjustable from underneath the hood, even with the factory strut brace. This strut is prepared for coil over use, and eliminates machining of critical suspension components. This kit includes zinc plated (no rust) spacers when used with shortened housings.

Ground Control Threaded Sleeves This system is designed to eliminate stress risers caused by machining notches into the strut housing. Unlike other companies that claim superiority by cutting threads into a critical component of the suspension, Ground Control uses engineering common sense to maximize the strength of the suspension.

Ground Control Adjustable Spring Perch A unique design, that uses an allen head bolt to clamp the single threaded perch into the correct position. No secondary pieces are needed to "jam" the threaded perch into position. This method of clamping onto the threads also prevents sand, grit, and water from getting into the threads, which is a common problem with jam nuts.


2 Koni single adjustable rear shocks

Koni Single Adjustable Rear Shocks Preadjusted by Ground Control to match your rear spring rates using our shock dyno. The standard version of this kit is the "top-adjust" version, which adjusts from inside the trunk or under the hood with no tools needed.

1 Pair front Camber Plates



Ground Control Racing Camber / Caster Plates More camber adjustment than stock, caster adjustment, aircraft bearings, engraved with calibrated degrees, with stainless steel reinforcement. Every component is anodized or plated, including fasteners. Adds extra travel to avoid excessive bottoming out, this is a very well engineered product. The stainless steel reinforcement prevents electrolysis between the steel fender and the aluminum camber plate.
Camber and caster are separately adjustable by sliding the mounts, without removing any components from the car. The priority of this design is to allow fast, repeatable alignment changes at the track.
The Ground Control camber plates feature two sets of bearings, a proprietary bearing, made to our specs by Aurora in the USA, which allows for articulation of the shock shaft. This spherical bearing is very understressed, as the Ground Control design does NOT support the weight of the car on the spherical bearing. Instead, the weight of the car is supported by a completely separate articulating needle bearing, which is also manufactured for Ground Control in the USA.

4 Eibach ERS springs, (not pro-kit), with a street spring rate

Eibach Springs A selection of spring rates are available. This kit uses springs custom made for Ground Control by Eibach. They are barrel shaped, and have more travel between the coils for additional suspension travel compared to the standard Eibach springs. Lifetime guarantee.

4 Ground Control bump stops (made in Germany)


Ground Control Bump Stop We do not just ask you to reuse your stock bump. The stock bump stop is designed for stock suspension we provide a bump stop designed to work with our suspension. These are soft foam, same quality as OE BMW parts, but made to our specs in Germany.

2 Rear ride height adjusters

Ground Control Rear Ride Height Adjustment Kit Billet aluminum threaded adjusters press onto the top of the rear control arm.

2 Rear upper perches.

Ground Control exclusive. Tapered upper perch quietly seats the
rear spring, and prevents the spring from falling out while driving or
working on the car.

1 Pair rear upper shock mounts (urethane) Ground Control Rear Shock Mount Billet aluminum, urethane bushings, pre-assembled. Includes gaskets and reinforcements.
Lifetime guaranteed bushings, compare


* Suspension is shipped completely assembled and preadjusted *

(You install into your housings, or Ground Control can shorten, add an
M3 style sway bar mount, install perches and powder coat your struts for
$180 per pair)

[E30Driv3R]

Ya PICS! i wanna know about these!

[Jean]

Found out the E30 does not have a new housing but rather GC mods the housing for you unless you do it yourself... ($180 for modification for a pair)

ADVANCE DESIGN Strut Features
Externally double adjustable, separate bump and rebound knobs (patent pending).

135,000 psi tensile strength alloy shaft, hard chromed.

Aerospace bushing material to withstand the high lateral loads of racing.

Rebuildable and revalveable by you, the racer. All shims, pistons, and spacers in stock at Ground Control Suspension.

Red Line® synthetic oil, custom blended to our demanding standards of viscosity and temperature stability.

Exclusive internal double adjustment mechanism using a single shaft for greater strength (patent pending).

Titanium internal components for strength with less weight.


High flow pistons available in four different configurations for the ultimate in adjustability.

Separate, lightweight floating piston and nitrogen chamber.



12.75" long body, 1.75" O.D., 5.5" stroke, 20.75" extended, 15.75" compressed, 0.625" O.D. shaft mounting. Although this is a semi-universal application, custom applications are available for some cars. BMW M3, Camaro, Mustang, Porsche etc.

[Jean]

The above picture is a modified e30 housing. Doesn't look like E30s get a custom housing like other applications.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Are these better than any other GC's or the C3 Motorsport setup from your research Jean?

[Jean]

Are these better than any other GC's or the C3 Motorsport setup from your research Jean?

These are a step up from the usual off the shelf stuff, not really a daily driver type of suspension.

The entry level is the GC $400 sleeves with the ERS springs that you throw on your stock struts with your shoice of Bilstein / Koni inserts.

Then you have a full coilover kit with the modified front struts / camber plates.

Or the AD stuff I am researching for those who don't need to buy the whole Coilover kit as we might already have the Camber Plates and / or ERS springs on hand and want better valved inserts and hardware to support the stiffer spring rates.

Once I get the actual pictures of the e30 hardware I'll post them them up here.

[Elephant]

You might also consider the AST coilover kits. The monotube design is superior not only for adjustability but also for ride comfort. There are more and more reviews from those who've switched from other kits to the AST and found them to be much better overall. Just another one to consider.

I have the 4300's on my GTS car and from limited testing am quite pleased. This spring, rather likely early to mid summer, I will be doing a full test/tune study over a few days at Autobahn so I'll more personal experience to relay. Anyway, like I said just another option to consider.

Cheers.

[Mike B.]

+1 on the AST's. Very nice product! They are on my list when I go to true coilovers in the rear.

[e30 gangsta]

Links to where we can check out the ast and advance design coils?

[Elephant]

Links to where we can check out the ast and advance design coils?

You can see what I have up currently for the AST selection (I'm actually working on more products for the catalog right now) here:

http://www.elephantmotorsports.com/ast-suspension-systems-c-114.html

Be sure to click on the AST technology links. You can also search bimmerforums for review discussions.

I have dealt with GC previously, both retail and wholesale, and let's just say I never ever ever ever will again for any reason whatsoever. To be blunt, if they were the only suspension available for any car, I either would not have a car or my car would have no suspension.

Anyway, I also deal with TC Kline stuff but not as much.

Cheers.

[Jean]

You can see what I have up currently for the AST selection (I'm actually working on more products for the catalog right now) here:

http://www.elephantmotorsports.com/ast-suspension-systems-c-114.html

Be sure to click on the AST technology links. You can also search bimmerforums for review discussions.

I have dealt with GC previously, both retail and wholesale, and let's just say I never ever ever ever will again for any reason whatsoever. To be blunt, if they were the only suspension available for any car, I either would not have a car or my car would have no suspension.

Anyway, I also deal with TC Kline stuff but not as much.

Cheers.

Hello,

You should make another thread for AST kits with all the relevant information / links etc. IMHO if I was going to drop $2400 on a coilover kit I would also consider Motons and the like. There is a big price difference between spending $399 a side and $2400.

I've dealt with GC years ago, and recently and have no issues at all. Not my first time buying stuff directly from them.

[Elephant]

Hello,

You should make another thread for AST kits with all the relevant information / links etc. IMHO if I was going to drop $2400 on a coilover kit I would also consider Motons and the like. There is a big price difference between spending $399 a side and $2400.

I've dealt with GC years ago, and recently and have no issues at all. Not my first time buying stuff directly from them.

Yeah, sorry, I wasn't trying to take over this thread with product pinging. I won't post anymore stuff about that here. I was just wanting to point to another option, that's all.

Regarding Motons...if you're going to spend $2500 you won't even get half a Moton damper set let alone a complete kit. ; ) But you're also not looking at equal product comparison the same way the $399/side is not the same as $2400/complete kit.

Cheers.

[Jean]

No biggie :)

FWIW the AD's like the AST are monotube. What nationally competitive cars out there are using AST coils ? Also, is there a choice of spring rates with the AST kit ? Looks like a quality kit utilizing the available camper plates made by another manufacturer.

A national winning car like the Sias tuning m3 below is on AD's :)

[Skafrog]

Just so you know, AD's on your car makes it into a pine board.

AD's are an insert by the way, everything is the same as a GC coilover suspension except AD's have a blue and red adjuster on top.